Munich, Germany, 29 April 2020 – The Chief Executive Officer of HolidayCheck Group AG, Georg Hesse, today reached a mutual agreement with the company’s Supervisory Board to leave the company prematurely at the close of 29 April 2020 owing to differences of opinion over the future strategic direction.
The Supervisory Board today appointed Dr Marc Al-Hames, aged 42, as his successor in the post of Chairperson of the Management Board. He will join the company on 30 April 2020.
Dr Marc Al-Hames has been General Manager of Cliqz GmbH since 2013. Major stakeholder of this Munich-based company is Hubert Burda Media. Cliqz develops search engine, browser and privacy technologies in Germany and, inter alia, also operates the world’s leading privacy browser extension, Ghostery.
Prior to his present role, Dr Marc Al-Hames was Head of Corporate Development and a member of the Management Board of Tomorrow Focus AG (now HolidayCheck Group AG), and Project Manager at McKinsey & Company.
Holger Eckstein, Chairperson of the Supervisory Board of HolidayCheck Group AG commented:
‘On behalf of the entire Supervisory Board, I would like to thank Georg sincerely for his unfailingly efficient work and helpful attitude. By his great commitment, Georg Hesse, in his four years as CEO, has transformed HolidayCheck Group into a modern technology and travel group. I wish him all the best for the future in his personal and professional life.
I am also delighted that, in the person of Dr Marc Al-Hames, we have been able to acquire an experienced internet expert with proven management expertise for HolidayCheck Group. I am confident that he will be able to lead the company successfully through the current Coronavirus crisis, and thereafter return it to a trajectory of profitable growth.’
Georg Hesse, CEO of HolidayCheck Group AG:
‘It has been a privilege to be able to develop HolidayCheck Group over the past few years into a modern technology and travel group of companies that puts holidaymakers first and that can compete with the best in the industry. I am particularly proud of our versatile HolidayCheck team and our new travel agency business HolidayCheck Reisen, which will lead the HolidayCheck brand into the future. I would like to thank my colleagues on the Management Board, Nate and Markus, and the Supervisory Board members for their efficient work and the trust they have shown. The travel sector still has some way to go with regard to providing a real holidaymaker-friendly service, and the current crisis does not make the task any easier. For this reason I am extremely pleased that Marc, whom I know and hold in high esteem, is to be my successor. I wish him, the Supervisory Board and the whole team every success on the next part of this journey.’
Dr Marc Al-Hames, future CEO of HolidayCheck Group AG:
‘I am delighted to be returning to HolidayCheck after roughly seven years. Of course, the current market conditions are difficult. Coronavirus is having a considerable impact on our society and travel behaviour. We all have to work together now to overcome this crisis. I look forward to invigorating HolidayCheck together with the team and leading it into sustained profitability. I am sure that the holiday market will recover and that HolidayCheck Group will emerge from the crisis stronger.’
About HolidayCheck Group AG:
HolidayCheck Group AG (ISIN DE005495329), Munich, Germany, is one of Europe’s leading digital firms for holidaymakers. With a total workforce of around 490, HolidayCheck Group AG comprises HolidayCheck AG (which operates hotel review and travel booking portals by the same name), HC Touristik GmbH (which operates the tour operator HolidayCheck Reisen), Driveboo AG (which operates the car rental portal MietwagenCheck and Driveboo); and WebAssets B.V. (which operates the Zoover hotel review portals and the MeteoVista/WeerOnline weather portals). HolidayCheck Group’s vision is to become the world’s most holidaymaker-friendly company in the world.