GIBRALTAR - Key Persons
Known as "Morocco's Mr Fix it" according to Condé Nast Traveller, Ahmed's first step into the tourism industry started in 1973 when he attended the Hospitality & Tourism School in Agadir. After graduation, he studied and combined practical training in Travel & Leisure in Germany. He then became a teacher, sharing his knowledge with others, at a hotel School in Morocco before moving on to manage a travel agency until 1992. With his natural entrepreneurial skills, experience and expertise, alongside his passion for his country and the industry, Nait established Travel Link in 1993. A man with natural Berber roots, a deep understanding of his country and its people, he is the driving force behind the company's commitment to support the community.
Ali Kasmi joined Travel Link team in 2012 as a General Manager. Prior to this appointment Ali spent more than 25 years working for the Moroccan National Tourist Board (MNTB) in France then in Belgium and in the UK. Initially he started his career as the Deputy Director before progressing to a Director role. During his time working for MNTB, Ali was responsible for the direction and implementation of a strategy to enhance Morocco as a holiday destination in choice for European and international holidaymakers. He managed the UK MNTB from 1997 to 2011. In 1999 and 2000 Ali formed part of the team awarded Best Tourist Board in the UK by Globe Travel Awards & Travel Weekly. In 2009, Ali Kasmi accepted the award for Tourism Destination of the Year from Stephen Ayes, President of Corporate Council on Africa.
Job Titles:
- Finance Director
- Financial Controller of Griffon Hoverwork Limited
Andrew joined the Bland Group in 2015 as Financial Controller of Griffon Hoverwork Limited. Andrew was appointed to the board of directors of Griffon Hoverwork in October 2018 taking on the role of Finance Director.
Andrew has sixteen years experience within the Finance sector, including a role at a firm of practice accountants where he trained as an accountant and became a fellowship member of Association of Certified Chartered Accountants. Andrew provides a broad wealth of financial experience, and specifically experience within the Marine sector. Previous roles include working as a Finance Manager in a underwater repair and maintenance business which services various military and commercial vessels around the world.
Job Titles:
- Chief Pilot & Sales Engineering Manager
Job Titles:
- Finance Manager / Bland Group
Brendan joined Bland Group in April 2021 taking on responsibility for the finance function in Gibraltar across OSG, Blands Travel, Gibair, BG Tec and Calpe Lounge.
His role as finance manager includes the preparation of monthly financial reporting across the various business units as well as working closely with the finance director in preparing annual budgetary reports, forecasts and other financial analysis.
Brendan is an ACCA-qualified accountant with professional experience in the fields of corporate banking, company administration and finance having previously worked in the fiduciary services department at a local law firm.
Charlene joined OSG in March 2013 as a receptionist. She initially applied for an ATM officer vacancy but was instead offered the role of receptionist which was more office based and better suited to her needs as a new mother.
As a single parent and with an eight week old baby Charlene moved back to Gibraltar in October 2012 after living in the UK for 13 years. Although she studied law and graduated with an LLB Cons and completed her LPC, circumstances meant that she did not practice her chosen profession. With a newborn to look after she needed to find employment as soon as possible and took up the job opportunity presented to her by OSG.
Within six months she was offered the role of HR in addition to her receptionist duties which she took on with gusto. During this time she also assisted in payroll and learned how to not only work out the rostered hours but how to use Winpay. As fate would have it an opportunity arose, and a position became available in the Payroll department. Charlene dropped the role of receptionist and kept the HR role and in addition took on the role of Payroll Officer.
During this time Charlene covered for Nigel Unsworth, the CIT Manager, whilst he was on leave. Therefore, when Nigel retired in 2015 Charlene was offered the position and promoted to CIT Manager. This coincided with the opening of the newly constructed Cash Management Center which Charlene also took on. To date she is still in this role and taking the departments from strength to strength.
Charlene has now been in OSG for 10 years and she believes that with a little luck, a good support network plus hard work and determination, anyone can succeed and progress their career if they are given the right opportunities. She is eternally grateful to OSG's Managing Director to have provided her with the opportunities to progress within the ranks.
David started his career in IT as a System & Network Administrator with Abentel (Abengoa Group) in 1998. Working in close collaboration with Telefonica, David formed part of the technical team that began the implementation of ADSL technology in Spain, carrying out the start-up and the initial tests of Alcatel and Lucent Technologies DSLAM equipment in Andalucia.
David moved into the MSP (Managed Service Provider) world in 2003 where he occupied various roles as Systems and Networks Administrator and Technical Support Team Lead across different companies and industries.
In 2005 David joined a construction company operating in several countries as IT Operations Manager. David was tasked with building and managing an IT support team, digitizing the company's processes, and interconnecting and ensuring stable network communications between their office branches.
David arrived in Gibraltar in 2013 after being offered the opportunity to design and build a new Internet Service Provider company from the ground up. During the 9 years at GibFibre David was a key member of the Network Engineering team occupying several roles such as Senior Network Engineer, Network Operations Centre Team Leader, and IT Operations Manager.
In September 2022 David joined BG Tec, the Bland Group's technology arm, as principal engineer within the IT infrastructure team responsible for the management and administration of all the groups IT Infrastructure.
David is a very experienced chief engineer with 25 years' experience of technical leading, developing and architecting complex systems across defence, government and commercial sectors. He is a cyber security and cloud infrastructure specialist with a rich background in agile methodology and modern software development technologies, covering a broad range of environments from embedded systems to web applications.
David graduated from Trinity College, University of Cambridge, with a Master's Degree (MEng) in Electrical and Information Sciences, and a chartered engineer from 2007.
Job Titles:
- Head of Airport Operations
Derek has a long serving history with Bland Group International. Joining as an 18 year old, Derek has significant experience carrying out all the functions required from a ground handling agent. The operations which have developed and grown consistently since 1985, have been managed by Derek since 2006. As Head of Operations, Derek is is responsible for managing the entire ground handling operation at Gibraltar International Airport including, overseeing the check in, reservations, missing baggage, load and balance control. Managing over 76 members of staff, Derek also has overall responsibility for ensuring airline key performance indicators are well as well as overseeing strictly safety and security standards required by regulatory authorities.
A key member of staff, Derek is always driving new initiatives to ensure the safety and security of all passengers, crew and staff. During his time at Gibair he has been responsible for expanding and ensuring that there is a comprehensive training programme in place for all employees. He also developed a Safety Management System and a Cargo Regulated Agent Programme essential for the progression of the organisation and required by regulatory authorities. In 2011, Derek handled a key project, moving all ground handling operations from the old to the new terminal.
Job Titles:
- Group People Director / Bland Group
Emily graduated from Bournemouth University with a Food Science and Business Management degree in 2001. After completing a University placement year at Marks & Spencer Head Office, she began her career designing and developing food products for Marks & Spencer, before specialising in the Training sector.
CIPD qualified in both Training and generalist HR, Emily's career has progressed through HR in the manufacturing and luxury retail sectors, before joining Griffon Hoverwork as Head of HR in 2011 and moving into Group Head of HR role in 2013. More recently, Emily has taken on the role of Group People Director driving the HR strategy across all Bland Group businesses. Within this role, Emily is responsible for maintaining and adhering to best HR practices across all Group Companies. Emily provides a wealth of experience within all aspects of HR including employment law, recruitment and selection, compensation and benefits as well as training and development.
Job Titles:
- Non Executive Director / Bland Group
Primarily based in Gibraltar, Guy is a partner at the law firm TSN. A leading lawyer in the field of construction law, his work in this area includes advice to Government, private developers and bankers on most of Gibraltar's major developments over the last 2 decades. His experience varies from commercial to residential developments and includes the New Gibraltar Airport Terminal on which he advised Government and the well publicised litigation surrounding the Airport Tunnel.
He has an in-depth understanding of Gibraltar's Courts and his litigation work ranges from general commercial litigation to more specific areas such as professional negligence, administrative law and admiralty law. Guy has acted in a number of high profile judicial reviews in which he represented the Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation, The Judicial Service Commission and the Gibraltar Health Authority. His experience also extends to trust and shareholder disputes. Clients include both private and institutional clients and statutory bodies.
Guy read law at Queen Mary College, London University, and completed his Bar Vocational Course at the Inns of Court School of Law. He was called to the Bar by the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple in England in 1992 and Gibraltar in 1993 and took Silk in 2016. He was an elected member of the Gibraltar Bar Council between 1995 and 2016 as well as a member of a variety of statutory bodies. His involvement with the Bland Group dates back to his early days of practice and he was appointed to the Holdings board in 2010.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Chairman / Bland Group
Five generations of the Gaggero family have been leading the day to day business and development of Bland Group since its acquisition in 1891.
The current Chairman, James Gaggero, and his son Nicholas (Chief Executive Officer) are supported in the direction and management of the Group's diverse operations by key individuals who bring a distinct level of knowledge within their fields of expertise.
Their collective experience provides the necessary oversight to add value and challenge, and effectively steer the strategic direction of the businesses.
The board provides an excellent foundation for good governance that oversees appropriate levels of risk, and one that is always open, honest and transparent.
James is the fourth generation of the Gibraltar based Gaggero family, to have chaired the Bland Group. He graduated from the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst in 1979 and following a Short Service Commission with the British Army started his career with the Group in 1982. At first, James joined the Aviation and Travel division before taking this over in 1985. He became the company's Managing Director in 1987 and Chairman in 1997. He was appointed Chairman of the Rock Hotel in 1992, Cadogan Holidays in 1995 and the Group's airline, GB Airways in 2003.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- OSG As General Manager
John Paul Payas joined OSG as General Manager in June 2012 after 22 years military services with the Royal Gibraltar Regiment ending a successful and exemplary military career as the Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) with achievements in both operational and Regimental duties. Throughout his career he served in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Sierra Leonne and performed Public Duties at Buckingham Palace as both a Platoon Sergeant and RSM. John Paul participated and headlined several Multi National Exercises in Morocco, Gambia, Bermuda and Jamaica developing training and Operational requirements for National Forces.
John Paul's appointment as GM of OSG coincided with the merger of three security companies, Security Express, Watch It & Secure It. Under his management John Paul has turned three individual companies into the successful security company OSG has become, with three departments covering everything from Physical Security to CCTV, CIT (Cash in Transit) and Cash Management. Under his direction the company has grown from strength to strength employing over 160 employees.
Another area of the business which John Paul has nurtured and grown into a successful enterprise is Event Management. For the last four years OSG, under John Paul's guidance, has provided security for the widely popular MTV Gibraltar Calling Music Festival which draws in crowds from Spain and UK. During these Events John Paul has provided personnel Security for artists such as Rita Ora, Kings Leon and The Script, to name but a few.
His military experience coupled with his sharp business sense has put OSG at the forefront of Gibraltar's Security Industry, making it the market leader in Gibraltar.
After graduating with a Computer Science degree from the University of Leeds, Jonathan returned to Gibraltar and commenced work in the online gaming industry. Over a period spanning 8 years, Jonathan occupied various technical roles across Support, Database, Server, Network & Security installation, configuration and management of a 24x7x365 online data centre environment. Jonathan subsequently moved to a senior executive position within the e-money industry as Head of Operations for an Issuing Bank. With offices across four countries and a large European client and customer base, he was responsible for client & customer services, project management, payment processing, AML, Fraud, and IT Infrastructure and Software Development teams.
Jonathan joined the Bland Group in 2017 to establish the IT & Infrastructure team and is now Managing Director of BG Tec with oversight of all technical teams within the rapidly expanding Bland technology services division. In total he boasts over 18 years professional technical and management experience, building and leading high performance back office operation and technology teams.
Job Titles:
- People Operations Manager / Bland Group
Job Titles:
- Head of Software Development
Krishan graduated from Kingston University of London before attaining a Masters degree in internet computing at the University of Surrey.
Choosing to stay in the UK, he commenced his career in the IT industry at the NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre (NETSCC) based at the University of Southampton as a junior software developer and first line IT support technician.
Krishan returns to Gibraltar in 2013 and joined the software development team at Bland Group as a software developer working on various large projects.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Company in 1995 As a Sales and Operations Manager
- Managing Director at Skybreak
Lecia is the Managing Director at Skybreak. With over 25 years experience in the travel industry, Lecia joined the Company in 1995 as a Sales and Operations Manager. During her time, Lecia has played a pivotal role in the continual development and growth of Skybreak, from a relatively unknown charter ticketing service to one of the most recognisable customer services facilities, with a client base that now exceeds 80% of airline carriers operating from Gatwick. Recognised for her important contribution and strategic development of the Skybreak brand within the trade industry, Lecia was appointed as a Director on the Board of Bland Group in 2010.
Highly motivated and with a passion to integrate her extensive knowledge and experience, Lecia enjoys working with clients and passengers within a fast paced environment. Taking the lead for innovation at Skybreak, Lecia works closely with her team and alongside Managing Director, Neil Chapman, to develop exciting new travel initiatives designed to evolve products and services to meet stakeholders needs.
Outside her management role, Lecia enjoys running and is kept busy with the demands of family life.
Loretta Lale - Chief Commercial Officer
Job Titles:
- Head of Commercial
- Head of Commercial at Hovertravel
With a degree in Marketing & Advertising Management and over two decades of global blue-chip strategic marketing experience, Loretta is an expert marketeer who is passionate about working at the world's only commercial passenger hovercraft service.
Her track record with household names and in the business-to-business environment across EMEA, USA and Asia, involved building brands, demanding sales targets, targeting new audiences and ensuring outstanding customer service.
As Head of Commercial at Hovertravel, Loretta is responsible for strategic marketing and business development which requires evolving the digital offering, new media, advertising, customer experience, event management, PR, brand management - all with the objective of maximising return on investment.
As many different customers use Hovertravel for many different reasons from holidaymaking to visiting friends and family and from business trips to travelling to work, Loretta has to manage communications with an extremely broad set of audiences. By deploying new digital technologies Loretta has enhanced both the efficiency and effectiveness of the marketing activity, and translated the company's values into all customer touchpoints, whether by screen or in person.
As well as promoting a hovercraft flight as a must-have bucket list experience for visitors from around the world, and as a showpiece for corporate, private charters and charity events, she keeps Hovertravel as the first choice for regular travellers to and from the Isle of Wight.
Job Titles:
- Calpe Lounge Supervisor
- VIP Calpe Lounge As a Supervisor
In June 2015 Lynn joined the VIP Calpe Lounge as a supervisor to bring a bright, fresh and new perspective to the lounge. The demand on the lounge has grown over the years with the volume of flights and passengers since Lynn first started.
Job Titles:
- Technical Project Manager
Mark started his IT career with the Bland Group in April 2000, when he joined the IT department of GB Airways, as an Information Technology Assistant. Between 2000 and 2008 Mark progressed from this initial support role to Network Administrator, and finally to Project Manager & Business Analyst. During this period, and whilst working full time, Mark studied for two years and achieved a distinction in HND Business Information Technology.
Following the sale of GB Airways in 2008, Mark joined the group oversite team, at Bland Group UK Holdings as Group Information Technology Manager. The main focus of this role was to create a set of policies and best practices for the management of the IT estate for the various group companies. As part of this a standard set of systems, software, and hardware were selected and installed at each business, to cover all IT equipment, mobile and landline telephony, email, internet connectivity and internet security.
Mark joined Griffon Hoverwork in 2011 as Chief Engineer.
He graduated from the University of Southampton with a MEng in Ship Science. He then served for eight years as a Marine Engineer Officer in the Royal Navy, in aircraft carriers, destroyers and patrol craft around the world before setting up a new naval architecture training college.
Mark was the Head of Naval Architecture and Survivability at BAE Systems responsible for the relevant design and delivery of the Type 45 Destroyer. During the build phase of the Type 45 BAE Systems' technical overseer and design authority in Portsmouth.
Job Titles:
- Customer Services Manager
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer / Bland Group
Job Titles:
- General Counsel / Bland Group
Job Titles:
- Partnerships & Development Manager
Job Titles:
- Group Finance Director / Bland Group
Job Titles:
- Operations & Sales Manager
Job Titles:
- Group Quality Director / Bland Group
- Group Quality Director / Bland Group / Senior Management & Key People
Job Titles:
- Non Executive Director / Bland Group
Job Titles:
- Head of Marine Operations
Job Titles:
- Head of Destination Services