Flight Centre appoints Kmart executive as new chief marketing officer Australia

Travel retailer Flight Centre has announced to the public the appointment of former Kmart executive, Joachim Holte as its new Chief Marketing Officer.

Following her new position, Kmart marketing executive will be responsible for leading Flight Centre’s marketing and digital experience departments in Australia when he takes on the position.

In his new role, Holte will report to Allisa O’Connell, the premier leisure travel brand’s executive general manager.

Over the years, Holte has garnered himself 18 years of diverse experience in Australia and overseas across the travel, retail, finance and media sectors, said he is looking forward to joining the travel brand as it takes the next steps of its journey.

Speaking on his new role, he said, “The opportunities for growth and innovation are only limited by our imaginations as the global demand for travel offerings continues to grow and change”.

“Flight Centre has a long history of being a game changing brand and I feel privileged to be going on the next steps of that journey,” he added.

Executive general, Flight Centre, Allisa O’Connell commenting, she said: “The company is pleased to welcome Holte, I believes he will play a valuable role in the brand’s ongoing evolution.

“Exciting initiatives are already underway to ensure we maintain a strong customer-centric focus and to enhance the customer experience and product offering across multiple sales channels within the flagship Flight Centre brand,” she said.

Holte previously worked for one of Europe’s specialised ski travel agencies (Iglu.com) and the product comparison site Kelkoo. He relocated to Australia in 2004 and worked at both Wotif.com and Yahoo! before heading up marketing at two start-ups, Ratecity.com.au and Wayfair Australia.

He then returned to Wotif.com, where his last role as executive general manager for Australia and New Zealand saw him heading up product, marketing and strategy for Wotif.com’s key business unit.

In addition, holte also spent about three years and a half with travel comparison site Wego.com as chief marketing officer based in Singapore, before taking on his most recent role as head of digital marketing at Kmart.