Atlas Ocean Voyages has made a series of new appointments to its sales and guest services team.
This reinforces the brand’s commitment to its trade first sales strategy and continued growth in the luxury expedition market.
Kristian Anderson, Executive Vice President of Global Sales, welcomed Kelly Popovski (pictured), Richard Whitaker, Logan Steele, Juan Lopez, and Pedro Jaimot to the Atlas Ocean Voyages team.
“In a short time, Atlas Ocean Voyages has redefined the expedition style of cruising, initially refined Polar expeditions and then developing innovative epicurean and cultural experiences for year-round exploration across the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Caribbean, and beyond on our state-of-the-art fleet of luxuriously designed, world-class yachts,” Anderson said.
“This talented sales team enhances our resources and strengthens our valued partnerships with the travel advisor community, which remains an essential partner in our ongoing success as we continue to grow as a company,” he said.
The new new appointments were:
Kelly Popovski – Senior Director, Field Sales
She will lead Atlas’s team of field sales for North America.
Popovski began her career with Norwegian Cruise Line, where she held progressive roles within the sales organisation, forging strong relationships with the travel advisor community.
As a founding team member at Virgin Voyages, she was instrumental in developing the sales organisation and leading charters and incentives.
Richard Whitaker – Director, National Accounts
Whitaker brings nearly a decade of cruise sales experience, including roles with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Azamara Cruises.
In his new role, he is responsible for increasing Atlas’s presence with consortia partners and national accounts by developing customised marketing and sales strategies to support mutual growth.
Logan Steele – Regional Sales Director, Southeast USA
Steele will support travel partners across the Southeast US.
With a cruise industry background in sales and sales support, he brings a fresh and innovative perspective to his new role.
Juan Lopez – Director, Guest Services
Lopez leads Atlas’s global reservation team of voyage specialists, bringing experience in guest reservations and operations from The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.
Pedro Jaimot – Director, Charter & MICE Operations
Reporting to Robert Cao, Vice President of Charter & MICE, Jaimot brings over 15 years of experience in cruise sales, marketing, and operations.
His background includes key roles at Star Clippers, Landry & Kling, Cruise Planners, and Ponant.
At Atlas, he will focus on expanding and refining charter and MICE offerings.
In addition,Isabel Galvan has been appointed Vice President, Commercial Operations & Systems Development as Atlas Ocean Voyages establishes a new Department to oversee the day-to-day operational functions of the business.
This department will ensure that critical systems, including reservations and IT infrastructure, are functioning at optimal levels. In addition, it will facilitate the research, development, and implementation of new technologies to support Atlas’ evolving needs.
These appointments underscore Atlas Ocean Voyages’ commitment to building a world class team dedicated to providing exceptional support to travel advisors and delivering unforgettable experiences for guests, the company said.
