Virgin Experience Days appoints new chief executive
Virgin Experience Days has appointed Christoph Homann as its new chief executive.
The move coincides with the business entering its next phase of growth in the experience gifting markets in the UK and US.
Homann was most recently chief executive of digital gift card business Wishcard Technologies which is based in Germany. Whilst there, he more than doubled revenue and EBITDA, drove European expansion, and managed a successful exit for its leading investor.
He has also worked with eBay and Ticketmaster, and led the digital transformation at McDonald’s where he was responsible for the global roll-out of its digital in-store kiosks and mobile applications.
Virgin Experience Days has also appointed Nuria Garcia as chief marketing officer. She previously held the same role at WorldRemit, the fintech unicorn that offers digital money transfers.
Gordon Wilson, chairman of Virgin Experience Days, said: “In the appointments of Christoph and Nuria we are adding two executives with extensive skills and experience in building online marketplaces, international expansion (including the US) and delivering digital transformation and profitable growth, which will fit well with the rest of our talented management team.”
Homann has succeeded Richard Hurd-Wood, who has stepped down as part of a planned transition to pursue non-executive roles. During his tenure, Virgin Experience Days delivered significant growth, entered the $40 billion US experience gifting market, and secured investment from Equistone Partners Europe.
Wilson added: “I would like to pay tribute to the fine job Richard has done in leading Virgin Experience Days to this point. He has not only overseen a period of strong growth but also successfully led the business through the Covid pandemic, its entry into the US, and then its sale to Equistone.”
