Virtuoso®, the leading global network specialising in luxury and experiential travel, has announced the elevation of three executives to roles within its senior leadership structure that are central to the organisation’s current and future success. David Kolner was named executive vice president, Virtuoso; Michelle Rashid was promoted to senior vice president, culture & human resources; and Jennifer Campbell steps into her new role as senior vice president, network products & events.
These moves reinforce Virtuoso’s long-term strategy and talent development, supporting its worldwide network in providing industry-leading products, services and events to deliver maximum impact in the travel sector.
“Even before the pandemic altered the entire travel industry, as an executive team, we had already taken steps to reposition Virtuoso as a strong product-driven organisation to solve new world business needs,” stated Virtuoso Chairman and CEO Matthew D. Upchurch. “The pandemic accelerated this focus, while also reaffirming we had made the right decision to create a culture that is flexible, agile, interconnected and collaborative, allowing us to bridge time zones and varying business needs across multiple global regions. The promotions of David Kolner, Jennifer Campbell and Michelle Rashid, all seasoned executives who have helped drive Virtuoso’s success for many years now, will be instrumental in keeping Virtuoso a driving force in our members’ and partners’ business strategies as we move into the next phase of travel’s recovery.”
This realignment is credited with playing to Virtuoso’s strengths throughout the pandemic while also allowing the company’s employees to redefine and adjust their priorities and responsibilities, learning new skills and opening opportunities for growth within the company by perpetuating an environment of shared success. Many former employees have since rejoined the organisation, and many who succeeded through the pandemic have been elevated into new roles of responsibility. In addition to the investment in human capital, the company has made significant investment in enterprise systems to support future growth. While the company said goodbye to some legacy leaders who were key contributors to its earlier years of success, it has installed leadership to drive future growth, including the addition of Brad Bourland as chief operating officer and the escalation of others who have broadened their contribution and scope of responsibility.
Newly appointed Executive Vice President David Kolner will continue to leverage his vast depth of experience across key areas of the company to support global growth and accelerate value across the network. Since joining Virtuoso in 2008 as part of the technology team, Kolner has held several strategic leadership roles. Through his tenure, he led the innovation and development of industry-leading products that remain in place today, such as advisor profiles, reviews and recommendations, and customer segmentation, and he plays a pivotal role in the evolution of these and new products shaping the future of Virtuoso. Kolner was also a driving force in the creation of the company’s global expansion strategy, and championed early work in establishing a foundation for the global teams in place today. Most recently, Kolner has worked in a strategic role, supporting the senior leadership team and the reimagined company. He also led the Network Product team in ensuring Virtuoso member and partner Access programs fit the business needs of the network in a new world where digital enablement supports human connection.
“One of David’s unique abilities is representing and explaining the shared value of Virtuoso with our network,” said Bourland. “He is well respected for his impact at key events and his ability to engage a wide audience in memorable ways. His ability to provide clarity and interject humor has helped perpetuate the shared values we all believe in.”
Michelle Rashid
Newly promoted Senior Vice President, Culture & Human Resources Michelle Rashid has been instrumental in rolling out the company’s matrixed structure and elevating its talent base for growth, all with a tireless dedication to ensuring the company’s values-driven culture supports its core purpose of enriching lives through human connection– something Virtuoso is well known for. A 17-year Virtuoso veteran, Rashid assumed responsibility for the company’s culture ten years ago and has since developed and implemented the infrastructure to support the U.S. and global offices, which have realised significant expansion over the past 18 months. Her duties have grown to address the complexities of global talent management and the continually expansive labour laws in the U.S. and around the world. In her elevated role, she is responsible for driving the vision and execution of organisational design and leadership effectiveness, including strategic talent acquisition, retention and special talent initiatives, all which support the company’s overall organisational health and business results. She has helped to establish a number of leadership development programs, including the creation of the Next Level Leaders group, while also supporting the integration of sustainability practices into the organisation.
“Michelle has been an ardent supporter of our mission to have a healthy and harmonious culture within our company that cascades throughout the entire organisation and is felt by our members and partners,” said Bourland. “Ensuring Virtuoso’s mission is always aligned to our values is her passion, and she never forgets our first commitment is to our own teams. Given she has helped create pathways to elevate so many of her own colleagues, it gives us great satisfaction in now seeing her recognised as a senior-level leader.”
Jennifer Campbell
In her new role, Senior Vice President, Network Products & Events Jennifer Campbell is tasked with leading a portfolio of products focused on network engagement, while also driving the creation and operation of global events for the Virtuoso network. Her expanded responsibilities include leading a team of product professionals and highly talented matrixed teams of designers, engineers, and subject matter experts from around the company. Campbell’s years in economic development, in both public and private sectors, as well as her passion for travel that led to co-ownership of Explorations, A Travel Agency, give her a unique perspective and insight into the business objectives for Virtuoso’s member agencies. She joined Virtuoso in 2013 to manage the group’s new Agency Services department, offering programs and products for Virtuoso member agencies to increase revenues and improve efficiency. She has also been actively involved in launching and growing Virtuoso’s Benchmarking Teams, along with driving greater results in professional development with a broadened scope through internal and external speakers and innovative network training products that support the Virtuoso Certified Travel Advisor program.
“Jennifer has been masterfully leading the network product and events teams, and she was critical in the transformation of our events to hybrid formats,” Bourland remarked. “She is a trusted figure, especially with our agencies and advisors, because she has a keen understanding of what they need to be successful and how Virtuoso can help them achieve it.”
Kolner, Rashid and Campbell all report directly to Bourland. While Kolner and Rashid are based in Virtuoso’s Seattle office, Campbell will continue to work from her Atlanta-based home office.
