Redion (formerly Europ Assistance) has appointed one of the Australian travel industry’s most experienced partnership and commercial leaders, Simon McNally, as Head of Partnership Success – Flight Centre. His appointment comes as the Redion name goes live today across the travel insurance offerings of three Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) brands.
Based in Brisbane, Simon (‘Simo’) McNally will lead and grow Redion’s partnership with FCTG across Australia and New Zealand, and will be Redion’s global lead for the Flight Centre relationship. Working with Redion’s partnership teams around the world, he will focus on making it easier for Flight Centre consultants to help their customers travel protected.
From today, customers of Flight Centre Travel Insurance, Cruiseabout Travel Insurance and Travel Associates Travel Insurance will see the Redion name across their travel insurance policies, documentation and services. The change follows Redion’s global rebrand in May, when Europ Assistance Australia and New Zealand became Redion Insurance.
McNally brings two decades of experience across travel, loyalty and travel insurance in Australia and the UK. He commenced his travel career as a Flight Centre consultant in 2009 and grew within the business to run his own Flight Centre store before moving into wholesale and leadership roles. He then spent five years as Cover-More’s Director – FC Partnership, where he led the team behind its Flight Centre portfolio. He later returned to Zurich Cover-More as General Manager – Commercial and New Business. During his career, he also managed the rewards portfolio at Velocity Frequent Flyer and led the group travel sales and speciality function for Virgin Trains in the UK.
Justin Sebire, CEO of Redion in Australia and New Zealand, says: “We’re thrilled to have Simo on board. He started out selling travel in a Flight Centre store, he’s run the partnership side for an insurer, and he understands what consultants and their customers need. There are very few people in Australian travel with that combination of experience.
“It’s been a big year for Redion. We secured our APRA licence and an A+ Financial Strength Rating from AM Best, and from today, Flight Centre’s travel insurance customers will see our name. Simo joins us at an exciting time of growth, with a number of new innovations planned over the next six months.”
As McNally says: “The chance to be part of Redion’s growth while working closely with the Flight Centre Travel Group again is an incredible opportunity. Working on its frontline is where I first appreciated the power of travel and understood how important the right travel protection is at a customer’s time of need. It isn’t an add-on – it’s a duty of care and a core part of looking after a customer on their travels; it’s been an active focus of mine ever since.”
When he’s not working, McNally is a travel enthusiast. He’s explored more than 50 countries, gone heli-boarding in Canada, hiked Patagonia, ridden a motorbike through Vietnam, completed four endurance adventure races and climbed a 5897-metre active volcano.
Travellers can meet the Redion team in person at the Flight Centre Travel Expo at Sydney’s ICC on 17 and 18 October, where Flight Centre Travel Insurance will host a stand.
