Leidschendam The Netherlands,
07
March
2019
|
11:00
Europe/Amsterdam

Awaze - the new name for Europe’s leading managed vacation rentals and holiday resorts business

Awaze has today been unveiled as the new corporate name for Europe’s leading

managed vacation rentals and holiday resorts business.

Speaking at ITB Berlin, Awaze CEO Henrik Kjellberg, said the group behind brands including cottages.com, Hoseasons, James Villa Holidays, Landal GreenParks and Novasol, is fully-focused on leveraging its size and scale to deliver everyday amazing holiday experiences for its partners, guests and employees as part of a clear vision for growth.

He said: “The Awaze portfolio includes some fantastic brands, but the creation of a new corporate identity and leadership team will enable us to share learnings, develop group-wide technological solutions and accelerate the pace at which we grow. The market for self-catering breaks is strong and we are incredibly well placed to take advantage of that demand.”

Led by Kjellberg, the new London-based Awaze corporate team also includes Group CTO Álvaro de Nicolas and Group CFO Liliana Solomon. Together they have developed a five-point group strategy focused on building its brands, adopting world-class technology, increasing the company’s product footprint through acquisition and organic growth, working collaboratively between brands and developing a great team culture across the group.

The Awaze group of brands generates gross revenues in excess of EUR 1.8 billion, accommodates more than eight million holidaymakers each year and has over 110,000 places to stay across 36 countries. Kjellberg says that while the company’s pan-European scale is important, Awaze and its brands will stay locally relevant to owners and communities in the areas in which they operate.

He said: “No other managed vacation rentals business offers our blend of international reach and on-the-ground knowledge, expertise and support. Owners want the same personal approach whether they are in Croatia, Cornwall or Copenhagen – that’s why we remain committed to providing genuine local support alongside our central group structure.”

The brands included in the Awaze portfolio were previously owned by Wyndham Worldwide before being sold to Platinum Equity in May 2018. For more information about Awaze go to www.awaze.com

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Notes to Editors

Awaze is Europe’s leading managed vacation rentals and holiday resorts business. Home to specialist self-catering brands cottages.com, Hoseasons, James Villa Holidays, Landal GreenParks and Novasol, the company provides everyday amazing holiday experiences to more than eight million guests each year, with over 110,000 places to stay across 36 countries. www.awaze.com

The Awaze leadership team

Henrik Kjellberg, Group CEO

Henrik leads Awaze supported by individual brand directors and the company’s corporate team. Prior to joining Awaze he was part of the global leadership team at Expedia Inc, where he worked in a variety of roles in London, Beijing, Hong Kong and San Francisco and was a member of the global leadership team. Experienced in growing global businesses and teams, Henrik has a passion for travel and enjoys the great outdoors. He is originally from Sweden and has an M.Sc. in Economics from the Stockholm School of Economics.

Álvaro de Nicolas, Group CTO

Álvaro leads the technology and product teams to grow and develop the Awaze platform. Prior to joining Awaze he oversaw a digital transformation at the world’s largest bed bank, Hotelbeds Group – a project that enabled the company to double in size by developing new products with data and technology at their core. He also worked with BT Sport on coverage of London 2012 and has held a number of executive positions at Havas Media and Accenture. Álvaro holds a Global Executive MBA from IESE and a Degree in Telecommunications Engineering.

Liliana Solomon, Group CF0

Liliana leads the central group financial and M&A functions. She has more than 20 years’ experience across the telecom and the technology industry, having previously held senior executive roles with blue chip companies Vodafone, Cable & Wireless and Deutsche Telekom, as well as firms owned by private equity. Liliana holds an MBA from INSEAD as well as a PhD in physics. She is fluent in English, German, French and Romanian, and is a keen tennis player, having played in the Romanian national team as a junior.