Intrepid Travel has unveiled a new North American leadership team.
The restructuring includes Canadian travel industry stalwart Christian Wolters being appointed to a newly created position of president of Canada, effective 01JUL, and current chief customer officer Leigh Barnes moving into the role of president of the Americas.
Intrepid said Wolters was chosen for the role because he is an established leader. He most recently served as chief marketing officer at TourRadar, where he led the North America team for the past nine years. He was a founding team member of Intrepid in Canada from 2008 to 2015, culminating as general manager and VP of Sales.
“Intrepid’s brand has grown exponentially in North America; from our first tiny office in California over 20 years ago to our fastest growing region globally,” said CEO James Thornton. “Under this new structure, the Americas will play a key role in our ambitious growth strategy for 2030.”
The announcement also notes other changes to the Americas management team.
Matt Berna, the current president of the Americas, will transition to SVP of U.S. Sales & Operations and Global B2B External Sales. He will focus on developing Intrepid's domestic operations, including Intrepid-owned Wildland Trekking, U.S. B2B sales, and global business development for Intrepid’s DMC network. Berna has been pivotal in Intrepid’s growth, including developing its North American strategy. He remains President of the Americas until January 2025.
The move marks a new opportunity for Tom Smith, who will take over the GM, Central America & Mexico role. Smith will report to the managing director of Latin America, Gary Cohen, a member of the Americas leadership team. Berna, Wolters, and other key functional leaders will all report to new Americas President Leigh Barnes, effective 01JAN, 2025.
“This structure will help take Intrepid to the next level in the Americas,” said Thornton.
“We know that travel brings people together, opens hearts and minds and creates greater understanding. There has never been a greater need for this. The world needs more Intrepid people and I believe this is the moment to double down on our opportunity in the USA and broader Americas region," he said.
