AUSTRALIA. MSC Cruises has appointed a former retail director, Alessandro Guerreri, to the newly-created role of Managing Director of its Australasia business. He is responsible for overseeing both local operations as well as commercial activities across what the cruise operator sees as “a high-potential market for the business”.
Now based is Sydney, Guerreri is a seasoned retailer with a strong travel retail background – both at airports and on cruise lines. For almost five years until December 2018 he was Business Unit Director for On Board Retail, Casino, Spa, Photo and Other Revenue responsible for managing and enhancing MSC Cruises’ onboard revenue products and services including its stores, casino, concession and ancillary revenue.
Before that, Guerreri spent six years as Head of Corporate Retail in charge of the complete turnaround process of the retail duty free and duty paid business consisting of 220 staff and 70 shops on 11 ships.
Guerreri also had six years at Aeroporti di Roma from May 2001 to March 2008 as Direct Retail Operation Manager. There he was responsible for operations management and change management programmes at ADR’s store outlets at both Rome’s Fiumicino and Ciampino airports, managing a global turnover of €65 million.
Stressing the importance of the move, MSC Cruises Vice President of Global Sales Achille Staiano commented: “The appointment of a member of the company’s senior management team from Geneva to lead MSC Cruises’ business across Australia and New Zealand is meant to create an ever stronger link between MSC Cruises’ central functions and the local market … and to maximise opportunities to grow the presence of local consumers (as part of) the overall guest mix on both our current and future fleet.”
In connection with this management change, Lynne Clarke takes the position of MSC Cruises’ Chairwoman, Australasia. Clarke will specifically oversee relations with local institutions and other stakeholders.
