Welcome to In Crisis – Travel Retail Voices, our podcast series in which we speak to industry executives around the world to see how they and their businesses are coping with the COVID-19 crisis.
Today we talk to Garry Maxwell, one of the most popular and respected salesmen in travel retail.
For the past 18 years, Garry has been Sales and Purchasing Director at Premier Portfolio, the specialist UK travel retail business owned by Kevin Walsh and Andrew Webster. Now Garry is going out on his own, having created a new company called GMAX Travel Retail (see full details of his portfolio below).
Launching a new business in the midst of the worst global pandemic in a century doesn’t sound like good timing. But anyone who knows Garry Maxwell knows that he’s not going to let something like a health crisis stop him. And his portfolio also reflects the realities and needs of the COVID-19 shaped world. He may be in lockdown in Southampton but he’s just raring to go, as he told Martin Moodie during a phone call over the weekend.
About GMAX Travel Retail
Personal protection and beauty: These are the two categories which dominate travel retail newcomer GMAX Travel Retail’s brand portfolio, writes Colleen Morgan.
As reported, long-time and much-respected Premier Portfolio International Sales Director Garry Maxwell will leave the company at the end of June, amid a streamlining of the business. His new venture, GMAX Travel Retail, will represent brands in travel retail.
Leading the 2020 Health and Protection range, which features products made in the UK and Ireland, is the Go Safe Travel Care Kit containing two NHS-approved medical face masks and five sanitising wipes. A larger kit includes a thermometer strip and 50ml Sanitising Hand Gel.
The Nilaqua Waterless Hand Hygiene Travel Pack contains an alcohol-free sanitiser and waterless hand wash.
GMAX Travel Retail also highlights a Theye Hand Sanitising Micro Spray Triple Pack (3 x 18ml) and Pump Spray (Twin Pack 2 x 50ml). The same brand offers a range of Mosquito Repellent Bands, including adjustable styles, and the 75ml Theye Mosquite Repellent Extra Strong Cream and 15ml Micro Spray.
In the Beauty category, GMAX Travel Retail’s line-up includes Transformulas Beauty Treatments (in conjunction with Premier Portfolio), Beauty Blvd and Eyeslices.
Maxwell will also continue to collaborate with Premier Portfolio on its logo business for Scale Model Planes and Funplane products.
Previously on In Crisis – Travel Retail Voices
May 22: Caroline South, Caroline South Associates (Part 2)
May 22: Caroline South, Caroline South Associates (Part 1)
May 20: Frederik Westelinck, Blue Storks
May 14: Christine Keeling, Long Haul Spa
May 12: Kevin Chiang, Ever Rich Duty Free
May 2: Robbie Gill, The Design Solution
May 2: Michael Ripfl, Umdasch, The Store Makers
April 29: Heidi van Roon, Spark Business Services Group
April 25: Rüdiger Behn, Waldemar Behn
April 23: James Prescott, Harding Retail
April 22: Eugene Barry, Dubai Airports
April 21: Lal Arakulath, Kreol Group
April 21: Scott Collier, Toronto Pearson International Airport
April 20: Lisa Bauer, Starboard Cruise Services
April 17: Dan Cappell, Ontario International Airport
April 13: Gautom Menon, Wild Tiger Beverages
April 13: Sarah Branquinho, Duty Free World Council
April 10: Sinead el Sibai, Dubai Duty Free
April 7: Jonathan Holland of Jonathan Holland & Associates, Singapore.
April 7: Rob Wigington, Executive Director at the Airport Restaurant & Retail Association, US.
April 7: José Luis Donagaray and Inés Sisto Patron, ASUTIL
April 5: Stewart Dryburgh, Nestlé International Travel Retail,
April 4: Pier Giuseppe Torresani, Masi; and Steve Corrigan, long-time duty free drinks executive
April 2: Founder of Duty Free Global, Barry Geoghegan
April 1: Vice President of Miami-based Essence Corp, Patricia Bona.
29 March: William Grant & Sons President Asia Pacific Doug Bagley
29 March: PMA Canada National Director – Duty Free Jeff Orson
27 March: Paul & Shark Global Travel Retail Director Catherine Bonelli
26 March: King Power Traveler President Rakhita Jayawardena
25 March: Public health expert Dr. David Heymann
24 March: King Power Group (Hong Kong) Group Chief Executive Officer Sunil Tuli
22 March: The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie
21 March: China Duty Free Group President Charles Chen
20 March: Dubai Duty Free Executive Vice Chairman & CEO Colm McLoughlin
