Andy Washington joins Expedia

Former Lastminute.com sales director Andy Washington has been appointed as the UK and Ireland managing director of online travel agency giant Expedia.

Washington, who previously also worked for Cosmos Holidays, has spent the last six months working for Thomas Cook’s new OTA division in its Fleet Street base having left Lastminute last June.

It is understood the post at Expedia had become available due to a restructuring, although nothing else is known at this stage about any other appointments or changes in personnel.

Washington was unavailable for comment, but Travel Weekly understands he is due to start at Expedia tomorrow (Tuesday) having officially left Thomas Cook on Friday. He was Thomas Cook’s private labels director – ecommerce.

Thomas Cook has made no secret of its ambition to establish its OTA among Europ’s top three and had set itself a three-year timetable to achieve, something that won it plaudits in the City although progress to date has not met expectations.

Its OTA will remain within the central division if the group’s high street retail division is given the go ahead by the competition authorities to form a joint venture with The Cooperative Travel.

Washington’s move to Expedia sees him go in the opposite direction from the former president of the online agency Simon Breakwell who was brought in during the early stages of Thomas Cook’s plans as it built a strong team drawn from the digital sector including firms like easyJet, Amazon and Orbitz.