Comtec founder Powell backs ex-Travel Republic chief Roche in new venture

Travel and technology entrepreneur Simon Powell is backing Chris Roche, former chief commercial office of Travel Republic, in a new venture.

Travel and technology entrepreneur Simon Powell is backing Chris Roche, former chief commercial office of Travel Republic, in a new venture.

Roche is building travel.co.uk which he said should be launched by the end of the year.

Powell, who previously founded and owned travel technology supplier Comtec, said: “Chris approached me with an idea for which he wanted to use the domain travel.co.uk which I’ve owned since the mid 1990s.

“Chris put a business plan together which looks great and so I’ve invested and placed resource into building Chris’s vision. I’ve known Chris for a number of years; he has a proven track record and great reputation in the industry, I look forward to working with him.”

Roche added: “This is an exciting project, we’re building now and plan to launch later this year.

“Simon is the perfect backer due his passion for cutting edge technology, something I want at the core of travel.co.uk.”

As well as Powell investing, Humphrey Sheil, chief technology officer of Eysys, the ecommerce technology he founded, is incorporating some leading technology in the architecture of travel.co.uk which Roche said “will provide a solid base on which to build”.

No more details were revealed about travel.co.uk.