Key People
The Board of Management is the senior management team through which the operational management of the group business is directed.
Trevor Elswood
Group Managing Director
Trevor joined BSI in 2000 as Head of Account Management & Supplier Relations and joined the main board in 2004 as Commercial Director overseeing supply management, customer relationship development and group commercial strategies. In 2007 he was appointed to the Hotel Booking Agents Association (HBAA) Executive Board as Chairman of the Technology Committee. In April 2008 Trevor was appointed by the board as Group Managing Director. Trevor is a graduate in Hotel, Catering & Institutional Management and has held several senior positions within the hotel industry across operations, revenue management and sales.
Simon Milsted
Group Chairman
Simon initially became an advisor to the BSI board in 1988 and was invited to assume the non-executive role of Group Chairman after being heavily involved during the management buy-out led by Charles Cockell in 1995. In 2003, Simon became joint owner, along with Charles, of the BSI business. Simon’s background is in accountancy and has worked previously for Price Waterhouse before setting up his own accountancy practice in 1988.
Charles Cockell
Group Deputy Chairman
Charles joined BSI in 1987 and has assumed many roles including Sales & Marketing Director and Operations Director before becoming Managing Director in 1995 after leading a management buy-out of the business. Charles’ career has been firmly ensconced in the travel industry after starting his career with Thomas Cook in 1968. Charles was Managing Director of London-based BJ Travel before launching his own company, NMA Cockell Ltd in 1984. Charles was the Chairman of the Hotel Booking Agents Association (HBAA) for 2 years until January 2003. In April 2008, Charles accepted the role of Deputy Chairman and remains involved in the strategic development and direction of the businesses.
Malcolm Derry
Group Finance Director
Malcolm joined BSI as Finance Director in 1996 following the business’ management buy-out. Malcolm has significant financial experience including senior roles at Sun Valley Poultry and Taunton Cider plc.
Ian Lower, MA
Group Information Technology Director
Ian joined BSI in 2002 as Head of Information Technology, and joined the Group board in 2005. Having previously worked in the finance sector and with a background of senior IT management and major software development, Ian was able to bring both discipline and innovation to BSI’s reinvestment in technology, resulting in leading-edge systems and a highly-skilled in-house team. Ian holds an MA from the University of Exeter and has previously been a member of HEDNA (Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association).
Fran Carey
Director of Operations
Fran joined BSI as a reservation consultant in 1989 and was promoted to Operations Manager managing BSI’s Taunton Centre of Excellence in 1993. Following the opening of the Cheadle Centre of Excellence in 2005 and the group’s acquisition of International Reservations in 2007, Fran was promoted in 2007 to the role of Director of Operations overseeing all operational service delivery across the group excluding Olive360°.