During Gordon’s 30-year career in digital transformation and distribution, he served as President and CEO of Travelport, a global travel commerce platform connecting buyers and sellers of travel products together in a real-time marketplace. Under his leadership, the platform held leading positions in search and shopping, merchandising and mobile travel apps. In 2014, he took Travelport public on the New York Stock Exchange and in 2019 led the $4.4bn take-private of the business to Siris Capital and Evergreen Coast Capital.
Gordon’s experience of the leisure sector and US market will help drive Virgin Experience Days (“VED”) next stage of growth as it continues to expand in both the UK and US. VED continues to innovate as a leading provider of gift experiences in the UK and entered the US experience gifting market in 2021 through the strategic acquisition of Cloud 9 (now rebranded as Virgin Experience Gifts). VED has plans to further broaden its product offering of 5,000 experiences and enhance its digital customer experience on both sides of the Atlantic.
Gordon is currently Chair of Ambassador Cruise Line and Nucleus Financial Platforms Limited and is a member of the supervisory board of BCD Holdings. Prior to these appointments, Gordon was a Non-Executive Director at William Hill PLC until its successful sale to Caesars Entertainment in 2021 and Chair of Interactive Investor until its sale to abrdn this year.
Richard Hurd-Wood, Chief Executive Officer of VED, said: “Gordon’s impressive experience in the digital economy as well as the US and leisure markets is welcomed by the board as we continue to grow and scale our business. He joins at a time of great excitement as people rediscover their passion for experiences and days out post-pandemic and look to a leading brand to deliver them.”
Gordon Wilson added: “I’m thrilled to be taking on the role of Chair at a company with a leading position in the UK experience gifting market. Following the recent acquisition, there’s also a huge opportunity for growth in the USA. I’m looking forward to working alongside Richard, the management team and investors in the company as we chart the next phase of development of this innovative business.”
For all enquiries, please contact: virginexperiencedays@thephagroup.com
About Virgin Experience Days
Virgin Experience Days is the UK’s leading experience business with a fast-growing business in the USA. The online retailer of experience gifts offers a curated collection of experiences with trending categories including new creative skills, stay and explore short breaks, adventure challenges and immersive dining. Headquartered in Bourne End, Buckinghamshire, the CEO is Richard Hurd Wood. The business operates in both the UK as Virgin Experience Days and the USA as Virgin Experience Gifts. It sells gift experiences both directly to consumers and corporations as well as through a range of business partners. The company is majority owned by private equity house Equistone with a minority holding by Inflexion and it is chaired by Gordon Wilson.
To find out more visit: www.virginexperiencedays.co.uk or www.virginexperiencegifts.com.
