Jeff Bacall
Managing Director
Jeff has worked in public relations, marketing and sales for over 30 years. The majority of his experience encompasses both in-house and external consulting for travel and lifestyle firms. He has assumed leadership roles in the airline industry as well as worked with both small- and large-scale hotels and residences, including The Tongsai Bay, Koh Samui, Thailand, Per Aquum Resorts • Spas • Residences and Dubai's iconic landmark, Burj Al Arab. His experience with the government sector involves public relations for the Tourism Authority of Thailand and various promotional campaigns for Canada, the United States, Italy, Grenada, the Seychelles, the Maldives and Dubai.
In 1991 Jeff was invited to set up and manage the European Sales and Marketing office for Thailand's leading domestic hotel group, The Imperial Family of Hotels. The sale of the Group in 1994 ultimately led to the formation of Bacall Associates.
Flora Gandolfo
Director
Flora has worked in PR for almost fifteen years and her sector expertise spans travel, fashion, beauty, restaurants and bars, interiors and FMCG brands. She cut her teeth with clients in the luxury and lifestyle arenas, including jeweller Theo Fennell, designer Orla Kiely and retailer Planet Organic. She worked on the launch of the UK's first men-only spa, the Refinery in Mayfair, and her hotel and travel clients have included Rocco Forte Hotels, boutique brands myhotels and Drakes of Brighton as well as UK based groups City Inn and Apex. More recently she led activity on UK initiative National Spa Week and worked with Gary Rhodes for British Sausage Week, where she also toured the country with spokesperson Carol Thatcher!
Flora's passion for travel means she has visited most continents. She also returns to Lake Como in Italy, where she grew up, whenever she can. Flora graduated with honours from UCL and is fluent in French and Italian.
Nathaniel Frogley
Senior Account Manager
Following his graduation from the University of Birmingham in 2000 with a BA Honours degree in Medieval Studies, Nat joined the External Affairs department of pharmaceuticals giant, Merck Sharp and Dohme, where he gained invaluable experience working with senior industry and government contacts, as well as being a front-line contact for media and public communications.
With a keen interest in travel, Nat moved to Bacall Associates where he continued to expand his media experience, building his knowledge of the travel industry and extensive travel contacts. Now, as Account Manager across the Bacall Associates' portfolio, Nat combines this experience with great creative flair, taking a hands-on media relations role, generating and implementing creative ideas across the portfolio and supervising client programmes.
Lauren Hughes
Account Executive
Having graduated from Sheffield University with a BA Hons degree in Journalism Studies, Lauren brings excellent communication, creative and writing skills to Bacall Associates. Following her degree she went on to travel the world for seven months, seeing much of South East Asia, Africa and Australia, cementing her passion for travel.
Lauren has completed several journalism and pr internships and prior to joining Bacall Associates spent four months at a leading beauty PR firm, providing valuable experience and contacts within the industry.
Jacqui White
Freelance consultants
Jacqui worked as account manager at Bacall Associates for two years before leaving to become a Yoga instructor. She now freelances for us. After graduating with an honours degree in PR from Leeds Metropolitan University, Jacqui started her PR career at Firefly Communications before switching from hi-tech to the voluntary sector, working first for the homeless charity Shelter as its Fundraising Press Officer, before moving to Comic Relief. Jacqui spent three years as Comic Relief’s Press Officer, helping to launch two Red Nose Day campaigns, the inaugural Sport Relief campaign and the Dubble fair trade chocolate bar, among other innovative and high profile initiatives.
Kate Maiden
Freelance consultants
After graduating with a BA Honours degree in Sociology from Sussex University, Kate went on to work as a Public Relations Officer for the Fire Services National Benevolent Fund, where she masterminded the launch and marketing of its mascot, Blaze Bear. She was the primary source of contact for the media and oversaw the production of all promotional materials for FSNBF, including filming and editing video news releases.
Fluent in French and German, Kate joined Bacall Associates in 1998 and worked across all clients. She has travelled extensively within Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and the Americas and is a Member of the Institute of Charity Fundraising Managers.
Manuela Robson
Freelance consultants
Manuela's PR career spans 10-plus years, with experience across travel & leisure, health & fitness, sports marketing and fashion. She spent the first three years of her career at leading international PR consultancy, Shandwick, working on brands such as P&O Cruises and Busch Entertainment Corporation, before joining advertising agency Billington Jackson to set up the PR division. Clients included sports brand Fila and Police Sunglasses, for whom she directed the launch event and campaign with David Beckham.
Manuela sought to further her experience within sports marketing, working for Reebok at marketing agency, Cake. Projects included the UK launch of Reebok's revolutionary fitness concept, Reebok Core Training with Cannons Health Clubs and the organisation of pre-Wimbledon events for Venus Williams. Manuela has a combined honours degree in French and German and a Masters in French with Distinction.
Sarah Proctor
Account Director
A graduate with almost twenty years experience in Marketing and PR, Sarah started her career in FMCG working with brands including Sara Lee and Cadbury. For the last twelve years has worked in the hospitality and travel sector, directing the marketing team for almost six years at international luxury travel company Elegant Resorts. Here she was instrumental in creating their brand identity and growing their media presence through cooperative marketing partnerships, helping them establish themselves as leaders in their field.
Sarah's career incorporates several in-house marketing & PR rolels which included managing the transition of The Carlton Tower from Hyatt to Jumeirah International; a senior PR and marketing role for Cliveden, part of the von Essen group, to re-establish the hotel's profile with the London and international audience; and working on the ten million pound development of Rookery Hall Hotel for Hand Picked Hotels, where she was instrumental in establishing this property as one of the leading spa and conference hotels in the North.
Grebstad Hicks Communications: Asia/Pacific region
International Alliance Partners
Grebstad Hicks Communications is Asia’s leading boutique public relations and marketing consultancy specialising in the travel and hospitality industries. From its offices in Hong Kong, the company handles media and marketing promotions for its high-profile clients throughout the Asia/Pacific region. GHC is also the only PR company in the region to be accredited by The Leading Hotels of the World as a Leading Service Provider, on account of its excellent track record in the promotion of luxury hotels. Clients include: COMO Hotels and Resorts; The Langham Hotel Hong Kong; SRS-WORLDHOTELS; Six Senses Resorts & Spas; The Furama Resort Danang; The Caravelle Ho Chi Minh City; Shilla Hotels and Resorts; Hongkong Land; and JIA Boutique Hotel Hong Kong.
www.ghcasia.com
The Travel Collection: Arabian Gulf region
International Alliance Partners
Dubai-based The Travel Collection is a representation company specialising in outbound travel and tourism from the Arabian Gulf region. Through sales, marketing and communications activities, The Travel Collection assists hotels and resorts in developing their market share and in generating more business from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Muscat, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
The Travel Collection has developed a strong network of contacts and has extensive sales and marketing experience in the deluxe sector of the hotel and travel industry, and a thorough knowledge of working this market. Previous and present clients include: Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts; The Oriental Bangkok; Fancourt Hotel & Country Club (South Africa); Chiva-Som, Thailand; The Chedi Muscat; Baglioni Hotels, Italy; Mandarin Oriental Hotel du Rhone, Geneva, Mandarin Oriental Munich and Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London.
www.ttc.ae
Catherine Couplan, Expressions: France and Belgium
International Alliance Partners
Catherine launched her public relations career at UK-based Hill & Knowlton, and later transferred to Burson Marsteller. Serving a wide range of international clients, she obtained skills in corporate counselling, global programme strategy and co-ordination, event management, crisis communications and media relations, and narrowed down her areas of expertise to retail, travel, corporate and luxury products and services.
In 1991, Catherine was appointed Director of Communications for Emirates Airlines, where she helped develop and launch the company's new brand image.
Now based in Brussels, clients include Per Aquum Resorts • Spas • Residences for whom she handles the PR in the French and Belgian markets.
Suzanne Snart Public Relations: USA
International Alliance Partners
Suzanne Snart has over 25 years of experience in the travel industry with a concentration in public relations. Her company, Suzanne Snart Public Relations, was founded in 2005 and is a boutique firm specialising in luxury hotels and spas located in lush, secluded regions of the world. She currently represents resorts in countries as varied as the Seychelles, Maldives and Anguilla. Her company's mission is to match each resort with the media outlet most specifically tailored to its guest profile with the aim of increasing awareness and patronage.
Clients include Per Aquum Resorts • Spas • Residences (Desert Palm, Dubai, opening early 2008; Huvafen Fushi, Maldives; Dhoni Mighil, Maldives; and The Fortress, Sri Lanka); Malliouhana Hotel & Spa, Anguilla; and Frégate Island Private, Seychelles.
