Alexandra Withers

 

Professional Summary:    

• Experience: 10+ years marketing communications, strategy development, branding/identity development, partnership/relationship marketing, public relations management, and new business development.

• People Management: Strong leadership skills, mentor and staff succession planner.

• Commercial: Budgeting and control, business research, P&L analysis, revenue optimisation and yield management.

• Strategic planning: Innovative, creative and integrated planner, short / long term, above and below the line including social media.

• Data management: Customer Intelligence analysis, data governance strategy development, CRM development.

• Communications: Excellent networking, communication and presentation skills.. Keen contributor, influencer and negotiator. Dynamic implementer and experience managing and working with global teams, executives and across business units.

• Technical: A sound understanding of CMS platforms, database integration, booking engine capabilities, server configuration and infrastructure, SEO / PPC and domain management.

 

- Professional Experience:   

The Red Carnation Hotel Collection – part of The Travel Corporation London

(Leading Travel & Leisure Group operating over 60 countries with 35 offices around the world)

Director of Marketing November 2008 – Present

 

• Daily management of the Central Marketing department in London and South Africa. Focused on driving integrated marketing communications across all distribution channels and developing new business streams to maximise revenue opportunities.

• Strategic communications and promotions development, resulting in revenue increases of 25% year on year for online bookings, and 10% increases to direct bookings year on year. Generating £150K for one four month promotion with no investment.

• Extensive relationship management and brand profile development through new partnership acquisition and promotional campaigns. Managing regional and global accounts for the collection including O2, American Express and Virgin Atlantic. Achieved minimum of 10:1 ROI on targeted campaigns, awareness to over 250K new leads and 40% uplift in visitor numbers and new business acquisition.

• Researching and developing new project proposals to enhance sales and operations e.g. mobile booking engine, online gift services, private label opportunities, CRM / CMS systems.

• Promotional pricing policies and yield management strategy consultation. Expanded the dynamic packaging model for the online booking engine, driving 25% increase in incremental sales year on year, and regionalised online seasonal marketing rate strategy to the South Africa market, generating a 50% increase in hotel sales the first month of implementation.

• Proven success in relationship building across management levels and working within a cross-functional team environment to drive projects improving tracking, revenue, brand awareness and creating efficiencies across the network. .

• Able to clearly articulate and communicate complex ideas across a variety of business units and levels.

• Public Relations and Communication’s strategy development.

 

Virgin Limited Edition - part of the Virgin Group London

(Brand venture capital conglomerate operating in travel, entertainment and lifestyle, with some 400 companies around the world)

Marketing Manager July 2004 – November 2008

 

• Lead the website re-development project for Virgin Limited Edition, which won 4th best website for researching and booking trips in the Condé Nast Readers’ Travel Awards 2010.

• Developing and managing individual property / group marketing, PR strategies and budget.

• Establishing and executing group standards regarding identity and branding i.e. “look and feel”, “tone of voice” and consistency of messages across group collateral and other marketing programs.

• Developing new property RFPs and investor proposals in conjunction with Line Manager for company expansion opportunities.

• Managing group collateral and communications development. Copywriting, brand design, website management, CRM system development, customer data analysis.

• Managing global Public Relations agencies.

 

The Roof Gardens & Babylon Restaurant, London. Part of Virgin Limited Edition November 2001 – July 2004

Sales and Marketing Manager

 

• Responsible for sales & marketing execution and revenue for The Roof Gardens Private Members Club, The Roof Gardens Private Events and Babylon Restaurant. Managing a team of four.

• Pinpointed key drivers for Babylon restaurant, post launch, successfully increasing revenue by 15%.

• Instrumental in the relationship development for the promotions of the Private Members Club, successfully increased revenue by 20% in year one.

• Successfully acquired leading event account management company, generating over £120 K in year one.

 

Education: 



Sabre Airline and Hotel GDS training and online enhancement. London 2010

Professional Diploma, Chartered Institute of Marketing. London 2004

La Trobe University, Bachelor of Behavioural Science. Australia 1997

 

 

Interests:    

 

Ashtanga yoga, running, theatre, jazz and all things travel

 

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