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Peter Long ex Royal Mail Chairman-designate, becomes new chairman of Countrywide Plc








Peter Long Appointed to the Board CWD plc board , Non-Executive Director of Countrywide plc as of today , 11 February 2016 and Chairman with effect from 27 April 2016.

Replacing Grenville Turner, ex Chairman and CEO of CountryWide Plc and lambasted by investors for flouting UK corporate governance code 




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Royal mail background [less than a year ..]


As a Non-Executive Director of royal mail and royal mail Chairman-designate on 18 June 2015. Peter became Chairman on 1 September 2015.

Who is replacing Peter ?

Dubbed 'The Prince of Darkness’ Tim Parker named Post Office chair

Tim Parker, who has built up a reputation for his slash-and-burn approach to business, is the new chairman of the Post Office Chairman.

During his time in business he has built up a reputation for a slash-and-burn approach to organisations. He was dubbed "the Prince of Darkness" by the GMB union after turning up in his Porsche to sack a group of factory workers and halving the 7,000 workforce at the AA.


back to Peter 

Previous relevant experience
Over 20 years’ experience in FTSE100 customer-focused companies.

Time as Senior Independent Director of Rentokil Initial plc.

Long was a central figure in the unfolding drama at rat catcher Rentokil, where as the senior non-executive director and therefore ultimately responsible for having removed chief executive Doug Flynn.

Long himself was criticised, for not acting sooner and skipping a third of the firm's board meetings.


'I think I fulfilled my duties appropriately,' he says. 'I had a rather large merger going on myself and I spent time catching up after the meetings. I don't think that [my] attendance had an impact on the business.'

Non-Executive Director of Debenhams plc.

Federation of Small Businesses has criticised Debenhams after it emerged that the department stores chain was asking for discounts in return for receiving earlier payments.

Debenhams wants a reduction of between 1-2% in suppliers’ prices in exchange for making payments 30 to 60 days earlier. It is the second time in three years that the retailer has proposed changes to suppliers’ terms in the run-up to Christmas.

The federation accused Debenhams of poor payment practice. “Businesses have a responsibility to pay their suppliers in a timely fashion,” said Mike Cherry, FSB national policy director.


Group Chief Executive of TUI Travel PLC.

Long  previously been criticised over pay. In 2012 more than a third of the company’s independent shareholders refused to back its pay policies.

TUI Travel chief takes home £10.1m for 2013
The boss of holiday giant TUI Travel, owner of Thomson and First Choice, saw his total remuneration rise 50pc to £10.1m for 2013, boosted by long-term incentive schemes.



Peter Long Promotion blocked by share holders, as it would break UK corporate governance   

A planned move by Tui AG to elevate joint chief executive Peter Long to the head of the travel group’s supervisory board in 2016 has been shelved.

The role change was initially planned as part of the merger between Tui Travel and Tui AG and was due to take place at next year’s AGM in February.

Instead, a procedure has been initiated for proposing that Long be elected as a supervisory board member in view of his “special accomplishments” and “the strong interest in his continued involvement in the implementation of the merger”.

But he must be elected on the basis of a proposal by shareholders who hold 25% of the voting rights in Tui AG. Two of the group’s largest shareholder groups have already stated that they will support the proposal.



The change came today with the company saying that it needed to follow corporate governance codes in the UK and Germany.

The codes recommend that a direct appointment of an executive board chairman to the chairmanship of the supervisory board not be carried out or only be carried out as an exception that has to be justified to the general meeting, Tui AG said.

Fritz Joussen will become the sole executive board chairman of Tui AG, as planned.


Peter Long interviewed 9 years ago 

"Customers appear to be shouldering the price hikes passed on to them and 'buying cleverly' he says. They are picking all inclusive packages so they are not hit with unexpected costs and they are saving well in advance.

'People are savvy in terms of their travel,' he points out.

'The days of the very last-minute holidays are over now. Customers do not think they are being ripped off by the price rises we pass on - they know we do everything in our power to mitigate the cost.' He reveals that Tui has managed to hedge its exposure to changes in currency and oil through buying ahead at agreed prices and is coming up with innovative ideas to woo new consumers."



Peter Long inspects a printed travel brochure 5 years a go 

online travel statistics 

The online travel agencies (OTAs) had gross bookings exceeding $150 billion in 2013, representing 38% of the global online market and 13% of the global travel market. The online travel sales figure is estimated to be growing at 12% annually. CNBC [ January 5th 2015 Competition Is Shaking Up The Online Travel Market - Forbes] 


According to AAA, about 42 million people are expected to travel this holiday weekend. Many of those travel plans will be made through online travel agencies (OTAs).

A report by ComScore, a U.S. Internet analytics company, released exclusively to CNBC on Wednesday, details online travel industry performance in the first quarter of 2015. Co-founder Gian Fulgoni said that the data proves "it is exciting times in the travel industry."




"It's an example of the Internet providing consumers with terrific services," he said in an interview on Wednesday with CNBC's "Squawk on the Street." "It's very easy for them to use the online travel agencies to compare prices, feature and services and then pick the one that suits them best."

However, he said, more people end up booking on brand sites, rather than OTAs. This could be due to loyalty plans that some airlines and hotels have, Fulgoni said. Changing a flight could also be easier if done though the airline itself rather than through an OTA. [Online travel industry is booming: Report CNBC July 2015 ]




TUI online retail travel luggage  startup fiasco 

A handbag designer from Milton Keynes can keep her company name after a U-turn by a multinational travel firm.

Charlotte Jamme set up Mia Tui, which is Vietnamese for "my bags", in 2010.

German company TUI AG, which owns UK subsidiary Thomson Holidays, tried to ban her from using the name because they said it was too similar to theirs.

the open letter sent to Mr Long 


Dear Mr Long

You probably have no idea what is happening between “your” company and “my” company.

I say “your” company but it is not “your” company in the same way as “my” company is mine.

Mia Tui is my company, my money, my time, my sweat and my tears.

I do not have the luxury of a big salary, share options, company cars and all the trappings that come with working for a multi-billion pound company, I used to in a former life, but now I am trying to build something for me and my family.

I am one of the millions of people who have taken the brave step to start their own company, we are called SMEs.

I am a mum 1st and foremost, and like many Mumprenuers came up with my business idea out of a need. My need was travelling with my two small children from Vietnam to the UK, I could not find a travel bag that could cope with the demands ‘that’ requires, only a mum will understand this.

A bag that millions of your customers would understand, a bag that is big enough to take the kitchen sink, but that can also fit under the seat in-front of you, (eliminating having to clamber across a stranger just as they have fallen asleep or started to eat..!) a bag that organises you, giving a no rummage guarantee, a bag that is a travel bag on one day and a beach bag the next, a mums best friend.

I now find myself in the situation of not focusing on developing my business, but in fighting “your” company over your legal challenge of my name Mia Tui.

Mia Tui means My Bag.. “Tui” is Vietnamese means “bag” and “Mia” in Italian mean “My”

TUI means Touristik Union International

Your legal representation states that Mia Tui will confuse the public, as the marks are highly similar. How little they thing of the general public.

How can someone confuse a bag with a holiday…?

I have had to go to the press to highlight my plight, as I don’t have the financial clout to fight you on my own, you would break me into a million pieces.

Mia Tui has have amazing support from the British public, and press, we have had national/local press coverage, been on BBC 3 Counties radio, which has resulted in a Trade Mark Attorney Vicki Bennett of Saunders & Dolleymore offering to help me.  BBC Look East broadcasted the story last week.

Everyone who hears the story can’t quite believe it, and why TUI is doing this to us.

Please stop looking like a corporate bully, this is not endearing you to the public, no-one likes to see a David and Goliath story, where the small person loses.

I know you probably know nothing about this case, it is just being dealt by your legal team, and they will squash anything/body who they think has a similar name, but really do you think that Mia Tui can stop people buying a holiday?

I am not silly enough to think that people will stop booking holidays with TUI over this, you are the market leader, but you are stopping Mia Tui from growing.

I am being taken away from my business to think of ways to fight this; I am sat here on a Sunday morning writing to you, I’m not sat with my family, that's what it is like being small and having your own business.

Mia Tui does not pose any threat to TUI; I would be delighted if we did!

We should be looking at ways of working together, helping the millions of families who travel with TUI feel a little more organised, not having to keep getting up from their seats when the kids demand something else that they so desperately need from the bag in the over-head locker.! Always being able to find their things at check-in/passport control, and then having a fantastic beach/pool bag when on holiday.

Please let me get on with growing Mia Tui, and not feel like there is a “death threat” over my head, as if I can’t continue as Mia Tui, there will be NO Mia Tui, and gone is another small business, a fantastic product that wasn’t given the opportunity to develop.

And gone is a bag that can help millions of Mums / Women when travelling with TUI next year.

Yours sincerely

Charlotte Jamme - Mia Tui Founder
[Open Letter to Peter Long CEO of TUI Travel PLC]



Chief Executive of First Choice Holidays PLC.

First Choice Criticised Over ‘Ludicrous’ Delays In Major Holiday Illness Case‘Face Your Responsibilities’, Leading Lawyer Tells Operator[  Irwin Mitchell Solicitors 2010 19 February ]

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