Nutley moves up to Chair Reed Travel Exhibitions, Allsopp appointed Managing Director

Tom Nutley, founder of Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) has become the company’s first Chairman. Nutley is succeeded as RTE’s Managing Director by Mike Allsopp, the former UK Divisional Director of Reed Exhibitions.

The appointments are part of an overall strategic development to strengthen RTE’s management structure.

RTE has experienced phenomenal success and growth since its launch in  1992 and is one of the world’s leading business-to-business organisers of major international, regional and sector exhibitions and events for the travel and tourism industry worldwide. RTE is currently responsible for 13 exhibitions, including its flagship – World Travel Market.

"RTE has built its reputation on providing the global industry with the kind of pioneering and critical dynamics, such as new technology, customer relationship programmes and year-round support that has helped our customers build and improve their own businesses for profit," said Nutley. "Our quality customer service has been an enduring focus.

"We have gained unprecedented experience and brought together highly talented, innovative and creative teams. It is a source of pride to me that our competitors often copy our ideas.

"Mike Allsopp’s appointment means that we can continue to build on success in the next phase of RTE’s planned development. We are a large, flourishing and diverse group and his broad experience of managing all aspects of exhibitions will be an extremely valuable addition to our management expertise."

Nutley will continue to be responsible for the overall strategic direction and development of RTE as well as its primary spokesman. In addition to his new role at RTE, he will continue his many other industry interests. These include: Chairmanship of the European Tourism Trade Fairs Association (ETTFA); Membership of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC); the Industry Council for PATA Worldwide (Pacific Asia Travel Association); the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) and SITE (Society of Incentive and Travel Executives).

Allsopp will manage the day-to-day running of the business, ensuring that the appropriate systems, processes and resources are put in place to meet further anticipated development of the company.

Allsopp (48) has spent most of his career in exhibition management, covering a wide spectrum of business sectors, including property, construction equipment, publishing and design. He has worked on every aspect of exhibition organisation from sales and marketing to general management.