Brett Simon
Head of Commercial ANZ
How long have you been working at Gfob for?
About 7 years in total.
How long have you been in the travel industry for?
Over 20 years. I have been lucky enough to work for airlines, GDS, ocean cruise companies, retail travel head offices and now touring and river cruising with GFOB.
What led you to this career? Was this always the plan?
My Grandad used to travel the world representing the NZ Dairy Board and his tales of overseas adventures had me hooked from a young age. I then went on to study travel and tourism at university.
Tell me the best thing about working in the travel industry?
This is an incredibly fun industry to be in. We work long hours, often weekends and nights, but we love to have a good time. And at the end of the day, we get to put together products that for some will mean they can experience a lifelong dream of travelling to a destination or going to a special event that they have been saving for years to attend. It is exciting to see and hear those stories from clients. It is what makes it all worth it.
…as well as the biggest challenge?
Where to start…river levels, volcanos, basically any event that disrupts the status quo.
Tell me one thing people at Gfob don’t know about you?
I qualified for the ITU Multisport World Championships in Almere, Netherlands in 2020 but Covid-19 got in the way of that. I don’t have another event locked in at the moment, but my goal is to one day complete a full ironman.
In five years’ time, I will be…
Trying not to embarrass my three children any more than I do now.
What is your best piece of advice for anyone looking to work in the travel industry?
Be open to opportunities and jump in with both feet. I am really big on thinking outside of the box – even if you’re new to the industry or company, put forward your ideas and don’t be afraid to fail. You may come up with ten ideas to improve or implement something new and only one or two might work…but those one or two could change the way an entire organisation works for the better.
