Charles Gregson announces planned retirement at end of 2009; will remain at PR Newswire to transition role through end of March
NEW YORK, Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Experienced leader in the distribution and technology industry, Ninan Chacko, is set to take the helm at PR Newswire with the planned retirement of Chief Executive Officer Charles Gregson, the company announced today.
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Chacko, 44, who has spent two decades in numerous leadership positions within the travel and transportation industry focusing on travel distribution, transaction processing, and technology services, will assume full responsibility for the chief executive role by the end of March, spending time until then working closely with Charles Gregson to ensure a smooth transition.
Chacko will report directly to David Levin, Chief Executive Officer of United Business Media, PR Newswire's parent company. Of Chacko's appointment, Levin said, "Ninan is a proven, entrepreneurial business leader who brings to PR Newswire his terrific strategic, commercial and operational understanding of businesses that are all about data distribution and workflow information products. Ninan's wide experience of businesses that take advantage of and develop data technology infrastructure will stand PR Newswire in good stead as it continues its strategy around the distribution, targeting and monitoring of information worldwide. Ninan will also contribute to UBM more widely as we continue to enhance the technology and data mix within our wider business portfolio."
Chacko has significant experience in highly customer-focused global information distribution businesses, most recently as Chief Commercial Officer of Worldspan, the worldwide travel information, e-commerce and technology service provider to travel agencies, travel service providers and corporations. As Chief Commercial Officer, Chacko was responsible for sales, marketing, customer operations, service and support activities for traditional and online travel agencies, travel suppliers and corporate customers in over 60 countries. Chacko was a founding member of the buyout consortium management team that acquired Worldspan in 2003 from Delta Air Lines, North West Airlines and American Airlines, and served in the role of Chief Commercial Officer until its $1.4 billion sale to Travelport in 2007.
Prior to Worldspan, Chacko spent more than 13 years with Sabre Holdings, a leading supplier of distribution and technology solutions to the travel industry and Sabre's former owner, AMR Corp. As Senior Vice President, Chacko led the development, launch and operation of the company's hotel merchant business in the travel agency channel. Prior to that, he served in a variety of leadership roles at Sabre, including Senior Vice President of Marketing for Sabre Travel Network, and Senior Vice President of Global Services. Mr. Chacko began his career with System One Corporation before joining American Airlines' Decision Technologies group in 1990.
"I am incredibly honored to have this opportunity to join the PR Newswire team and to continue Charles Gregson's efforts and build on his success," said Chacko. "I am excited by PR Newswire's potential to transform the industry and shape the future of how organizations connect and engage with their audiences. I look forward to working toward this goal with my 1000+ colleagues worldwide who make PR Newswire the success it is today."
A native of Malaysia, Chacko was educated in Asia, Europe and the United States, earning a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Kansas. He also graduated from Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program.
Levin concluded, "I would also like to pay tribute to Charles Gregson's role as PR Newswire's Chief Executive Officer over the last four years and to his remarkable achievements over his 35 years at UBM. Charles has made a huge contribution to this company in all his roles. I look forward to working with him through the remainder of the year as he supports Ninan in taking on the new role and also works with me personally and UBM more broadly."
Gregson plans to return to the UK in the spring where he will continue to focus on PR Newswire's international business through June, at which time he will work with David Levin in a broader role for UBM Group for the remainder of the year.
About PR Newswire
PR Newswire Association LLC (http://www.prnewswire.com/) provides electronic distribution, targeting, measurement and broadcast services on behalf of tens of thousands of corporate, government, association, labor, non-profit, and other customers worldwide. Using PR Newswire, these organizations are able to reach a variety of critical audiences including the news media, the investment community, government decision-makers, and the general public with their up-to-the-minute messages in text and multimedia format.
Established in 1954, PR Newswire has offices in 14 countries and routinely sends its customers' announcements to outlets in more than 170 countries and in more than 40 languages. Utilizing the latest in communications technology, PR Newswire content is considered a mainstay among news reporters, investors and individuals who seek breaking announcements from the source. PR Newswire's leading services include ProfNet(SM), eWatch(TM), MEDIAtlas(TM), Search Engine Optimization, MediaRoom, MediaSense(TM), MultiVu(TM), U.S. Newswire, the preeminent policy newswire in the industry, Vintage Filings, the fastest growing Edgar filing company, and Hispanic PR Wire, LatinClips and Hispanic Digital Network, the foremost Hispanic communications services. PR Newswire is a subsidiary of United Business Media Limited, a leading global business media company that serves professional commercial communities around the world. For more information, go to www.unitedbusinessmedia.com.
About United Business Media Limited
UBM focuses on two principal activities: worldwide information distribution, targeting and monitoring; and, the development and monetisation of B2B communities and markets. UBM's businesses inform markets and serve professional commercial communities - from doctors to game developers, from journalists to jewellery traders, from farmers to pharmacists - with integrated events, online, print and business information products. Our 6,500 staff in more than 30 countries are organised into specialist teams that serve these communities, bringing buyers and sellers together, helping them to do business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently.
For more information, go to www.unitedbusinessmedia.com
Contact:
Rachel Meranus
Vice President, Public Relations
PR Newswire
+1.201.360.6776
rachel.meranus@prnewswire.com
Peter Bancroft
Director of Communications
United Business Media
+44 20 7921 5961
communications@ubm.com
