way takes
VisitBritain
When the company bought Cougar Marine
(1981-85) he became General Manager
based in Miami. On return to the UK he
became the Project Head and Chief Pilot of
the two ‘Virgin Atlantic Challengers’, the
boat in which he re-captured the fastest
crossing of the North Atlantic (1986).
Ridgway remained close friends with
Richard Branson and formally joined
Virgin Atlantic as Managing Director of
Virgin Freeway. His career with Virgin
progressed rapidly becoming Managing
Director of Virgin Atlantic Airways in 1998
and Chief Executive from 2001-2013. He is
currently Chairman of Scandlines Ferries
in Denmark. Ridgway also co-owns the St
Moritz Hotel in Cornwall with his brother.
Karen Bradley
Ridgway to lead Tourism Sector
Deal bid
Ridgway has agreed to head up a ‘Sector
Deal’ bid for Tourism – this would mean
the Visitor Economy featuring in the
Government’s long-term economic
strategy, allowing the sector to work on
longer-term policy goals and making the
industry “more resilient and competitive”
in the future.
As part of the Government’s ‘Industrial
Strategy’, tourism bodies will be
working with Ridgway and the Tourism
Department (DCMS) to take part in this
bid and shape some of the key tourism
‘asks’ of Government.
DCMS Secretary of State Karen Bradley
said: “Steve Ridgway and Denis Wormwell
bring with them a wealth of experience and
will be dedicated champions of British and
English tourism at a very exciting time for
the industry.
“I would like to thank Christopher Rodrigues
and Lady Penny Cobham wholeheartedly for
the invaluable contribution they have made
to the tourism sector over the past decade
and beyond.”
Christopher
Rodrigues CBE