UK. Harding+ Chief Brand and Culture Officer Sue Gosling (right) is stepping down from her role at the company to pursue new opportunities.
The highly regarded senior executive worked for the cruise retail specialist since 2017, having joined as Marketing Director.
Gosling spent 13 years previously with Dufry/World Duty Free (now Avolta) before her move to the cruise retail sector
She leaves a strong legacy from her time at Harding+. As Chief Brand and Culture Officer, a role created in 2022, she was a key influence in developing the company’s updated brand identity to Harding+.
Gosling also created the widest customer insight programme in cruise, comprising over 25,000 customer surveys. She oversaw the development of experiential marketing programme Oceantainment, which ran over 86 brand activations and pop-ups to add theatre and surprise to guest journeys.
Gosling also led extensive design and development projects with cruiseline partners, across over 256 ships, including refits and additional concepts.
She played a vital role in driving the cruise retailer’s sustainability agenda, developing and implementing a carbon reduction plan across the business.
Gosling has also been a strong advocate for the travel retail industry, notably promoting the role and importance of cruise and cruise retail in the post-Covid period. In Cannes last year, she was named Chair of the Duty Free World Council (DFWC) Academy Advisory Group, with a remit to promote and pioneer staff training in travel retail on land, in the air and at sea.
With Gosling as a key influence, Harding+ was also named Cruise Retailer of the Year at the Frontier Awards in 2022 and 2023.
She has separately been a Frontier Awards judge, a key member of the Women in Travel Retail group and represented the company as a member of the European Travel Retail Confederation.
Harding+ CEO Chris Matthews said in a statement: “Sue leaves a legacy in many parts of Harding+. These include being part of the senior team leading the business through the CVA, post lockdown relaunch and restarts through to overseeing more than 256 best-in-class projects, new ship launches, refits and space and design projects. That contributed significantly to achieving our accolade of Cruise Retailer of the Year [award] two years in a row in 2022 and 2023.
“I would also like to thank Sue for some of her more recent achievements and contributions to our business including the successful relaunch of the brand to Harding+ and her impact on the wider culture in the organisation.” ✈
*Note: Registration has opened for Seatrade Cruise Global, the premier annual gathering of the cruise industry worldwide, with discounted rates available to delegates via The Moodie Davitt Report, a key conference partner. The event takes place at The Miami Beach Convention Center on 8-11 April with a day dedicated to retail seessions on 10 April. Click here for more.
