Giles Hawke

With over 30 years’ experience in the travel industry, specialising in the tour operation and cruise sectors, Giles took on the role of Vice President and Managing Director, Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) for Celebrity Cruises in August 2023, reporting directly to the President, Laura Hodges Bethge. In March 2025, Giles became Vice President International, overseeing the International strategy in Australasia (APAC) and Latin America and Caribbean (LACAR) as well as EMEA.

Giles started his career in travel as a night porter in a hotel in the Alps and then joined the UK’s largest ski tour operator. Having held senior positions across TUI group, Carnival UK, MSC Cruises and Globus Family of Brands, Giles has over three decades of leadership, commercial expertise and travel experience and remains passionate about the cruise sector and wider travel industry.

He was founding chair of the Association of Tourism and Adventure Suppliers (ATAS), and is a member and past deputy Chair, of the Executive Committee for Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) UK. He is also Chair of the Institute of Customer Service and sits on the board of ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents). In his spare time, he is a keen cyclist, runner and skier and a recent convert to triathlons.