A TRAVEL industry veteran who has worked for Warner Leisure Hotels, Butlins and Riviera is to be the next boss of a Dorset-based holiday business.

Hoburne Group announced that Jim Forward, currently chief commercial officer at the river cruise operator Riviera Travel, would its be next chief executive.

He will take over from Rod Tucker, who will be retiring as managing director at the end of this year after seven years of leading the family-run Christchurch business.

The company has eight holiday parks including at Christchurch and at Naish and Bashley in the New Forest.

Mr Forward has worked in the holiday sector for more than 25 years and his other jobs have included a senior role at HF Holidays.

He said: “I am delighted to be joining Hoburne at such an exciting time.

“The business is having an exceptional year and with continued investment in new developments over the winter months, we are set to have a positive road ahead.

“Hoburne has a fantastic history and as a family-run company, it genuinely believes in respect and integrity. From my experience of meeting with team members, I am already impressed by their enthusiasm and concerted efforts to offer an outstanding level of customer service.”

John Butters, Hoburne’s chairman, said: “I could not be more pleased that Jim will be leading us into the next chapter of the Hoburne story. He has an impressive and proven track record of building and developing teams and is a values-driven leader who believes in setting and communicating a clear strategy.

“He has experience of working for a range of different types of businesses and we are confident that he will adapt easily to working with our family directors and will look at our business first and foremost through the lens of customers, team members and long-term value creation.

“Jim joins at a crucial time as we move into our next phase of growth, and I have no doubt he will help us build upon the incredible work already undertaken by Rod and the team.”

Rod Tucker said: “I’ve had the pleasure of working for Hoburne and Burry & Knight for seven years and I am immensely proud to have played a part in developing the business to a point where it is well prepared for the next phase of growth.

“I leave behind exceptional teams that will continue to grow and modernise the Hoburne brand, taking it to even higher levels of success.

“I will stay with Hoburne until the end of the year supporting Jim with his transition and will remain as a non-executive for Hoburne.”

Hoburne, established in 1912, is in the hands of the fifth generation of the Burry family.