Francis Riley promoted to chief commercial officer at Bahamas Paradise

This will include maximizing existing sales channels, identifying new revenue opportunities and forging new strategic partnerships to lay the groundwork for future domestic and international growth.

'Francis has been an outstanding addition to our senior leadership team and during the difficult times that have faced the cruise and travel industries over the past two years, he has become someone I appreciate and consistently lean on for support, partnership and guidance,' CEO Oneil Khosa said.

Aggressive pandemic recovery plan

'Francis is a critical thinker who understands every aspect of this business, and he has the leadership style and relationships we need to take this company into the future,' Khosa continued. 'We are embarking upon a very aggressive, ambitious growth strategy coming out of the pandemic and I have every bit of confidence in Francis and his team to help get us to where we want to be.'

Riley joined Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line in 2019 as SVP sales, with a focus on developing the brand’s trade distribution strategy. In less than three months, he was promoted to SVP sales and marketing, absorbing all marketing, revenue management and contact center responsibilities. Riley played a critical role in the cruise line’s efforts surrounding Hurricane Dorian and the resulting humanitarian crisis on Grand Bahama Island. He has helped steer the company through the COVID-19 pandemic.

NCL and tech background

Riley came to the cruise line from Traveltek, a global travel technology provider, where he was SVP sales for the Americas. Earlier, he held key roles at Norwegian Cruise Line, including SVP international sales, marketing and operations; VP international and managing director, EMEA; and managing director of the UK office.

Riley also had a stint as VP cruise development for Tourico Holidays. Earlier positions were with British Airways’ Air Miles Travel Co. and with Thomas Cook.