Specialist holiday firm Solmar Villas has appointed a new general manager after its former managing director passed away earlier this year.
Sharon Bradbury has been promoted to the role from her previous position as sales and marketing director, where she was responsible for driving the company’s commercial performance overseeing brand development, customer acquisition and distribution.
She will report to Francis Torrilla, CEO of DERTOUR UK, the firm which acquired Burton upon Trent-based Solmar Villas last year.
Francis said: “I am confident that Sharon will provide the right leadership in what is a new era for Solmar, respecting all the values the company believes in but at the same time taking the business forward with ambitious drive.
“Sharon has an outstanding track record in the travel industry and I’m delighted that we are able to grow our leadership team from talent within the business.”
Sharon started her commercial career in travel with Crystal Ski, moved to a role with Hidden Croatia and has worked as a consultant in marketing in the finance sector. She joined Solmar in March 2023.
Former Managing Director Julie Blake, the daughter of the company’s founders John and Maria Tayler, passed away in April at the age of 47.
Sharon said: “I’m honoured to step into this new role. Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working for some exceptional companies, but my time at Solmar has been the most rewarding. That’s largely down to the incredible team we have, they are passionate, committed and always striving to exceed expectations.
“At Solmar, every holiday experience matters. The business was built on a foundation of exceptional service and handpicked villas of the highest quality. That commitment to quality is not just our legacy; it’s our future.
“As we look ahead, our ambition for growth will be grounded in that same dedication to excellence. Reputation and innovation will be at the heart of Solmar’s next phase, driving both our customer experience and our commercial success.
“As part of the DERTOUR UK family of specialist businesses we know we have a strong and supportive partner to help us achieve success and I’m proud to part of the next chapter of this amazing business Julie and her parents founded.”
