By
Rebecca Gibson |
US Coast Guard (USCG) veteran Thomas Ostebo has been appointed as the president and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), effective 6 July 2015.
Selected by CLIA’s Global Executive Committee, Ostebo replaces Christine Duffy who left the position on 31 January 2015 to undertake a new role as president of Carnival Cruise Line.
Ostebo previously served as a rear admiral and most recently as director of strategic management for the USCG. He also served as commander for the Coast Guard 17th District and led all coast guard operations in Alaska, the Arctic and North Pacific. In his new role, he will oversee CLIA operations in the US and across the world.
“After a thorough search process, we are thrilled to announce the appointment of our new President and CEO, Thomas Ostebo,” said Adam Goldstein, global CLIA chairman. “Tom brings years of outstanding maritime and strategic business leadership experience to this important position that leads the cruise industry’s global association. We are confident CLIA will thrive under his direction for years to come. More importantly, Tom’s strong communication skills and energy made him the ideal person for this role.”
Ostebo will continue to enhance CLIA’s Travel Agency, Individual Travel Agent and Executive Partner member programmes that were introduced in autumn 2014, as well as the new Travel Agent professional development training.
He will be based at CLIA global headquarters in Washington D.C.,US, and work with CLIA’s 15 offices across the globe, including Abremar-Brasil, Alaska, Australasia, Belgium & Luxembourg, Europe, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, North America, North Asia, North West & Canada, Southeast Asia, Spain and UK & Ireland.
“This appointment is a perfect next step in my career as it allows me to leverage my experiences and passions, from leading large complex teams to advocating for marine resources,” said Ostebo. “CLIA currently has a strong foundation and outstanding senior leadership, so I look forward to building upon this and providing new strategies and approaches to move CLIA and the cruise industry forward. Ultimately, my goal is to perform meaningful work and build strong relationships.”