About US

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I'm James Williams, a seasoned professional with over 25 years in the global travel industry, blending deep-rooted experience from working with notable industry players, including METTA Management, Suite Stay Club, PetsPyjamas, Culture Trip, and Voyage Privé with a strong track record of commercial success and operational innovation.

It’s becoming more apparent that travel businesses are increasingly exploring fractional leadership roles for flexibility and strategic guidance. I offer a unique skill set and an extensive network of contacts that can have a significant impact on all business fronts.

Some of my personal strengths include;

Strategic Commercial Growth: I specialise in crafting strategies that drive revenue and growth, using techniques that ensure all activities align with financial and operational goals. My work at Voyage Privé and Culture Trip showcases my ability to establish scalable growth strategies suited to fractional roles where immediate results and strategic foresight are essential.

Operational Optimisation & Efficiency: Operational efficiency is essential for business scalability, and my experience in streamlining operations, from implementing Salesforce at METTA to restructuring fulfilment at PetsPyjamas, ensures that businesses achieve both efficiency and profitability. My operational skills make me an ideal fit for fractional roles that demand quick, transformative improvements.

Startup & Scale-Up Expertise:  I bring a unique combination of startup agility and scale-up expertise, offering companies the flexibility and high-impact results needed in today’s dynamic travel landscape. My background in these areas is especially beneficial for businesses that need fractional leadership to accelerate growth, launch new divisions, or scale effectively.

Revenue Diversification & Innovation: I have a strong history of introducing innovative revenue models, from B2B partnerships to diversified consumer offerings and non-endemic revenue streams, across various market segments establishing multiple revenue streams quickly and effectively.

Team Development & Leadership: Building and leading high-performing teams has been a consistent part of my career. I’ve recruited, managed and developed teams across multiple international markets, and my leadership approach emphasises empowerment and strategic alignment. This experience is invaluable to businesses seeking fractional leaders who can quickly align teams to business goals.

Software & Tools Expertise: As a self-confessed connectivity geek, I have extensive experience navigating the distribution landscape, covering channels for air, ground, and activities through platforms such as GDS, channel managers, switches, aggregators, and marketplaces. 

I’ve led comprehensive RFP processes for technology platforms at Culture Trip and PetsPyjamas, bringing deep insight into selecting systems that drive scalability and user engagement. Additionally, I’ve successfully implemented Salesforce at both PetsPyjamas and METTA Management, making me well-versed in CRM solutions that support seamless customer experience and operational alignment.

Stakeholder & Investor Relations: Effective stakeholder management has been key to my success, from securing buy-in from advisory boards to managing investor relations and budgets. My expertise in navigating these relationships is ideal for companies in need of fractional leaders with a deep understanding of financial and operational priorities

I’m Nicki Vanham, a dynamic Operations and Customer Service Director with over 30 years experience in driving growth and transformation within local and global travel companies, including Leisure Direction, Specialist Holiday Group, Voyage Prive, Culture Trip and Ramble Worldwide, with a special focus on supporting small and scaling organisations.

I believe that a successful travel experience goes beyond having an innovative product, compelling marketing, or great ideas — it's also about building a strong operational foundation that prioritises the customer in every decision. With my extensive operations experience, I’m equipped to help establish and optimise this customer-centric core, ensuring seamless execution that drives satisfaction and loyalty.

Some of my personal strengths include:

Business alignment: Skilled in streamlining processes, enhancing customer experiences and ensuring smooth operations during periods of rapid or unexpected change. I work closely with senior management and operational teams to create a seamless business environment.

Operational Compliance: I bring a hands-on approach to restructuring, compliance and crisis management, including navigating shifting travel regulations. My experience includes

building and optimising contact centres and managing both offline and online sales and customer service channels to support core business goals. I’m recognised for my ability to quickly identify operational bottlenecks. I enable senior leaders to focus on overarching

strategy, confident that day-to-day operations are in expert hands.

Customer Satisfaction: Working alongside senior leaders, I help companies refine customer service and operational strategies, enhancing efficiency and scalability while ensuring compliance and maintaining high standards of customer satisfaction. My

collaborative approach generates trust, allowing executive teams to concentrate on business development, product and marketing, while I ensure the Customer Experience is in hand.

Rightsourcing: With a background in establishing, insourcing and outsourcing customer service operations functions and a proven track record in crisis and change management, I excel at building high-performing teams equipped to adapt in dynamic environments. In all

my roles I’ve managed through different phases of growing, downsizing and/or outsourcing various aspects of the operations and customer service functions.

Decision making: My data-driven decision-making, coupled with strong relationship-building skills, creates a reliable and growth-oriented foundation for companies navigating competition and change. My approach ensures business continuity, operational excellence and a strong customer experience, enabling small and startup travel businesses to scale with confidence and agility.

Hands on Flexibility: I have a diverse background spanning operations, sales, and back office functions, with experience ranging from pre-launch travel startups to globally established brands. In every role, I’ve consistently placed the individual customer experience at the heart of my strategies and decision-making, ensuring seamless integration across all business functions to drive customer satisfaction and operational success.