Newsmaker: GetThere EMEA Gets Geall

GetThere this month announced the hiring of former Eurostar U.K. head of sales Jason Geall as its director of the Europe, Middle East and Africa division.

Geall, who takes his post in January, will oversee direct and partner sales, customer service and marketing. Parent company Sabre and GetThere have an accelerated focus on adding and integrating rail content into the selling interfaces in the region, according to GetThere senior vice president Chris Kroeger.

Geall is the latest regional management appointee. In July, Sabre Pacific veteran Grant Rattray became director of the Asia/Pacific division. In the summer of 2006, Rodolfo Silva was named director of Latin America.

The regional management appointments come at a time in which Sabre and in turn GetThere, like its European competitors, are targeting areas outside their home markets (see story, page 1). GetThere has on-the-ground sales and support staff in 15 countries, including France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.