Bristol-based serviced apartment company SACO has expanded its management team with the appointment of Nicole O’Connor as network partner manager.
Nicole’s role will further establish the company’s growing international portfolio. It follows the opening of a US base – its first outside the UK – in February and rapid expansion of its domestic portfolio over the past year.
SACO’s worldwide network was set up 10 years ago through partnerships with overseas serviced apartment operators.
It now has access to more than 12,000 apartments in 35 countries and Nicole’s role will be to strengthen existing relationships and identify new providers to partner with, particularly in the US.
Nicole, pictured, joins SACO after 11 years with specialist tour operator VFB, part of the Cheltenham-based TravelZest group, where she managed the company’s international hotel portfolio. Born in France, she found herself drawn to the travel industry due to her knowledge of Europe and language skills – she is bilingual in English and French.
Nicole commented: “SACO has a great profile and portfolio in the UK but this role will provide me with the exciting challenge of strengthening the brand worldwide while building lasting relationships with current and new partners.”
SACO founder and chief executive Lesley Freed added: “Now that we’ve opened an office in the US, Nicole’s immediate focus will be strengthening our portfolio there to provide our customers with more choice.
“We operate the broadest portfolio of serviced apartments in the UK so it’s important for us to now focus on increasing our international presence in countries where the concept is much more familiar and raise the profile of SACO as one of the global players in the industry.”
Lesley launched SACO in 1997 with an apartment in Bristol. Today it employs more than 150 staff at its head office in the city.
