Paul Ludlow to Become Cunard President in Carnival UK Restructure
The changes consolidate oversight across P&O Cruises’ seven ships and Cunard’s four Queens, while formal consultation will shape team structures.
Carnival UK is reorganizing leadership at P&O Cruises and Cunard, with Paul Ludlow set to become president of Cunard while retaining his current roles as president of Carnival UK and P&O Cruises. The operator also plans new cross-brand, cross-functional teams intended to speed decisions, increase collaboration and clarify accountability.
The changes consolidate executive oversight across two British cruise brands whose combined fleet includes P&O Cruises’ seven ships and Cunard’s four Queens. They also move several commercial and guest-facing functions into roles with authority across both lines.
"These are proactive changes aligning with our future vision and setting us up for operational excellence and resilience," Ludlow said. He said a shared view across P&O Cruises and Cunard would help the company sharpen its focus on each brand’s individual strengths.
New remits for commerce, strategy and guest experience
Katie McAlister will move into the newly created role of chief commerce officer for Carnival UK, supporting both Cunard and P&O Cruises while continuing to report directly to Ludlow. Her responsibilities will include digital commerce, the guest contact center, UK and international sales channels, and relationships with travel agent partners.
Elizabeth Fettes will serve as the Cunard lead in North America. She will continue reporting to McAlister.
Stuart Allison remains chief commercial officer, with an expanded remit to set and lead commercial strategy for both brands. His responsibilities will cover brand, pricing, itineraries, fleet deployment, product strategy, marketing and CRM.
Chris Lees remains chief experience officer and will also have a broader role across both brands. His remit includes guest experience, onboard revenue and operations, as well as procurement and supply chain capability and alignment.
Steve Capper, Helen Adams, Jo Phillips and Donnacha O’Driscoll will remain in their current executive leadership team roles.
Staff consultation will shape team structure
Roles, responsibilities and team structures across Carnival UK will be reshaped, and the company will begin a formal consultation seeking staff input on the new structure. Carnival UK said it expects the redesign to create opportunities for employees to broaden their experience and advance their careers.
Carnival UK has about 2,000 colleagues at its Southampton head office, alongside a wider workforce of more than 10,000 employees across the organization. The company serves as the UK operating company for Carnival Corporation & plc’s P&O Cruises and Cunard brands.
