THE Thornybush Collection’s
ceo, Nic Griffin, at the ripe
age of 73, has chosen to step
down, handing over the reins
to Joanne Dickson.
Nic, who has been at the
helm of Thornybush for 11
years, will continue to be
involved in the business
as the custodian of the
longstanding relationships
across the Thornybush
Collection with trade partners
and suppliers. Joanne has 25
years’ experience in the travel
industry, most recently as md
and ceo of Go2Africa.
Nic says he is retiring at a
time when the company is
flourishing. Under his tenure,
the Collection grew from three
to 12 lodges. With more
than 30 years’ experience
in marketing at Avis prior to
joining Thornybush, Nic says it
was the first time he had been
given the opportunity to run a
business.
“We thank Nic for the
amazing legacy he has built
within Thornybush and it
has been a great privilege to
work with him. We are thrilled
that he will not be leaving us
entirely and look forward to
working with him in his new
capacity,” says Andy Payne,
chairman of Thornybush
Collection.
A bright future
Both Joanne and Nic are
optimistic about the future of
tourism in Southern Africa.
Nic says: “We are in a better
space than we were six
months ago.” Joanne cites the
numerous mentions of tourism
by President Ramaphosa
and recent changes in visa
requirements for some source
markets as positive steps,
believing this bodes well for
the industry.
The industry is changing,
she says. “It is undergoing
technological disruption
and we need to meet the
technological requirements of
our partners.”
Over the last decade, staff
at Thornybush have developed
into the driving force behind
the business, says Nic. This
will continue to be a focus.
“Long-service has grown to
seven or eight years for lodge
managers,” he says, believing
the ability to recruit, manage
and support staff is key to the
staff’s success.
Another priority is community
engagement, says Joanne,
who hopes to grow current
engagement and projects.
This includes involvement
at schools and with
entrepreneurs in communities
surrounding the reserve.
