If you weren’t able to make the launch party in October, as a new member, you may well be wondering who else is part of your community – and, indeed, behind it! Our Club Avandra crew doesn’t just understand our members – we ARE our members, and so to prove it, we posed some quickfire questions to three of them.
Chair of Advisory – Debbie Flynn
Brief history: I can’t believe I’ve been in the travel industry for over 45 years – how did that happen?!! I started as a trainee with British Airways at 16 and spent 10 glorious years as a stewardess (and what was known as ‘personality girl’) as well as the more serious role of corporate and leisure account executive. The next 25 years were spent running my own PR and marketing agency, promoting all the fab places I used to travel to. I sold my company Brighter Group to FINN Partners in 2018 and I lead their global travel practice and sit on various advisory boards.
Career highlight: Being acquired by a global agency that believed in all I had achieved, wanted to expand our expertise into their offering and gave my team an even “brighter” future.
Curveball: Becoming gravely ill with a burst appendix that was left undiagnosed and led to bowel sepsis. It was pretty horrific, made worse by the pain of being unable to take my eldest to university.
Favourite place on earth: This is a tricky one, but probably Jordan. This country has a piece of my heart as they were a client for 21 years and I am still the Chair of the Anglo Jordanian Society. No-one should leave this planet without experiencing the glorious ruins of Petra or the majestic silence of Wadi Rum – I’m leading a Club Avandra trip there in September and am so excited.
Relationship status: Married for 19 years to Andy, who, in a Sliding Doors moment, I met when I sat next to him on a plane. We have two sons Jake, 20 and Toby, 22 (yes, we did it that way round!). Not forgetting Freddie and Bessie, our Westie and black labrador.
Saying you overuse: “It is what it is” which I picked up from my son and say on repeat when I can’t change a situation!
Lifestyle Director – Marianne Jones
Brief history: Multi award-winning journalist Marianne has worked in national newspapers and magazines for 35 years. She was deputy editor of Grazia, editor in chief of The Sunday Telegraph’s Stella Magazine and The Telegraph Magazine and is now features director of the Sunday supplement YOU magazine.
Career highlight: Flying to New York at the height of the Clinton sex scandal and being the first to secretly interview Monica Lewinsky for Marie Claire magazine.
Curveball: Becoming ill with severe burnout at the age of 55, calming the hell down and adding a few strings to my bow (a number one podcast Been There, Done That, Got the Podcast, among them).
Favourite place on earth: Malta, where my favourite person on earth – my mum – was born.
Relationship status: Suddenly single at 60 (it’s a good story), with two big beautiful boy children.
Saying you overuse: ‘It’s nice to be nice’. Also: ‘Crack On’.
Communications & Events Director – Kelly Johnstone
Brief history: As a third-culture kid (or expat brat, depending on who you ask), I spent my childhood abroad and then continued my overseas adventures with my own family – living and working in Dubai, Malaysia and Qatar.
After starting out in travel PR, I moved into journalism where my roles included being deputy editor at Harper’s Bazaar Arabia and Hello! as well as editor at Time Out UAE Kids.
Career highlight: Editing Time Out UAE Kids – not only did I adore the job, I loved that my kids could be involved too, from trying out theme park rides and water park slides to reviewing films and family-friendly restaurants.
Curveball: Our globe-trotting life ended suddenly when my husband’s company asked if we wanted to move from Dubai back to the UK. Perfect timing for my eldest starting secondary school, less perfect timing as not only was it in the middle of a global pandemic, I was loving my job as editor at Time Out UAE Kids.
Favourite place on earth: I fully acknowledge that it can be a bit of a Marmite destination, but I love Dubai. Not only did I grow up there, but my own children spent a number of their formative years enjoying the delights of the year-round sun and fabulous lifestyle offered by the Emirate.
Relationship status: Married for 18 years – proving the doubters wrong that we rushed into getting engaged after three months – and now with three little people of our own.
Saying you overuse: “You get what you get and don’t get upset” – because I don’t have time for arguments about which kid gets the pink plate or to sit in the front seat!