Montreal, November 2, 2009
Transat, one of the largest integrated tourism companies in the world and Canada's holiday travel leader, today announced the appointments of Denis Pétrin to the position of Vice-President, Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer, Transat; of Michel Bellefeuille as Vice-President and Chief Information Officer, Transat; of Michael DiLollo to the position of President of the company’s Transat Tours Canada business unit; and finally of Yves Lalumière as Vice-President and General Manager, Transat Distribution Canada.
A chartered accountant by training, Mr. Pétrin began his career with Ernst & Young before joining Air Transat in 1990; there he held, among others, the position of Vice-President, Finance and Administration; he joined Transat Tours Canada in 2003, occupying the same position.
Mr. Bellefeuille, meanwhile, has been part of the Transat team since 2002, serving as Vice-President, Information Systems, for both Air Transat and Transat Tours Canada. The holder of a BSc from Université de Sherbrooke and an MBA from HEC Montréal, he began his career in 1979, and has worked for major organizations such as Microcell Telecom and Bombardier Aerospace.
Mr. DiLollo has been with Transat since 1991, and until very recently was Executive Vice-President, Transat Tours Canada. Prior to that, he was Senior Vice-President, Technical Operations and Customer Service, for Air Transat. A graduate of Queen’s University in Business Administration, he is also an Airbus A330 captain.
Mr. Lalumière joined Transat Distribution Canada as Vice-President, Operations and Business Development, in 2006, before being appointed Vice-President, Network, in 2008. He had previously held management positions with American Express, including those of Vice-President, Corporate Services and Government Affairs, over a 20-year period. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Université du Québec à Montréal.
As announced this past June, Nelson Gentiletti becomes Transat’s Chief Operating Officer, reporting directly in that capacity to Jean-Marc Eustache, President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Gentiletti was formerly Executive Vice-President, Tour Operators, and President, Transat Tours Canada. He has been part of the Transat team since 2002, when he was appointed Vice-President, Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer. In his new role, he will oversee all of the company’s operations and be directly responsible for Transat Tours Canada, Transat France, Transat Distribution Canada, Air Transat, Canadian Affair, Air Consultants Europe, Jonview Canada, tripcentral.ca, Rêvatours and Merika Tours.
“These talented managers are proof that our organization has the depth required to meet challenges and pursue its growth,” said Mr. Eustache. “Our team brings together impassioned people who have in-depth knowledge of the industry, and this is a key asset in the pursuit of our objectives.”
About Transat
Transat A.T. Inc. is an integrated international tour operator with more than 60 destination countries and that distributes products in over 50 countries. A holiday travel specialist, Transat operates mainly in Canada and Europe, as well as in the Caribbean, Mexico and the Mediterranean Basin. Montreal-based Transat is also active in air transportation, destination services, accommodation and distribution. (TSX: TRZ.B, TRZ.A)