Invia Travel Germany streamlines its management and bundles the responsibility of the touristic core business at Ralph Michaelsen. The new Chief Commercial Officer of the digital travel provider succeeds Nikolaus Pauseback.

Ralph Michaelsen becomes Chief Commercial Officer

Leipzig, 16. May 2019. Ralph Michaelsen becomes the new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Invia Travel Germany as of 10 June. He will be responsible for the operational business, the service centers and purchasing. Michaelsen follows Nikolaus Pauseback, who is stepping down as CCO and member of the management board of Invia Travel Germany at his own request. After a short break, he will tackle new projects in tourism.

“We would like to thank Nikolaus Pauseback for his many years of outstanding commitment, which played a major role in the successful launch of our group of companies in Germany,” says Boris Raoul, CEO of the Invia Group and responsible for Invia’s business in a total of seven European countries.
Pascal Schuster, previously Chief Operation Officer, will report to Ralph Michaelsen in future. As Director Sun & Beach, Schuster will be operationally responsible for the most important product group of the Invia travel portals. This will streamline Invia Travel Germany’s management. Joachim Schreiber, Director Supplier Relations, is also leaving the company after many years of successful work.

New structure for even stronger customer focus

“We are restructuring the operational units and adapting them to today’s requirements of a fast-growing digital travel company,” says Raoul. The management of Invia Travel Germany will consist of Boris Raoul and Tobias Walther-Merkwitz (CFO).

Ralph Michaelsen has been managing director of the tour operator Leitner Touristik so far and brings in extensive touristic expertise. He previously held management positions at Thomas Cook, Alltours and FTI, among others. In his hometown of Leipzig he was Managing Director of bus and group tour operator Polster & Pohl and until 2012 Director Travel & Tourism at Unister, whose touristic brands were taken over by Invia Travel at the beginning of 2017. “Ralph Michaelsen has a unique competence in tourism, which he will now contribute at a well-known location and in a dynamic environment,” comments Boris Raoul.