Holland America goes outside cruise industry for new president

Holland America Line has hired Orlando Ashford as president, effective Dec. 1.

Ashford will oversee HAL’s sales and marketing, revenue management, deployment and itinerary planning, public relations, hotel operations and strategy.

Ashford joins the cruise line from consulting firm Mercer, where he was president of the Talent Business Segment.

His recently published book, “Talentism,” addresses the global disconnect between available jobs and the estimated 202 million eligible workers who are unemployed worldwide, HAL said.

Holland America Group CEO Stein Kruse said Ashford “brings with him a career’s worth of global experience leading high-performance teams that helped innovate some of the most respected and well-known companies in the world.”

Ashford will be part of Holland America Group’s executive leadership team alongside Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises; Richard Meadows, president of Seabourn and president of Cunard North America; and Ann Sherry, CEO of Carnival Australia.

Holland America Group was formed last November, when HAL, Princess and Seabourn were consolidated under Kruse’s oversight. Kruse had retained responsibility for Holland America Line’s operations, until Ashford’s hire.

Ashford will relocate to Seattle, home of HAL’s headquarters.