Leadership Spotlight: Tamara Strauss

Our latest Leadership Spotlight features Tamara Strauss!

With an extensive background in the Travel & Hospitality industry, Tamara is an experienced global marketing professional with over 25 years in driving business growth across B2B and B2C sectors.

Her industry experience has seen her work with a range of organisations; from startups to major organisations. Among the major organisations Tamara has led throughout her career include names such as InterContinental Hotels Group, Cosmos Holidays plc, Royal Caribbean International, easyJet and most recently, Premier Inn, where she was the Global Customer Director.

In our Q&A with Tamara, she reflects on 25 years in the travel industry, the biggest change she's seen in the industry since she began her career, why `A shared vision’ is vital when building a successful team, the best piece of advice she has received plus much more!

Read the Q&A below.

Why did you join the Digital Leaders Club?

The truth is Jack Johnson suggested it to me, and given the continued focus on digital marketing, why wouldn’t I get involved with an amazing group of digital leaders?!

What's your career journey been like to date?

 I have spent the last 25 years in the travel and hospitality industry focusing on delivering brand transformation and customer experiences with both a B2B and B2C focus, including brands like Premier Inn, Royal Caribbean, easyJet Holidays and IHG. 

What do you love about working in digital?

I’ll show my ageby saying that when I started working, digital wasn’t a thing. But in 2000, when things started to go online, I wanted to get in early, so I joined a start-up. Since then, we have grown and evolved simultaneously. I love that it's agile and hasn’t stopped developing, keeping us all perpetually on our toes as algorithms, customer adoption, and new tech evolve. 

What's the biggest change you've seen in the digital industry from when you first began your career to now?

It's the buzzword of the moment - AI, and how we make it relevant to what we are doing without killing off our marketing teams and in-person experiences.

How does the travel sector differ in challenges compared to other industries?

Today, the biggest challenge for the industry is costs. It’s a high labour industry and people expect great service, but as costs go, it is becoming harder and harder to maintain the levels guests expect, and hence tech is becoming more prevalent, but it needs to still emulate the one-to-one experience people expect.

In your view, what's the most important trait of a successful team?

`A shared vision’. It sounds cliche, but unless everyone is paddling in the same direction (perhaps at slightly different paces), the task at hand becomes harder to achieve. A clear vision aligns people, processes, and business expectations. 

What's the best piece of career advice you've received?

Super simple ‘What’s for you won’t go past you’, based on this I try and maintain the belief that things happen for a reason, even when it’s hard to digest.

Which trend are you most excited to see in 2025?

It has to be the growth of AI and getting in on the journey and learning in an agile way.

Tell us about your best success story

It’s a personal one, raising an amazing human being. Best return on investment ever!

How would your colleagues describe you?

Words the team has used to describe me include brand centric, strong EQ, compassionate, inclusive, upbeat, and calm under pressure.  

What are your hobbies away from work?

Property renovations - I love a good house refurb project.

What's your plan for the future? 

It has to be about balancing my passion for marketing, property, and leadership. I have yet to see how it manifests itself.

What would you be doing (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?

It would be something with property - the exact details I am not sure of though!

Connect with Tamara on LinkedIn