John Hays (businessman)

John Hays
Born(1949-07-22)22 July 1949
Died (aged 71)
Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England
EducationUniversity of Oxford
Manchester Business School
OccupationBusinessman
Known forFounder of Hays Travel
TitleCEO, Hays Travel
Term1980–2020
SuccessorIrene Hays
Spouse
Irene Hays
​
(m. 1997)​
Children2

John Hays (22 July 1949[1] – 13 November 2020) was a British businessman, and the founder/CEO of Hays Travel, now the largest independent travel agency in the UK.[2]

Career

Hays earned a degree in mathematics from the University of Oxford.[3] He later earned an MBA from Manchester Business School.[4] In 1980, Hays founded Hays Travel in the back of his mother's children's wear store in Seaham, Durham.[5] Hays owned 56.42% and his wife Irene owned 43.58%.[6]

Personal life

John Hays married Irene Lucas in 1997. She has chaired the company since his death. The couple had two children.[3]

Death

John Hays died on 13 November 2020, aged 71, after collapsing at the company's Sunderland head office.[7][8]

References

  1. ^ Brown, Jeff (10 December 2020). "John Hays obituary". The Guardian.
  2. ^ "About Hays Travel | UK's Largest Independent Travel Agent | Hays Travel". www.haystravel.co.uk.
  3. ^ a b Ford, Coreena (9 October 2019). "Meet the couple behind Hays Travel as they offer hope to thousands of Thomas Cook staff". Chronicle. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  4. ^ "What I've learnt: John Hays". North East Times. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  5. ^ Davies, Rob (11 October 2019). "'We're no country bumpkins': Meet the couple who bought Thomas Cook". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  6. ^ "Hays Travel Limited". Global Database. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Hays Travel founder dies after collapsing at work". BBC News. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  8. ^ Otter, Saffron (13 November 2020). "John Hays, founder of Hays Travel, dies aged 71". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
Business positions
Preceded by
Founded
 Owner of Hays Travel
1980–2020 		Succeeded by
CEO of Hays Travel
1980–2020
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