Intrepid Travel is making changes to its North American leadership team as part of what the company calls an “ambitious growth strategy.”
Leigh Barnes, currently Intrepid’s chief customer officer, will become president of the Americas for the adventure tour operator starting in January 2025.
In his new role, Barnes will be responsible for all aspects of the region, including operations, sales and marketing. He will move from Intrepid’s global headquarters in Melbourne, Australia, where Barnes worked for the company for more than a decade, to the Pacific Northwest.
Barnes has experience leading Intrepid’s North American team, and did so during a period of record growth between 2015 and 2018 before being named Intrepid’s first general manager in 2019.
Matt Berna, Intrepid’s current president of the Americas, will become senior vice president of U.S. sales and operations and global B2B outside sales.
Berna will focus on growing Intrepid’s U.S. operations, including Intrepid-owned Wildland Trekking, U.S. B2B sales and global business development of Intrepid’s DMC network.
The company said Berna has played a critical role in Intrepid’s growth, including developing Intrepid’s North American strategy. He remains president of the Americas through January 2025.
“The Intrepid brand has grown exponentially in North America, from our first small office in California more than 20 years ago to our fastest growing region in the world,” said CEO James Thornton. “Under this new structure, the Americas will play a key role in our ambitious 2030 growth strategy.”
New leadership in Canada
Intrepid brings back Christian Wolters in the newly created role of President of Canada and Chief Marketing Officer, North America, effective July 1, 2024.
Wolters spent the last nine years as Director of Marketing at TourRadar, where he led the North America team from Toronto. Prior to TourRadar, Wolters was a founding member of Team Intrepid in Canada from 2008 to 2015, where he served as General Manager and Vice President of Sales.
Tom Smith (left) is Intrepid’s new general manager for Central America and Mexico. Matt Berna, Intrepid’s current president of the Americas, will become senior vice president of U.S. sales and operations. Photo credit: Intrepid
A new leader in Latin America
These changes also mark a new opportunity for Tom Smith who will take on the role of Managing Director for Central America and Mexico.
Smith will report to Gary Cohen, managing director of Latin America, who is a member of the Americas leadership team alongside Berna and Wolters.
“This structure will take Intrepid to the next level in the Americas,” Thornton said. “We know that travel brings people together, opens hearts and minds, and fosters greater understanding. There has never been a greater need for that. The world needs more Intrepid people, and I believe now is the time to redouble our efforts to seize the opportunities that lie ahead in the United States and the Americas.”
