A time for hello, a time for goodbye

Just as we were getting to know Vickie Yue, the port manager of Cathay Pacific Cebu, she was ready to move back to Hongkong. But such is life in the travel industry where one thing certain is change. New destination, new home, new friends.

Country manager Ed Higgs together with Cathay Pacific staff  headed by hands-on passenger sales supervisor Connie Cimafranca hosted a farewell and welcome party held at the chic Treff lounge of the Waterfront Cebu Hotel.

The invitation, which requested invitees to don their hats for an afternoon tea, clearly gave away the nationality of the incoming port manager of Cathay Pacific. And you guessed it right, Camilla Taylor comes from Somerset, England.

During Yue’s all too-short stay in Cebu she developed close business relationships with leaders from the travel industry and the other sectors of society. It was no wonder many colleagues, associates and friends turned out to wish her Godspeed.

Ed Higgs in his welcome remarks announced that Cathay Pacific Airways has joined the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group that focuses on making renewable fuel sources available that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while lessening commercial aviation’s dependence on fossil fuels and potentially reducing the price volatility associated with petroleum fuels.

In closing, the Cebu staff surrendered to Vickie a large photo of herself that was put  together from   dozens of mementos collected during her stay in Cebu .

Taylor is a product of the University of Oxford , St. Hilda’s College with BA honors in philosophy, politics and economics. She joined the airline in August 2004 and was assigned to the position of assistant to general manager, Hong Kong International Airport .

Her first outport assignment was as assistant to the general manager of Japan in 2005.

She then moved back to Hong Kong in 2006 as executive assistant to the chief executive officer and then as assistant purchasing manager.

Taylor looks forward to her new role as Cebu Port manager. She will be responsible for directing the operations of Cathay Pacific’s Cebu office and will be leading the team in maintaining its strength and position in the area.

With fond memories we say goodbye and good luck to Vickie and with outstretched hands we extend a warm Cebuano welcome to Camilla.