Dame Irene Hays
(she/her)Owner and director of Hays Travel
Our people are our most valuable asset, and I have always believed in empowering them to reach their full potential. I am committed to our values, to supporting young people – through our apprenticeship and graduate programmes and the Hays Travel Foundation – and to caring for our customers, while giving back to the communities we are proud to serve.
Dame Irene Hays is owner and director of Hays Travel, the UK’s largest independent travel agency. Since opening its first shop in 1980, Hays Travel has grown to over 500 retail outlets nationwide. Dame Irene played a pivotal role in the company’s expansion, notably leading the acquisition of Thomas Cook’s retail estate in 2019, saving over 2,000 jobs. She has since overseen nine further acquisitions, including Victoria Travel, which brought Cruise.co and Seascanner into the group.
Born and raised in the North East of England, Dame Irene built a distinguished career in public service. She served as Chief Executive of both Sunderland and South Tyneside local authorities and worked in Whitehall, where she became Director General for Local Government and Regeneration, and later Permanent Secretary at the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).
Her contributions to public service and business excellence have earned her national honours. She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2008 for services to local government and elevated to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2021 for her work in training, education, and support for young people.