Hostelworld Group plc Board and Committee Changes
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24th July 2026
Hostelworld Group plc - Board and Committee Changes
Hostelworld Group plc ("Hostelworld" or the "Company") announces that, Éimear Moloney and Carl G. Shepherd, both in the final months of their 9 years of service, will be stepping down from the Board, with effect from 23 July 2026.
At the same time, Hostelworld is pleased to announce the appointment of Karen Myers and Wais Shaifta as independent Non-Executive Directors with effect from 24 July 2026.
Marieke Bax, Chair, comment
Following my appointment as Chair in 2026 and a successful CMD in 2025, Éimear and Carl have agreed to bring forward their planned retirement from the Board. Both were due to retire later this autumn, having served for more than eight years as Non-Executive Directors. This rotation will enable the incoming Non-Executive Directors to participate fully from the start of H2 in shaping the 2027 budget and a new Remuneration policy, both of which will support the Company's next phase of growth.
Non-Executive Directors retiring from the Board
I would like to sincerely thank both Éimear and Carl for agreeing to step down from the Board.
Their contribution to Hostelworld has been invaluable. During their tenure, they helped guide the Company through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID pandemic, providing valuable judgement, experience, and support to Gary, Caroline, and the wider executive team at a time when the business faced the most difficult trading conditions in its history.
As the business emerged from that period, they also helped establish the strategic and financial foundations and ambitions, as announced at our Capital Markets Day last year, on which Hostelworld is now executing on its growth strategy. Éimear's capital markets experience and Carl's deep knowledge of the travel sector have been invaluable to the Board throughout their tenure.
On behalf of everyone at Hostelworld, I would like to thank them both for their commitment, counsel and dedication over the past eight years and wish them every success for the future.
Non-Executive Directors joining the Board
I am delighted to announce the appointment of Karen Myers and Wais Shaifta as independent Non-Executive Directors with effect from 24 July 2026.
Karen is an experienced HR leader with a career spanning almost three decades across listed companies. Most recently, she served as Group Human Resources and Corporate Communications Director at Mobico Group plc, having previously been Chief HR Officer at William Hill plc. Earlier in her career, she held senior HR roles at Marks & Spencer, RSA Insurance, Tesco, BT Group and Barclays. Karen was until recently Remuneration Committee Chair at KellyDeli Co Limited and was previously Senior Independent Director and Remuneration Committee Chair of Pod Point Group Holdings plc from its IPO in 2021 until its acquisition in 2025. Alongside her HR expertise, Karen brings extensive experience in remuneration, corporate governance, investor relations and organisational transformation.
Commenting on her appointment, Karen said
'I am delighted to be joining the Board as Chair of the Remuneration Committee at this exciting stage in Hostelworld's strategic journey. I am looking forward to working with the Board and Executive Team to ensure remuneration is aligned to support the successful delivery of the Company's strategic plan.'
Wais until recently served as Chief Growth Officer at The Co-operative Group, leading the Group's Strategy, Data & Insights and Corporate Development functions. Previously, he was Chief Executive Officer of Push Doctor Limited and has held senior leadership roles at Just Eat, Treatwell, PrivateDoc, Pacaso and Voi Technology. Wais brings extensive board experience, having served as a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration and Sustainability Committees at The Gym Group plc, as a Non-Executive Director of Reach plc, and as a Non-Executive Director of Snappy Shopper. He also served as a Non-Executive Director of Planity during his tenure as an Operating Partner at RevaiaCapital. He currently serves as Senior Independent Trustee of the Football Foundation. He brings deep expertise in digital transformation, corporate strategy, consumer marketplaces, data-driven growth and scaling technology-enabled businesses.
Commenting on his appointment, Wais said:
"I am delighted to be joining the Board at such an exciting point in the Company's journey. The business has established a strong platform for growth, and I look forward to working with the Board and executive team to help accelerate the Company's strategy, support continued innovation and create long-term value for all shareholders."
Together, Karen and Wais add valuable expertise to support the Board as Hostelworld builds on the strategic foundations established in recent years and executes its next phase of growth.
Board Committee Changes
With effect from 24 July 2026, the following Board Committee changes will also take effect:
• Wais Shaifta will succeed Carl G. Shepherd as Senior Independent Director and be appointed to the Audit, Nomination and Remuneration Committees.
• Karen Myers will succeed Paul Duffy as Chair of the Remuneration Committee and be appointed to the Audit and Nomination Committees.
• Paul Duffy will succeed Éimear Moloney as the Chair of the Audit Committee.
The Board thanks Paul for his leadership of the Remuneration Committee and looks forward to his continued contribution as the Audit Committee Chair.
This announcement is made pursuant to UKLR 6.4.6R to UKLR 6.4.8R and Rules 6.1.5 to 6.1.7 of Euronext Dublin's Listing Rules. No other disclosures are required under UKLR 6.4.8R or Rule 6.1.7 of Euronext Dublin's Listing Rules.
Remuneration and Strategic Outlook
To support the board, we have appointed Ellason as our new remuneration consultant to develop a remuneration framework aligned with the Company's growth strategy, to attract and retain key talent, and to provide appropriate incentives for long-term value creation.
Hostelworld has a clear ambition to return to sustained growth. We have already made meaningful investments to support this ambition. We are also investing in our people through learning and development, building the skills required for an increasingly digital operating environment, and positioning the business to benefit from the opportunities AI creates.
With a clear strategy, we are confident in the path to growth. We will provide a fuller update at our interim results, but our focus is clear: to build on the exciting initiatives already underway, deepen our digital capabilities, and position Hostelworld for sustained growth.
For further information, please contact:
Hostelworld Group plc Corporate@hostelworld.com
Gary Morrison, Chief Executive Officer
Caroline Sherry, Chief Financial Officer
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