Once a whirlwind of rumors about defections and appointments at Silversea Cruises settled last week, the luxury line emerged with a very different executive team.
Silversea said that it had let go its top two sales executives on March 31: David Morris, executive vice president of worldwide sales and marketing, and Marilyn Conroy, senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Americas.
Tim Rand, Silversea's vice president and chief information officer, was also let go.
Reached by phone, Conroy said Silversea was looking to take "a new direction."
Meanwhile, in a twist only possible in a world as small as the luxury cruise sector, Ken Watson, who resigned as executive vice president of sales and marketing for Regent Seven Seas Cruises effective March 31, was appointed COO and executive vice president of Silversea on April 1.
Watson worked alongside Mark Conroy, the president of Regent, for five years. Mark Conroy is married to Marilyn Conroy.
Watson will oversee Silversea's worldwide sales and marketing activities, as well as lead its departments of revenue management and performance, reservations, air/sea and guest relations, Silversea said.
Watson will be based in the company's Fort Lauderdale office and will report to Silversea CEO Amerigo Perasso.
Marilyn Conroy and Morris spent two decades working together in the luxury cruise segment: at Cunard Line and Crystal Cruises before joining Silversea, where Morris landed in 2003 and Conroy in 2004.
Silversea also named Fabio Agostini vice president and chief information officer. He will direct the development of information technology, reporting to Alvarino Biasotti, the company's worldwide financial controller, based in Monaco.