Bidding a fond farewell to an unassuming Moodie Davitt superstar

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Martin Moodie

Martin Moodie is the Founder & Chairman of The Moodie Report.

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The Moodie Davitt Report bears the names of its two co-owners, myself and Dermot Davitt. As such, and given our respective longevity in the travel retail community and our high public profiles, it is we two who are invariably seen as the front line of the company.

But behind us are an outstanding team, driven by a sense of commitment, professionalism and excellence that I believe to be rare in any company and unique in travel retail publishing. We have very exacting standards, which combined with the most punishing of schedules and prolific output, means it is no place for the faint-hearted.

For the past 14 years Claire Wates has embodied those values. Not only has she been a fantastic professional human asset to the company as Advertising Development Director but she has always represented us with dignity, charm and her own very distinctive sense of class.

Alas, Claire, faced by very tough family circumstances, has taken the difficult but correct decision to stand down from her role with us and be with her family. So it was with heavy heart that The Moodie Davitt Report team bid her a fond farewell late last month. My parting words on the evening were said with enormous gratitude and much emotion.

Claire is my longest-standing colleague (we worked together from the late 90s at Duty-Free News International before she joined what was then The Moodie Report in 2005) and has contributed enormously to our success. As such, her departure feels like the end of an era. Farewell and bon courage Claire.