ABOUT CLIA
CLIA Global Executive Committee
The CLIA Global Executive Committee includes; the Chairman of the board, four at-large representatives, two Emeritus Directors, CLIA's President and the Chairs of CLIA-Europe and North America. The Executive Committee and the CLIA Board of Directors, are responsible for establishing the overall strategic direction of the association. The Executive Committee provides oversight to ensure CLIA operates within the confines of its by-laws, charter and articles of incorporation as a DC non-profit corporation. Meetings are also attended by CLIA’s Counsel
CLIA Global Chair - Pierfrancesco Vago
As Executive Chairman, Pierfrancesco Vago leads MSC Cruises’ strategy and long-term vision, focusing on the Company’s sustained growth and the development of its fleet and terminal portfolio. In this role, which he assumed in 2013, he has spearheaded the launch of MSC Cruises’ second fleet expansion plan. It will see up to six ship classes join the Company’s fleet in ten years.
Vago also oversees the MSC Group’s subsidiaries with strategic relevance to the tourism sector, including ferry operator GNV and MSC’s future luxury cruise brand that is set to start operating in 2023.
As Chair of the MSC Foundation’s Executive Committee, he oversees the MSC Group’s philanthropic efforts, focusing on conservation, humanitarian and cultural projects.
In January 2021, Vago was appointed Chair of the Global Executive Committee of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). In this position, he is leading the cruise industry’s efforts to resume service following the global halt of cruise operations brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vago has been closely involved in the cruise industry’s global association for many years and from 2014 to 2016 he held the Chairmanship of CLIA in Europe.
From 2003 to 2013, Vago was MSC Cruises’ CEO. In this position, he oversaw MSC Cruises’ first phase of expansion, which saw the first 12 purpose-built cruise ships join the Company’s fleet in just ten years.
Vago began his career in the family business, Franco Vago SpA, one of Italy’s leading transport companies. He joined MSC Group’s cargo business, Mediterranean Shipping Company, in 2000, becoming Line Manager for the USA, Mexico, and Canada in 2001.
Vago studied Economics in the United Kingdom, at St Catharine’s College, University of Cambridge.
Micky Arison
Micky Arison has been Chair of the Board of Directors of Carnival Corporation since 1990 and Chair of the Board of Directors of Carnival plc since 2003.
As the world’s largest travel and leisure company, Carnival Corporation (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK) has nine cruise brands, which are based throughout North America, Europe, Australia and Asia, and include: Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America, Princess, Seabourn, AIDA, Costa, Cunard, P&O UK, and P&O Australia.
Arison grew up in the cruise business—leaving college at the University of Miami and joining Carnival Cruise Lines, the company founded by his father, Ted Arison, in 1971.
Following a two-year stint in the Carnival Cruise Lines sales department, he became Reservations Manager in 1974 and Vice President of Passenger Traffic in 1976—attracting younger travelers and those who had never taken a cruise before with competitively priced packages and shorter itinerary options. He was named President of the company in 1979. Under Arison's direction, Carnival, became the industry leader by expanding its fleet through new ship construction and entering new market segments through acquisitions. In 1987, the company went public, generating $400 million for future expansion. In 1989, he engineered the acquisition of the Holland America Line to enter the premium cruise market. He also led the company’s acquisitions of ultra-luxury leader Seabourn; Cunard, operator of the world’s most famous ocean liners; Costa Cruises, Europe’s number one cruise company; and P&O Princess Cruises, one of the most recognizable names in travel.
In 2013, Carnival appointed longtime Carnival Board Member Arnold Donald President and CEO, with Arison continuing to serve as Chairman. He also is a member of the Cruise Lines International Association Global Executive Committee and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association.
Arison’s contributions to the cruise industry have been recognized by a wide range of international organizations. He has been named an “Officer of the French Legion of Honor” – the country’s highest civilian honor – by French President Jacques Chirac, received an honorary doctorate in naval architecture from the University of Genoa, and was awarded the Decoration of Commander, First Class, of the Order of the Lion of Finland by the President of the Republic of Finland. He has also been awarded the insignia of “Onorificenza al Merito della Repubblica Italiana” by the president of Italy, which confers that country's highest title on a civilian.
Outside of cruise, Arison is the Managing General Partner of the National Basketball Association’s Miami Heat franchise and has served as Chairman of the league’s board of governors.
Jason Liberty
Jason Liberty is President and Chief Executive Officer for Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL), which consists of three global cruise brands, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises, as well as TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, of which it is a 50% owner in a joint venture. The company’s 60 ships carry more than 7.5 million guests a year to ports on all seven continents.
Since joining the Company in 2005, Liberty has held several senior management positions, including most recently as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. In this position, he was responsible for finance, strategy, shared service operations, legal, technology, Silversea Cruises and the TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Joint Venture. Before joining Royal Caribbean Group, he was a senior manager with the accounting firm KPMG LLP.
Liberty serves on the Board of Directors of WNS Limited, a leading business process management company (NYSE: WNS). He also is a member of the Global Executive Committee of the Cruise Lines International Association.
He earned his MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kenan-Flagler Business School, where he now serves on the Board of advisors. In addition, he holds degrees in accounting and finance from the University of Miami School of Business and Indiana University, Bloomington, Kelley School of Business, respectively. Liberty and his wife, Erica, have four children and live in Weston, Florida.
Kelly Craighead
Kelly Craighead is President and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), representing an expansive community of the world's most prestigious ocean, river, and specialty cruise lines; a highly trained and certified travel agent community; and a widespread network of stakeholders, including ports & destinations, ship development, suppliers, and business services.
As President and CEO, Kelly is responsible for leading the organization’s work as the leading authority and voice of the industry across the association’s five operating regions, including North America, Europe, Australasia, Brazil, the United Kingdom and Ireland. An important part of her leadership is directing the development and execution of the organization’s advocacy strategy and initiatives, which are designed to support the broad international business coalition that comprises the global cruise industry.
Under her leadership, CLIA and its members are paving the way in responsible tourism practices, significantly increasing the industry’s collective investment in research, development, and education, as well as executing advocacy and promotional efforts that add and create value for the cruise community and its partners.
Additionally, she serves as Vice Chairman and Executive Director of the Cruise Industry Charitable Foundation (CICF), a non-profit 501(c)(3) public charity founded in 1998 that serves to improve the quality of life in communities served by the cruise industry. CICF focuses its efforts in four key areas that include civic and community development, educational assistance and training programs, public health programs, and environmental preservation initiatives.
Kelly joined CLIA in January 2019, bringing with her over 20 years of executive leadership experience from both the public and private sectors, including most recently as the first-ever Deputy Assistant Secretary for Travel and Tourism at the United States Department of Commerce.
During her time with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Kelly acted as the senior government representative for travel and tourism matters on behalf of the United States. In addition to coordinating federal government tourism policies and programs, Kelly led initiatives that generated more than $250 billion USD annually from international visitors to the United States. She also represented the United States as the key point of contact for foreign tourism ministers regarding critical travel and tourism policy matters.
Earlier in her career, Kelly held leadership positions in the White House and traveled extensively within the United States and abroad supporting official government business and developing a wide network of international partners in government, media and business. Prior to her appointment as President and CEO of CLIA, Kelly founded Vertimas Consulting, where she supported a variety of private sector clients, including the World Travel and Tourism Council, with counsel and executive leadership support, including strategic planning and business development. A passionate and active member of the travel and tourism community, Kelly has been a member of Visit Florida’s board of directors since July 1, 2020, and in 2017 was named “Outstanding Woman in Travel and Tourism Leadership” by Women in Travel and Tourism Industries (WITTI).
Frank J. Del Rio
Frank J. Del Rio is the president and chief executive officer of S&P 500 company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NCLH), which operates Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Del Rio assumed this role in January 2015. An over 25-year cruise industry veteran, Del Rio has successfully led Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings in delivering industry leading financial results while providing an unparalleled guest experience. Under his leadership, the company has expanded its fleet with the newest and most innovative ships at sea, introduced the company’s latest island destination, Harvest Caye in Belize, and significantly strengthened its global footprint.
Previously, Del Rio served as chairman and chief executive officer of Prestige Cruise Holdings, Inc., the parent company operating both Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Del Rio founded Oceania Cruises in 2002, and in doing so, created a new “upper premium” market space in the cruise industry. Under his leadership the line has grown from a fledgling start-up with one 684-passenger ship to a dominant player in the upscale cruise market with six ships totaling 5,300 berths, including the addition of two highly acclaimed 1,250-passenger sister ships, Marina and Riviera. In 2008, Prestige Cruise Holdings acquired Regent Seven Seas Cruises and quickly completed a turnaround which positioned Regent Seven Seas Cruises as the market leader in luxury cruising and in turn positioned Prestige Cruise Holdings as the premier operator of upscale cruise brands.
Del Rio, who was born in Havana, Cuba and emigrated to the United States in 1961 at age six, earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Florida and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Arnold Donald
Arnold Donald is President & Chief Executive Officer of Carnival Corporation & PLC, the largest travel and leisure company in the world. Their portfolio of ten cruise brands -- Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, P&O Cruises UK, P&O Cruises Australia and Fathom are based throughout North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Together these brands maintain a fleet of over 100 ships and serve more than 11 million guests annually. Carnival Corporation & PLC also operates Holland America Princess Alaska Tours, the leading tour company in Alaska and the Canadian Yukon with 10 hotels plus rail and bus services connecting guests with the northern interior. Traded on both the New York and London Stock Exchanges, Carnival Corporation & PLC is the only group in the world to be included in both the S&P500 and the FTSE 100 indices.
Mr. Donald has been President & CEO of Carnival Corporation since 2013; prior to that he served on the board for 12 years. He currently serves on the board of Bank of America Corporation.
Mr. Donald spent more than twenty years at Monsanto Company as Corporate Senior Vice-President, and President of the Consumer and Nutrition sector and President of the Agricultural sector. After leaving Monsanto, Mr. Donald was Chairman of Merisant Company whose products included the leading global sweetener brands Equal and Canderel.
Immediately prior to Carnival, Mr. Donald was a founder and President and Chief Executive Officer of the Executive Leadership Council, a professional network and leadership forum for African-American executives of Fortune 500 companies, and the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, the largest charitable funder of diabetes research in the world.
A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Mr. Donald received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Carleton College, a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Washington University in St Louis, and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.
Mr. Donald has a strong commitment to higher education and serves on the boards of two of his alma maters, Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota and Washington University in St. Louis, in Missouri. He is also on the boards of the Greater New Orleans Foundation and Tulane University among others.
Richard D. Fain
Richard D. Fain is Chair of the Board of the Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL), a position he has held since 1988 when he was also named Chief Executive Officer of the company.
On January 3, 2022, Fain stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of Royal Caribbean Group—with Jason Liberty succeeding him as CEO in addition to joining the Board of the Directors. The moves, part of a succession planning process developed by Fain and the Board of Directors, were announced in November 2021. In announcing his decision to step down as CEO, Fain said that with most of the company’s ships operating, a full return to cruising approaching, and Royal Caribbean Group’s brands under the leadership of exceptional CEOs, it was the right time to make the transition.
With a career spanning more than 33 years at the company, Fain’s innovations have helped shape the modern cruise industry. His storied career is defined by the innovations he championed involving every aspect of cruising – from revolutionary ship design to major sustainability efforts to the technologies and ground-breaking features that enriched the onboard experience for millions of guests.
Under his leadership, the Royal Caribbean Group introduced new and distinctive ship categories, with a diverse range of amenities and experiences that transformed the nature of cruising. These transformational ships include Royal Caribbean International's Sovereign, Voyager, and Oasis classes; Celebrity Cruises' Solstice and Edge classes; the highly anticipated Royal Caribbean International Icon class to be introduced in 2023; and Silversea Cruises' "Project Evolution" that will become the industry's first hybrid powered ship when introduced in 2023. Fain, working with Liberty, will continue his involvement in the Group's ship construction program.
Fain joined Royal Caribbean in 1979 as an outside director on the company’s Board of Directors. Prior to Royal Caribbean, he spent 13 years as treasurer, Chief Financial Officer and Joint Managing Director of Gotaas-Larsen Shipping Corp., a London-based owner and operator of cargo ships.
Fain is a member of the Global Executive Committee of the Cruise Lines International Association. He also serves on the University of Miami Board of Trustees and the Uhealth Board of Directors. He is former chairman of the University of Miami Board of Trustees, the Miami Business Forum, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the United Way of Miami-Dade.
Fain earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of California at Berkeley and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Colleen, have four children and six grandchildren.
Thomas Mazloum
Thomas Mazloum is President of Disney Signature Experiences, leading several key growth businesses for the Disney Parks, Experiences and Products segment and inspiring teams around the world to deliver the company’s unparalleled family vacations. Based in Celebration, Florida, he oversees Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club, Adventures by Disney, National Geographic Expeditions, Golden Oak and Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa.
Before being named to his current role in May 2020, Mazloum served as Senior Vice President of Operations at Walt Disney World Resort, overseeing 30 Disney resort hotels as well as premium services, security and transportation operations at the world’s premier vacation destination.
At Disney Cruise Line, Mazloum is responsible for the entire award-winning operation, including the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy cruise ships, as well as Castaway Cay (Disney’s private island in the Bahamas) and Disney’s Port Canaveral cruise terminal. He also oversees the much-anticipated expansion of Disney’s cruise fleet, with three new ships on the horizon, all of them showcasing the immersive family entertainment, enchanting storytelling and service for which Disney is well known.
Mazloum also leads the team at Disney Vacation Club, the company’s popular vacation-ownership program. The club offers a portfolio of 15 themed resorts, from its newest property, Disney’s Riviera Resort, to Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii, to properties across Walt Disney World Resort, at Disneyland Resort and in Vero Beach, Florida and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. His other responsibilities include Adventures by Disney and National Geographic Expeditions, the company’s guided group travel businesses, as well as Golden Oak, the company’s luxury whole-ownership community of custom homes at Walt Disney World Resort.
Mazloum began his Disney career in 1998 as a Hotel Director for Disney Cruise Line and was instrumental in launching the Disney Wonder, the second ship in the Disney fleet. He later served as General Manager of Food & Beverage and Special Events at Epcot. Before returning to Disney in 2017, he served as the Chief Operating Officer of Crystal Cruise Line, leading efforts to define “The Crystal Experience,” a concept that would set the bar for luxury vacations, with a focus on nurturing a positive employee culture.
Mazloum was elected to the Global Executive Committee of the Cruise Lines International Association in 2020, following his appointment as President of Disney Signature Experiences.
Mazloum was born in Austria, and earned his degree in hotel management and administration in Innsbruck. A lifelong learner, he has also received several business certifications from such institutions as Cornell University, the Hotel School of Lausanne and the Hotel School of Salzburg.
Charles B. Robertson
Charles B. Robertson is President & CEO of American Cruise Lines, the largest U.S. flag cruise operator. American Cruise Lines is part of a closely held group of maritime companies, including Pearl Seas Cruises and Chesapeake Shipbuilding, led by Charles and his brothers, Clark and Carter Robertson.
Robertson succeeded his father and American Cruise Lines founder, Charles A. Robertson, who passed away on February 9, 2020.
He grew up in the business, working in the shipyard and aboard American Cruise Lines’ ships. He became a Vice President in 2014 and has led much of the line’s growth through market development and new ship introductions.
As the company grew, his focus shifted to ship innovation, personalized experiences, and partnerships with local communities throughout the country. He was instrumental in developing and launching the first modern riverboats in the U.S., a significant departure from the paddlewheelers that had historically been predominate on the U.S. rivers.
American Cruise Lines is the largest cruise line operating on U.S. waters, with the newest fleet of coastal cruise ships and riverboats in the U.S. All ships accommodate 100 to 200 passengers, and are built, crewed, and registered in the USA. With over 35 itineraries, American operates on the waterways of New England, Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, the Mississippi River system, and the Southeast.
Robertson is a member of the Global Executive Committee of the Cruise Lines International Association. He earned his MBA from Columbia University and holds a U.S. Coast Guard Master’s License.