Celebrity Cruises CEO resigns and takes post with hair salon company

Source: Skift
Author: Dennis Schaal

The mystery is over: Celebrity Cruises CEO Daniel Hanrahan, who announced he will resign at the end of the month "to take an exciting new opportunity," will become the CEO of hair salon company Regis Corp., Skift has learned.

Hanrahan will begin there Aug. 6

Regis Corp. issued a press release late this afternoon, confirming the details.

Hanrahan, who served as the president and CEO of the Royal Caribbean Cruises brand, worked at the line for 13 years and credits the delivery of the Celebrity Solstice in 2008 as the beginning of the initiative to remold Celebrity Cruises into one that defined "Modern Luxury."

Royal Caribbean did not disclose where Hanrahan would be heading for the "exciting new opportunity," but it turns out to be Regis Corp., which owns and franchises some 12,700 beauty salons, hair restoration centers and cosmetology schools around the world.

Hanranhan will remain at Celebrity through the end of July before taking on his new role at the Minneapolis, Minn., hair salon company.

Richard Fain, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean stated: "Fortunately, Dan is leaving a very strong organization, and we are lucky to have great bench strength to continue our vision. While I am sorry to see Dan leave our family, with the strong base of the Celebrity organization and the continued support of the travel agent community, I know Celebrity's future is in good hands."

No word yet from Royal Caribbean on whether it will tap its bench for a replacement or look elsewhere.

The entire cruise industry has been under a lot of pressure since the Costa Concordia disaster in mid-January.

In the first quarter of 2012, parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises saw its net income fall 40% to $47 million on $1.8 billion in revenue, a slight increase.

“First quarter results were satisfactory given the difficult and uncertain operating environment and we continue to see gradual improvement in the demand for our great vacations,” said Fain, when the financials were release in April. “We did not expect the impact of the tragedy to be long term and we are seeing evidence the effects are waning.”