News and Insights
FINN Partners appoints Kate Hopper Managing Partner, UK Travel
November 2, 2026
Brand communications expert brings 20+ years of consumer and lifestyle experience to UK’s largest travel practice
Global independent marketing and communications firm, FINN Partners today announces that Kate Hopper will take the helm of its market-leading travel practice in the UK, signalling bold ambition to offer clients an even broader mix of travel, consumer and lifestyle programming expertise.
Kate, who joins the team today, was most recently Managing Director, Consumer Brand at global integrated agency, Burson. A veteran of the industry with over 20 years’ experience, she has built high-performing teams, delivering award-winning work at Burson, H+K and Ketchum. During her career, Kate has led multiple accounts in the travel, leisure and hospitality sectors, including IHG, TUI, Four Seasons and Booking.com, and has provided senior counsel to clients on all aspects of their communications programmes, from CEO reputation and consumer brand activations to social media and influencer-led initiatives.
At FINN Partners, Kate will lead the agency’s highly regarded travel practice, taking responsibility for leading a high-performing team which offers senior counsel and support across all the specialisms of the travel industry, driving new business, and ensuring clients are taking advantage of FINN Partners’ expertise in providing strategic consultancy, PR and representation, and broadening the scope of work outside what is seen as the traditional travel PR & representation agency offering.
In her role, Kate will report to FINN Partners’ Managing Partner for EMEA, Chantal Bowman-Boyles, who commented: “Our travel practice is widely recognised as the largest and most successful in the industry, so finding a new leader who has the skills, experience and ability to build on that success and take our work to the ‘next level’ was something I thought would be a challenge. I could not have been more wrong. We’ve totally exceeded the brief in hiring Kate. Travel brands are looking for more than traditional agency partners can offer; senior counsel, strategy, flexibility and impeccable delivery across the entire spectrum of their communications and marketing needs. Kate brings all that and more, she’s the perfect choice to ensure our team stays one step ahead of what our clients are asking for.”
Kate will also work closely with FINN Partners’ Managing Partner, Global Travel Practice, Debbie Flynn, whose experience and connections are unrivaled in the travel industry. Debbie said, “Kate brings a rare combination: she has led some of the biggest accounts in travel, and she has the consumer and lifestyle expertise that our clients increasingly want. That breadth, along with her fresh thinking and a new network of contacts, is exactly what will take our UK practice to new heights. I’ve watched this industry change enormously over 40 years, and the agencies that thrive are the ones that keep evolving. Kate is the right person to lead our next phase, and I’m thrilled to be working alongside her.”
Kate herself said, “I’m delighted to be joining a practice with such a strong reputation and established position in its field. I believe there’s real value in bringing together different perspectives and drawing on experience across sectors to challenge assumptions and spot new opportunities. I’m looking forward to building on the team’s success and helping shape an exciting new chapter for FINN Partners’ travel practice.”
FINN Partners UK travel practice represents destinations on five continents, hotels and hotel groups from hostels to luxury, airlines, train travel, cruise, car-hire and travel agencies both on and off-line. Clients include Accor, Delta Air Lines, Destination New South Wales, Japan National Tourism Office, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Intrepid Travel, Pan Pacific and Avis.