Gold Medal Travel has finally replaced former-managing director Wayne Pearce with ex-Going Places boss Terry Fisher.
Fisher previously worked with Gold Medal owner Ken Townsley during the late 1990s with their joint venture, Travelworld.
He ran Going Places for two years after he sold Travelworld to Airtours in 1998 for around £7.7m.
The appointment comes three months after the sudden departure of Pearce from Gold Medal after what was believed to be a disagreement over long-term strategy at the company.
Fisher admitted the appointment was unexpected but his former sparring partner Townsley played in large role in persuading him to return to the industry.
“Although I had no intention of returning to UK Travel, I saw the position of taking the helm at Gold Medal as a fantastic opportunity and Ken came along with an offer that was too good to turn down,” Fisher said.
Townsley has been overseeing operations at the company since Pearce left, although it understood that a formal replacement would eventually be selected.