Lisa Abben, Danish
Chairman of the Board
Lisa joined the travel trade in 1971, working for Frederiksberg Travel Agency, primarily assisting with the planning of all European tours for the Australian and American markets, before being involved with the management of some of the first large incentive groups from the US market to visit Copenhagen. From 1980, Lisa became Assistant Managing Director of United Tours of Scandinavia, responsible for destination management and conference organisation services Lisa is a co-founder of First United, is the majority shareholder and was our Managing Director from 1991 until 2008.
Flemming A. Madsen, Danish
Managing Director
Flemming made an early start in the industry, working as a transfer manager and operational assistant while completing his studies. He has been with First United since 1991 and has amassed a comprehensive knowledge of planning and operating events throughout Scandinavia. Today, in addition to his position as CEO, Flemming also has overall responsibility for sales and marketing strategies. Flemming still nurtures his penchant for involvement with complex corporate events, primarily originating from the UK and US markets.
Mona Winther, Danish
Director Sales & Operations
Mona has been involved in the travel and tourism industry since 1967 and, since 1975, with destination management for incentive groups, mainly from the US market for some of our most important accounts. Today, Mona works in tandem with Flemming on events originating from the USA as well as being responsible for the management First United’s international congress allotments. Mona co-founded First United with Lisa Abben in the early 1991.
Stephen Ridett, British
Sales and Project Manager
Steve entered the tourism and travel industry in Copenhagen in 1967 and during the past 4 decades has worked within Scandinavian ground operations, hotel and venue marketing, PCO and destination management, all of which has resulted in a comprehensive, all-round industry and product knowledge. Steve joined First United in 2000.
Nathalie Lambert, Canadian
Senior Account Manager
Nathalie has more than two decades experience in the tourism industry, working during her early years in the industry as hotel receptionist and guide before moving into tour operations in Scandinavia. She joined the incentive and conference department of First United in January 2000 and is today responsible for the co-ordination of First United’s activities in the French speaking markets and management of corporate events originating from these markets.
Per Fruensgaard, Danish
Operation Manager
Per’s background includes a career start as a social case worker, after which he spent 16 years in client and guest service management, mainly in Paris, Rome and Lisbon but with spells of duty North Africa, Mexico and Turkey. Returning to Denmark in 2002, he applied his talents to destination management and joined First United in 2004 to increase our capacity to service French speaking markets and today First United’s activities in relation to the Italian market are also Per’s responsibility.
Jusko Fitos, Danish
Project Manager
Jusko, who is Magyar speaking, has been with the company since 1998, working primarily with events which originate from the small and medium business markets of Scandinavia and Eastern Europe – incentives, special interest groups and meetings – as well as managing events for professional groups attending international congresses and travel arrangements for a variety of international sports federations in connection with international events in Scandinavia.
Jane Berg, Norwegian
Senior Account Manager
Jane joined First United in early 2005 and brought with her an industry background that stretches back to 1991, working in tour and event operations throughout Scandinavia. Her background also includes active sales directed at overseas companies specialized in travel operations to the Nordic countries as well as the promotion of management services to European MICE specialists. Jane’s market responsibilities include accounts from the UK, Benelux as well as selected German and Scandinavian accounts.
Joanna Hansson Martí, Swedish
Account Manager
Joanna entered the event and travel industry in 1992 as a hostess at the Barcelona Olympics and has been hooked ever since. Her experience since then covers study and DMC employment in Spain as well as positions with DMCs and within the hotel industry in the UK and Sweden, before joining First United in 2004. Joanna’s primary responsibility is for the management of accounts originating from Spanish language markets.
Anette Askholm, Danish
Accountant
Anette has many years experience from a wide variety of different fields in banking and industrial accounting, before joining First United in 2001.