The Legal and Compliance team at Travel + Leisure Co. International ensures regulatory compliance across the 13 countries in which the company operates. This team also includes the Customer Care Team, which proactively resolves critical customer issues and complaints before they escalate to regulatory authorities. Comprising 21 members, the team is distributed across Australia, Singapore, and the Philippines.
Travel + Leisure Co. manages three timeshare clubs and 90 properties, including timeshares, mixed-use, and hotels. Operating in nine countries with corporate offices in seven, its Legal and Compliance team specializes in consumer finance, data privacy, workplace law, financial services, responsible lending, health and safety, mergers and acquisitions, investment schemes, and sales law, providing comprehensive support for its operations.
In Australia, timeshare is regulated as a financial services product. Consequently, the legal team oversees compliance with the Australian Financial Services License (AFSL), Australian Consumer Law (ACL), the ATHOC Code of Practice, privacy policies, the Do Not Call Register, and Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing obligations. The team also manages government relations, including interactions with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
The team played a pivotal role in the Travel + Leisure Co. acquisition of Accor Vacation Club’s timeshare business. The US$48.4 million deal expanded the company’s portfolio by 24 resorts, including nine managed properties, and added a consumer finance portfolio. This acquisition, the culmination of meticulous work, involved conducting due diligence, negotiating terms, and addressing issues related to data capture, privacy, finance, and brand licensing. The agreement enables Travel + Leisure Co. to launch new Accor Vacation Club products and clubs across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, and Türkiye.
In 2024, the team facilitated the acquisition of two timeshare properties in Nagano, Japan—Club Wyndham Chikumakan Nagano and Club Wyndham Shirakabaso Shiga Kogen. This strategic acquisition significantly expanded the Travel + Leisure Co. portfolio in Japan, thereby strengthening the company’s presence in the region.
As Travel + Leisure Co. continues to grow its reach across Asia Pacific and beyond, the Legal and Compliance team remains at the forefront of due diligence in emerging markets. In regions without specific timeshare legislation, the team collaborates with local governments and industry bodies to develop appropriate regulatory frameworks. These efforts aim to prevent rogue operators from entering the market, thereby protecting consumers and enhancing the industry’s reputation. One such ongoing project involves establishing a new legislative framework in the Middle East that balances business growth with consumer protection.
The team has significantly enhanced its quality assurance program by implementing technology to record every sales presentation across 22 sales sites. This initiative has doubled the number of presentations reviewed for quality and training purposes, resulting in improved sales development programs and better compliance. Notably, these advancements were achieved with over 30% cost savings compared to previous systems.
The Legal and Compliance team champions diversity, equity, and inclusion. The executive leading the team also serves as the executive sponsor of the Pride International Diversity Resource Group (DRG) for the company’s International region, while a senior manager acts as the Chair. With over 380 members across 16 countries, this group fosters a global culture of inclusion for LGBTQIA+ employees. Launched during WorldPride 2023, the DRG has organised impactful events like the “Voices Unheard” webinar series, amplifying diverse perspectives from LGBTQIA+ celebrities, and the Leadership Series, inspiring employees with insights from diverse business leaders. Furthermore, Pride Pathways encourages personal storytelling to enhance understanding and empathy.
The Senior Vice President and Vice President were the founder members of the Women in Travel (WIT) International DRG, which offers professional development, networking, and growth opportunities for female associates and their allies across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Asia Pacific. A Vice President from the Legal and Compliance team serves as Director for the company’s award-winning philanthropic arm, which has raised nearly US$500,000 since 2009.
The team played a key role in developing Travel + Leisure Co.’s inaugural First Nations Peoples Strategy, aimed at improving career prospects for First Nations individuals and providing cultural training for non-Indigenous employees. They are actively involved in forming a First Nations Working Group for Australia and New Zealand and are currently developing a Reconciliation Action Plan to further the company’s commitment to reconciliation.
