This is us...
hello
It's probably obvious that, as a team, we love people and travelling and new adventures in exciting parts of the world. Perhaps less obvious is that we're bound by one passion above all others - a desire to give joy. From our beautiful office north of Oxford, this is what we try to do.
Country Manager
Ella Garel-Jones
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I joined The Slow Cyclist full-time in January 2023 after hosting guests in Transylvania and falling in love with the place. Previously, I was a modern languages teacher, but my love of travel and discovery led me to pursue this new path. Now I spend my time cultivating and maintaining a network of partners to help us offer the best cycling holidays. In my free time I enjoy learning new languages and being outdoors. My dream holiday is to hike the Shikoku Pilgrimage route in Japan. From history, I’d love to have met the travel writer and archaeologist Gertride Bell.
Journey Designer
Emily Sykes
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I have spent much of the past decade living and working in Mongolia. I returned home, like many globe trotters, in early 2020 and spent the following year hosting Slow Cyclists in Transylvania. On my return to the UK, I was thrilled to be asked the join the team full time, and given the opportunity to build experiences for our guests that align with our values. If I could be anyone from history I’d be Princess Ada of Caria.
Guest Services
Giorgia Zaupa
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My love for English language, literature and culture brought me to the UK from northern Italy in 2018. After three years working in the hospitality industry in Oxford I joined The Slow Cyclist in February 2022. I support Sally with our operations, ensuring our guests have everything they need for a wonderful holiday. Away from work I read a lot. Jane Austen is a particular favourite; and I dream of visiting New Zealand one day.
Guest Reservations
James Frickey
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After finishing university I bought a one-way ticket to Australia. A 28,000km road trip followed, inspiring a love for the open road ever since. I spent 18 years working for two leading bespoke travel companies before the chance to join The Slow Cyclist presented itself in late 2022.
Journey Designer
Jasper Williams
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My degree was in Materials Science but my gap year and holidays spent travelling and working in hospitality showed me where my real interest lay. A season in the Alps and travelling in Central America led me to The Slow Cyclist where I loved working as a host in Transylvania. So after three months driving from the UK to Armenia with another Slow Cyclist host I joined the team full-time to design new and exciting journeys for our guests. I’m currently pushing for Pakistan’s Karakoram Mountains. I would love to meet David Attenborough.
Commercial Director
Matthew Banks
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We always hope that our trips have a lasting impact on our guests and for me that was certainly true! After joining a trip to Rwanda in 2018, I decided to switch out of a 25 year career in the legal profession (having lived and worked in the UK, USA and Asia) and join The Slow Cyclist, which I did in August 2019. My role as Commercial Director combines my love for travel and my experience of growing global businesses.
Chairman
Nick Newbury
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I have 20-years’ experience of the bespoke travel market, starting when I founded Original Travel in 2002. I grew OT to a position at the very top of the tailor-made travel industry in the UK, stepping down as CEO in 2020. I remain an Advisory Board Member of Original Travel and hold several other non-Executive positions. I am a keen cyclist and am part of the team who organises the longstanding charity quadrathlon event, the Norfolk Superhero.
FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR
Oli Broom
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I am the Founder of The Slow Cyclist, and its Managing Director. I graduated from Durham University in 2003 and after a meandering career taking in chartered surveying, charity work in Rwanda and a stint helping launch the Tour de France in Yorkshire, led my first Slow Cyclist journey in Transylvania in 2015. My favourite book is Shoe Dog by Nike Founder Phil Knight and I’d love to write songs as good as Leonard Cohen’s. Who wouldn’t?
Operations Director
Sally Hoare
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I moved back to the UK in 2016 after twelve years living and working in Sydney and Bangkok, tempted home by the prospect of joining Oli and helping to grow The Slow Cyclist. These days I run our operations, working with trusted partners in all our destinations to make sure you have the most amazing time, without any hiccups. I make sure I host a few trips each year too – I can’t get enough of the Transylvanian wildflower meadows.
Country Manager
Jemima James
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My love of travel has always been closely tied to my fascination with foreign languages. After a semester of studying in China I had well and truly caught the travel bug. Prior to joining The Slow Cyclist, I led overland tours around South America and parts of Asia. I spent summer 2022 hosting in Transylvania and Greece before joining the operations team in the UK.
