Follow me on
Ready to Make Your Next Holiday Extra Special!
We've upgraded our services to ensure you get the help you need in lightning-quick time. Our team is ready to assist in any way we can. The easiest way to reach us is via live chat (check our opening times).
We've worked hard to make our services more flexible, with FLEXTRAS - when you book with Holiday Extras, you'll enjoy the most flexible terms available. Plus, we're continuing to enhance our app with innovative features like HEHA! - The Holiday Extras Holiday Assistant, making it easier and faster than ever to search, book, and save.
Thanks for choosing Holiday Extras. Wishing you happy travels!
Chris Gale
Chief of Staff (Product, AI & Technology)
I'm Chris, Chief of Staff for Product, AI and Technology at Holiday Extras, working directly with our CEO Matthew Pack.
My Role at Holiday Extras
My role is to make sure the direction Matthew sets for the business is clearly understood and consistently acted on across our Product, Engineering and AI teams. I work closely with those teams to ensure everyone is aligned, moving fast, and focused on the same goal. I sit across teams rather than within a single function. I translate between technical and non-technical perspectives, connect ideas and people, and keep the pace up. Holiday Extras is a product, AI and technology-led business, and my job is to make sure that focus stays sharp as we grow.
I'm a big believer in AI and technology as enablers; not replacing people, but removing the things that slow them down. Strip out the repetitive work, bring in smarter tools, and people naturally move towards creativity, problem-solving and better customer outcomes. That is how we keep improving and how we stay ahead.
My Journey
My journey with Holiday Extras began in 2003 when I joined as a data miner in our first web team. Back then we had 250,000 email addresses; now it is over five million and a major business channel. From there I helped build the foundations of our digital platforms, scaled the web team from six to eighty, set up our first PPC team, and led web development, project management and digital marketing. In 2008 I took on full responsibility for the project management team, and by 2011 I was Associate Director, supporting the executive team and CEO in steering the company toward its strategic goals. After a five-year sabbatical in France, I came back with fresh energy and a renewed drive to help teams explore, experiment and grow. Today, as Chief of Staff, that same instinct sits behind everything I do; making sure we stay aligned, move quickly, and spend our time on the things that matter most for our customers.
Life before Holiday Extras
I spent seven years at Eurotunnel, where I worked as an IT trainer for both the UK and French sides of the business, contributing to a major software and infrastructure migration. In 2000 I joined a new e-commerce team of 10 as Eurotunnel made significant strides in moving to online ticket sales. I then took on the role of Web Developer for eurotunnel.com, supporting the company's shift towards digital.
Life outside of work
I enjoy fast cars, playing with code and keeping up with the latest in AI and web technologies. I have always been drawn to automation and the ways technology can genuinely change how we work and live.
What's your perfect hassle-free holiday?
Christmas away with my parents and sister. Preferably somewhere warm and a bit of culture.
Inspiration
Clever thinking applied to real problems. Ideas that challenge how things have always been done, and making them happen.