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With his mild manner and charm, Rayner is a popular figure in the travel industry. He has spent more than five years at the Thomson group, joining the now-defunct Lunn Poly brand as advertising manager in 2001 before being promoted to head of advertising and sponsorship in 2002, then stepping up to head of marketing last year.

Rayner, who lives in North London and is soon to become a father for the first time, embraced travel young, going around the world in a gap year. His first job, in student recruitment, also took him overseas, with a spell in Singapore. He got his first taste of advertising as an account director at Riley Advertising in Birmingham, where he worked with clients including the University of Bath.

Regarded as a good strategic thinker by colleagues, Rayner is close to finishing his MBA at Warwick University, where he previously studied for his BA in film and literature. Still a movie addict, he prefers arthouse films - Fernando Meirelles' City Of God is his favourite.

Joining Thomson was an obvious choice for Rayner. 'It's a huge operation that combines the fast-moving world of retail with the service sector,' he enthuses. He is credited with having a firm understanding of Thomson's brand and a genuine interest in consumer choices.

Simon Woolfe, strategic insight manager at the travel company, says that this 'obsession with understanding the consumer' underpins all Rayner's marketing activity. He has a habit of quizzing people he meets about who they booked their last holiday with and whether they had a good time.

With more people opting to book their own tailor-made holidays online, Rayner is realistic about the challenges facing Thomson. 'We need to show that we are not just about package holidays; we offer a range of products, from flight-only to customised tours,' he says.

The past year has seen big changes at the company, including the completion of a major restructure and the move of its head office to Luton from North London. The operator also announced a reduction in the commission payments it gives to agents, making marketing direct to consumers even more important.

Jon Busk, deputy head of account management at DDB, who oversees Thomson's advertising account and has worked with Rayner for the past three years, says he takes all challenges in his stride. 'In a sector characterised by a lot of shouting and inconsistency, he has gracefully steered the brand with a consistent and engaging approach,' he adds.

Busk also notes the way that Rayner has modernised the Thomson brand with a 'quiet determination' in the face of a raft of new online companies and a change in the way consumers book their holidays.

While the industry has tied itself in knots debating whether the rise of online spells the death of high-street travel agents, Rayner has deftly combined the two channels. A Thomson ad campaign that broke last month uses the line 'web prices on the high street', promoting not only the group's website, but also its shops. 'A large proportion of people prefer the reassurance of using a shop; others are more comfortable with the web, or a combination of the two,' he says.

Armed with a £6m marketing budget, Rayner is keen to move away from the traditional discount-led approach and increase his investment in ambient and outdoor media to reach younger consumers on the move.

As well as supporting a significant investment in the group's web offering, Rayner has introduced innovative direct marketing campaigns, placed standalone web kiosks in Thomson shops and even trialled interactive store windows.

Whichever marketing technique he adopts next, it will undoubtedly focus on ensuring that Thomson is the first port of call for all types of travellers, whatever their holiday plans.

CAREER HISTORY 1993-1995: Marketing executive, University of Warwick 1995-1998: Marketing manager, Alcan 1998-2001: Account director, Riley Advertising 2001-2002: Advertising manager, Lunn Poly 2002-2003: Group advertising manager, Thomson and Lunn Poly 2003-2004: Advertising and sponsorship manager, Thomson and Lunn Poly 2005-present: Head of marketing, Thomson