BARRHEAD Travel chief executive Sharon Munro has left the company a month after her father made the same move and 11 months after the business was bought over by US agency Travel Leaders Group (TLG).

Ms Munro, who has worked at the business founded by her father Bill Munro for 28 years, said she was leaving for “purely personal reasons”.

It comes after Mr Munro, who established the business 43 years ago and remained as a strategic adviser after the sale went through in February, made the same move last month.

Ms Munro has been replaced in the top job by the firm’s managing director Jacqueline Dobson, who has been with the business for the past 18 years.

“This has been a very difficult decision for me, but for purely personal reasons I have decided that the time is right to leave and I am handing over the reins to my extremely capable friend and colleague Jacqueline Dobson,” Ms Munro said. “Jacqueline is the natural successor and I know that the company, staff and customers will be in safe hands with the continuity, dedication and passion that she brings to the business.”

Last month Barrhead Travel revealed plans to launch 25 stores in England and Northern Ireland over the next five years, increasing its total to 98.

Ms Dobson said it is “an exciting time to be taking over the helm”, adding that “there is a sense of energy and momentum as we work on major investment plans to drive growth”.

In its last full year as an independent business Barrhead Travel, which was majority owned by Ms Munro after she bought her father out in 2007, grew sales by 7% to £300m. The terms of the TLG acquisition were not disclosed.