CLIA President and CEO To Step Down

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) CEO and President Cindy D'Aoust has announced she will step down at year’s end to focus on family. She will assist in the search for her successor.

Though a transition plan and the search for a new president and CEO is being developed by CLIA’s Global Executive Committee, executive search firm Russell Reynolds Associates is assisting in the effort.

"CLIA has been fortunate to have Cindy at the helm for the last two years, but we respect her decision to focus on her family and wish her all the best," said Carnival Corp. President and CEO Arnold Donald, who is also the CLIA Global Chair.

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D’Aoust joined CLIA as executive vice president of membership and operations in December of 2014. She then took the helm over CLIA’s US operations and leadership teams when then-president Christine Duffy departed in January 2015. Duffy had taken over from Terry Dale, who served from 2003-2012.

Duffy is now president of Carnival Cruise Line.

After Duffy’s departure, former Coast Guard admiral Thomas Ostebo was named as CLIA CEO. He left for personal reasons less than two months later. D’Aoust was named interim president and officially assumed the title of president and CEO in March 2016.