She joined P&O Ferries in 2021 as director of operations for the Dover–Calais route and became chief operating officer in 2022. She has previously worked for British Airways, Eurostar and Avis Budget Group, and she sits on the supervisory board of the UK Chamber of Shipping and chairs its Ferry & Cruise Panel, Daily Hive reports.

"In such a short space of time, the team has already built a service that people on both sides of the Strait value," Bell said. Julien Eaton, a VIFC board member representing majority shareholder InfraRed Capital Partners, said she had "spent her career leading businesses where reliability, safety and the passenger experience are paramount".

Marco Ahrens has been acting chief executive since Ryan Dermody left in early September. Hullo operates two fast ferries, SPUHÉLS and STHUQI', and has carried more than 1.5 million passengers since the service started in August 2023. It plans a second route between downtown Vancouver and Greater Victoria, which depends on expanding the fleet.

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