MONTREAL — Travel industry veteran Wolf Paunic has joined Wingbuddy as Director of Business Development.
Paunic’s strategic vision and understanding of travel advisor needs will strengthen Wingbuddy’s presence in the market and elevate trade support, said CEO Chris Hakim.
“Wolf’s industry knowledge is unparalleled. His ability to understand advisors’ realities and help them succeed makes him an incredible asset to our team and the broader advisor community,” said Hakim.
“We are thrilled to welcome him and confident that his leadership will bring new depth as more travel professionals partner with Wingbuddy,” Hakim added.
Paunic brings more than 25 years of experience in guided vacations, river cruising, destination marketing, sales team development and distribution strategies to his role. Before stints working with Huntington Travel Group and Voyzant, Paunic headed up Trafalagar in the Canadian market.
“I am thrilled to be joining the Wingbuddy team! I’m looking forward to contributing to our strategic B2B distribution and providing top-tier support to Canadian travel agents,” said Paunic in a LinkedIn post.
“Wingbuddy is a remarkable Canadian success story – combining startup efficiency with a warm, family-oriented culture. Our mission is to inspire both travellers and retail partners by creating unique travel experiences, simplifying the booking process, and offering exceptional value. I can’t wait to connect with travel advisors and agencies looking to grow their sales within the experiential travel category!” he said.
Both Paunic and Sébastien Lauzière will play key roles in supporting Canadian travel advisors and advancing Wingbuddy’s rapidly growing B2B strategy, said Hakim.
Lauzière, who joined Wingbuddy in February 2025, oversees Eastern Canada as Manager of Business Development. Lauzière’s 20 years of experience include 10 years in the travel market, with companies including Flight Centre Travel Group Canada, and Travel Edge.
“Sébastien brings energy, experience, and a genuine passion for supporting travel professionals,” said Hakim.
The strategic appointments reinforce Wingbuddy’s commitment to meeting the rapidly increasing demand from travel advisors seeking to work with the company, noted Hakim.
The company aims to ensure stronger support, deeper expertise and enhanced B2B engagement tools for agents.
“As more travel advisors express interest in partnering with Wingbuddy, it is a priority for us to surround ourselves with leaders who work closely with advisors, fuel more opportunities for collaboration, and help Wingbuddy build long-term success,” said Hakim. “Wolf and Sébastien represent exactly that.”
The Canadian company, established in 2013, is dedicated to offering high-quality packages at exclusive rates, he added.
Paunic can be reached at wolf@wingbuddy.com, and Lauzière can be reached at seb@wingbuddy.com.
Lead image caption: Wolf Paunic, Chris Hakim and Sébastien Lauzière
