EU Business News- European CEO of the Year Awards 2025 Bespoke Adventure Travel CEO of the Year 2025 (Iceland): Halldór Jóhannesson Iceland Luxury Expeditions is a boutique travel and destination management company curating bespoke experiences for ultra-high-net-worth and discerning individuals seeking unique, immersive journeys throughout Iceland and across Scandinavia. The company is helmed by Founder Halldór Jóhannesson, a CEO expertly blending business acumen with an artistic eye to elevate the luxury travel industry. We spoke to Halldór below, in the wake of his recent recognition in the European CEO of the Year Awards 2025. Driven by core values rooted in integrity, discretion, creativity, and a deep respect for nature, Iceland Luxury Expeditions is a company on a mission to be the trusted partner for travellers expecting more than luxury. The company often serves time-starved entrepreneurs, creatives, and global leaders who value privacy, authenticity, and transformative travel. Renowned for its expertise in meaningful, luxurious experiences, Iceland Luxury Expeditions also serves as a trusted advisor to top-tier travel advisors and agencies. Most of the company’s work here is done behind the scenes, working tirelessly to support the advisors and agencies in building lasting client relationships with discretion, creativity, and seamless execution. “At Iceland Luxury Expeditions, we don’t just plan trips; we design journeys that help people reconnect with themselves and the natural world,” said Halldor, “making lasting deposits in the only bank that truly matters: the memory bank.” Halldór Jóhannesson founded Iceland Luxury Expeditions in 2016, seeking to demonstrate his deep connection with his heritage through experiences that resonate. Halldór has always been drawn to the quieter arts, reading history books and nurturing a lifelong passion for landscape photography. Before establishing the company, Halldór enjoyed a varied career spanning aviation, event production, and the music industry. In aviation, he worked in operations and training, spending a formative period based in Saudi Arabia. He was also a professional musician for several years, and worked extensively in sound engineering, producing and recording albums for many well-known Icelandic artists. Alongside this, he was involved in event management – trusted to organise a variety of experiences, from concerts to corporate gatherings. “These diverse experiences have shaped how I think and operate,” he told us. “They taught me adaptability, creative problem-solving, and how to perform under pressure – all critical skills in luxury travel, where no two itineraries or clients are ever the same. As CEO, I draw on this multifaceted background daily. I understand the importance of detail, flow, and rhythm – whether in a musical composition or a client itinerary. That mindset allows me to craft journeys that feel both effortless and extraordinary.” As CEO of Iceland Luxury Expeditions, Halldor’s leadership style is collaborative, empowering, and values driven. He leads by example, becoming deeply involved in planning, client communication, and even on-the-ground execution. This hands-on approach demonstrates to his team that excellence is not merely a goal, but a standard. When building his team, Halldór believes in hiring talented people, equipping them with the tools and autonomy they need to succeed. Iceland Luxury Expeditions maintains an open feedback loop and holds regular creative sessions between its guides, sales team, and operations staff. While these meetings do involve logistics, they also serve as a space for Halldór to align the team on the company’s core values, client expectations, and the kind of experiences it wants to deliver. Through this approach, Iceland Luxury Expeditions ensures that each and every experience it curates is nothing short of exceptional. Moving forward, Icelandic Luxury Expeditions will be expanding its private travel offerings deeper into the Arctic Circle by incorporating Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and more of Scandinavia into its portfolio. For the rest of the year, it will remain focused on building strategic partnerships – particularly with travel advisors and agencies that share its values. The company is also refining its brand position and enhancing its digital presence through editorial collaborations and elevated storytelling that captures the soul of Icelandic Luxury Expedition’s offerings. One of the most exciting upcoming projects is the launch of a truly unique sailing experience aboard a luxury superyacht. This exclusive journey will explore the hidden fjords of Iceland, combining world-class cuisine with one-in-a-lifetime adventures never before seen in this region. A key highlight will be the total solar eclipse on August 12th, 2026, providing guests with the rare opportunity to witness this breathtaking celestial event in one of the most awe-inspiring natural settings on each. Iceland Luxury Expeditions will be revealing more details about this extraordinary voyage in the upcoming weeks. Under the expert eye of Halldór Jóhannesson – an unrivalled leader and curator of nextgeneration travel experiences – we at EU Business News magazine have no doubt that anything Iceland Luxury Expeditions develops will be truly spectacular. Contact Details Contact: Halldór Jóhannesson Company: Iceland Luxury Expeditions – ILE Web Address: www.ile.is Jul25014
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