Highly ambitious but dumb about technology? That must be the Lastminute.com MD...

Travel Weekly's diary page, Rear View, this week highlights how John Bevan, UK managing director of Lastminute.com, might have shown his true colours at a recent travel industry love-in.

The normally shy and retiring Bevan [Is this right? Ed] was guest of honour - and therefore required to do a speech - at an ITT Odyssey Supper.

But in front of the great and the good of the UK travel industry, Bevan admitted: "I am not at all au fait with technology.”

Well, that's fair enough - one wouldn't expect him to be on-call when the servers blow up at everyone's favourite pink OTA, brandishing one of those funny electrical current pens that light up when they connect with a microchip.

But, as Travel Weekly continues: "Lacking a grasp of computers has not put Bevan off his stride either. He sees no reason why he can’t progress his career further and become the company’s next UK chief executive".

“I hope I will climb the [career] ladder even further – Ian [McCaig] watch out, I’m after your job.”

Luckily for Bevan - and Travolution can concur, as we are frequently on the receiving end of his, er, Scottish wit - McCaig will probably take this threat in his stride.

Travel Weekly was sufficiently moved by Bevan's aspirational speech, however, to declare he will be in the top job within 12 months.

We've started counting down the days already...

UPDATE: Heading off incurring the wrath of the Lastminute.com press office, it goes without saying that if a succession plan is in place, Bevan would indeed be a stong contender. :-)

Kevin May, editor, Travolution