Cinema operator Vue Entertainment International has appointed Tui Travel general counsel for aviation, hotels and emerging markets Euan Sutton as its new group general counsel.

Sutton will join later this month, and will assume responsibility for risk management, M&A and large scale transactions, reporting into the group management board headed by chief executive Tim Richards. He replaces Anne Whalley, who left Vue in September 2014, heading the cinema chain's legal team.

Prior to working at TUI, Sutton had roles at Norton Rose, legacy Dibb Lupton Alsop and Macfarlanes.

Sutton commented: "Vue is a company that has big plans and visions for the future and this is a great time to join the business. "

Tui Travel, the owner of Thomson Holidays, partnered with First Choice in 2007 in a merger that granted Allen & Overy (A&O) and Herbert Smith lead legal roles.

A&O and Herbert Smith again scored lucrative roles when Tui Travel merged with German headquartered parent company Tui AG late last year. 

Vue, which was acquired by private equity firm Doughty Hanson in 2010 for £450m, was sold again in 2013 to two Canadian investor groups for £935m, with the new owners pledging to continue expanding the chain in Germany, Ireland, France, Poland and the UK.