This is a roundup for product news and announcements for travel PEOPLE MOVES in tourism and hospitality for November 2016.
Thursday 24 November 2016:
Travelport appoints new Holland boss
- Erik van Markus become country manager for the Netherlands at Travelport, joining from ATPI where he was general manager of sales and account management for ten years. He previously worked for Carlson Wagonlit Travel as its global sales director between 1999 and 2005.
Wednesday 23 November 2016:Traveltek recruits for international expansion
- Robert Chamberlin becomes the Scotland-based travel tech provider's director of global cruise and strategic partnerships, overseeing the company's ambitions overseas and based in the US. He joined the company from Amadeus, where he was head of its global customer group for the Pacific region. Prior to Amadeus, Chamberlin worked for Worldspan, Holland America Lines and Mayflower Ocean Lines.
Monday 21 November 2016:Amadeus switches distribution bosses
- Laurens Leurink will become senior vice president for distribution for Amadeus, having joined the company earlier this year. He replaces Holger Taubmann who has stepped down for personal reasons. Leurink was most recently president of lodging partner services at Expedia and previously worked at Booking.com between 2008 and 2011 as chief operating officer.
Friday 18 November 2016:Travel Audience appoints new tech boss
- Simon Andersen joins the travel demand data platform (owned by Amadeus) as its new chief technology officer. As well as being active on the Berlin startup scene as an advisor, Andersen was previously CTO at Hubrick for three years and had earlier roles at Aporta Digital and Basepoint Media.
InvitedHome gets a CMO
- The home rental brand has recruited Wendy Purvey as chief marketing officer, coming in from Sotheby's International Reality Affiliates. She has nearly 30 years in the real estate sector including time at Coldwell Banker in Florida, US.
Thursday 17 November 2016:Barrie Seidenberg, Viator CEO, is resigning from TripAdvisor
- TripAdvisor says it "will expand Dermot Halpin’s role to serve as president" for both its global vacation rentals and attractions divisions. As the company notes, "Seidenberg joined Viator in 2005, establishing the company as the leading global online resource for travelers to book tours and activities before spearheading the sale to TripAdvisor in 2014."
SITA gets new VPs
- The airline and airport IT company has hired Alexandre Gouvea as its first senior vice president of SITA Global Services, joining from ATOS Group. Klaas Fokkema has also been handed a promotion to vice president of sales for Northern Europe. He previously was responsible for strategic partnerships and M&A and has been at the company in various guises since 1999.
Wednesday 16 November 2016:Sabre gets federal infrastructure board position
- Sabre Travel Network executive vice president Sean Menke has been appointed an executive member of the National Advisory Committee on Travel and Tourism Infrastructure in the US. He joins representatives on a 25-strong panel industry figures, including executives from train operating and airline associations, airports and tourism boards.
Monday 14 November, 2016:NextPax brings in ex-LeisureLink CO
- European vacation rental tech supplier NextPax is gearing up for a push into the US and Canada. It has appointed Jim Barsch, former COO for LeisureLink, to lead its business development in the region.
Priceline Group confirms dot.com CEO
- The group, which encompasses brands including booking.com, Kayak and Agoda, has confirmed Brett Keller as chief executive of its priceline.com brand. Keller was appointed as interim CEO in June and has held other roles within the brand including chief operating officer.
Sunday 13 November 2016:Travelport sets MD for ME and SA
- Matthew Powell, who has been doing the role on an interim basis since early-2016, has been appointed managing director for the Middle East and South Asia. Apart from a five-year stint at Air Canada Vacations between 1989 and 1994, Powell has been a Worldspan-then-Travelport lifer, with roles in product marketing, strategy, business development and agency commerce.
Wednesday 9 November 2016:Clicktripz gets an EMEA boss
- The travel tech provider has recruited Gunilla Krebs as its new vice president for Europe, Middle East and Africa. She joins from Booking.com where she was most recently head of global corporate travel and strategic partnerships.
Hotelbeds plots expansion for activities, has new MD
- Javier Arevalo has recently taken over from Paul Anthony (who has moved to another role within Hotelbeds) as managing director. The company wants to triple sales of products with the Transfer and Activity Bank (TAB) division in the coming years.
DayUse expands to the US
- The French company, which helps hotels to sell time in vacant rooms, has set up an HQ in New York City and appointed Marion Roger, a distribution hospitality veteran, as general manager. Dayuse says it has generated more than $20 million in revenue for its hotel partners since its launch five years ago.
Tuesday 8 November 2016:Carlson Rezidor hires first CIO
- The hotel group has brought in Kevin Carl to become its first chief information officer, joining from Accenture. He will oversee the chain's global IT services across its portfolio of brands, including Radisson, and report to Carlson Hospitality CEO, David Berg.
Thursday 3 November 2016:BedsOnline wide awake in the US
- The HotelBeds Group-owned accommodation and ancillaries platform has hired Amanda Spencer to become its vice president in North America. She joined the company in 2005 as sales manager for the region following an 18-month stretch with Thomson Holidays.
CWT hires IT boss for hotel tech
- Matt O'Keefe joins as chief technology officer for the corporate travel agency's hotel distribution division, joining from Hyatt where he was also CTO. He has previously worked for Morningstar. CWT has also hired ex-QI Facilities exec Matt Brennan as vice president for hotel operations.
Wednesday 2 November 2016:Datalex makes VP sales hire
- Alison Bell joins the Ireland-based airline technology and retail provider as its vice president for strategic sales. She was most recently regional director of sales in Europe for Travelport-owned mobile tech specialist MTT, with earlier stints at TravelClick, Galileo and Spa Ireland.
NB: People moves image via Shutterstock.