In the green room at Phocuswright with... Damian Scokin

Damian Scokin, CEO

Damian Scokin joined Despegar, the leading OTA in Latin America, in December 2016. At The Phocuswright Conference, he'll discuss the company’s mobile technology and future growth strategies.

In a series of interviews with executives participating at the event in Florida in November, PhocusWire finds out what makes them tick...

What book do you recommend to others and why?

There are a few ones such as The Tao of Coaching, How Will You Measure Your Life, Fooled by Randomness and The Hard Thing about Hard Things. About the last one, I recommend it as it has clear insights on how to deal with some problems that arise during knowledge workers management.

What do you do to alleviate stress?

I exercise regularly during the week and on weekends I usually play tennis.

Tell us about your favorite vacation.

A full week in Galápagos sailing with the family. There are many species unique to the Galápagos, and we enjoyed viewing a truly diverse set of animals in their natural habitat during the journey.

What was your childhood aspiration?

My dream was becoming a professional tennis player. I still play every weekend and during my holidays.

How do you want to be remembered as a leader in your company?

As someone willing to take risks and help others grow.

What’s your must-have app?

Despegar.

What is your proudest professional achievement?

Definitely the roles and responsibilities held today by people who worked with me in the past.

What's your morning routine?

I start my days with black coffee and 30 to 60 minutes of a work out before any work gets done.

What gives you energy?

As CEO I spend a lot of time motivating teams and that requires a lot of energy, for me the best way to foster it’s by talking to customers and traveling a lot myself.

Describe the setting where you do most of your work.

I am definitely a person of people. It motivates me to work with others. I am much more effective with people around me.