Former Biz Travel Lead to Take Helm at Expedia
Ariane Gorin will take over as Expedia's CEO in May, as the company cited a softening travel environment going into 2024.
Konoly
Expedia has named Ariane Gorin CEO effective May 13 after announcing Peter Kern’s resignation yesterday. Gorin currently serves as president of Expedia for Business, overseeing the travel giant’s global B2B business that covers an ecosystem of travel suppliers, organizations that advertise on the Expedia Group platform and partners powered by Expedia Group technology.
Gorin also oversaw Egencia, the business travel management platform, before its sale to American Express Global Business Travel in 2021.
Gorin has been with Expedia in various executive roles since 2013. Expedia Group chairman and senior executive Barry Diller said in a statement released about the appointment, “We very much wanted an internal candidate to succeed to the CEO position,” and cited Gorin’s “exemplary leadership” as key to the decision.
Gorin led the Expedia for Business division to 33 percent B2B revenue growth in 2023 over 2022. She was central to the dealmaking team that sold Egencia to Amex GBT in 2021, while retaining a clear foothold in business travel with a long-term content commitment wherein Amex GBT pipes hotel content in from Expedia Group to “enhance GBT’s Supply Marketplace,” Gorin said at the time, while cementing a business travel revenue stream via bookings for Expedia content from the largest business travel agency in the world.
Diverse revenue streams may prove critical in 2024 with Expedia cautioning about a slightly softening travel market going into the new year. On the company’s earning’s call yesterday, outgoing CEO Kern said, "On a macro level, we expect travel demand to remain relatively healthy, but we expect growth rates across the world to decelerate." The company cited falling airfare prices from post-pandemic highs as a particular pressure.
Wells Fargo analysts wrote in a note that the company’s “near-term set up looks challenging.” They cited “an ‘acceleration story’ that is decelerating with a CEO transition now in play.”
After completing his term in May, Kern will continue to serve as Expedia’s vice chairman and as a member of the board of directors. Gorin also has been elected to serve on the board of directors.
