Sabre Announces Leadership Updates to Drive Its Transformation

By AIT News Desk On Jul 7, 2020

Leaders take the helm of Company’s newly realigned organization that combines airline and agency-focused businesses, creating a stronger, seamless customer experience

Sabre Corporation, the leading software and technology company that powers the global travel industry, announced important updates to its executive leadership, taking the next critical step toward completing the company’s transformation. These leadership appointments are part of the company’s previously announced strategic realignment of its Travel Solutions business to fully combine Sabre’s airline and agency-focused businesses and provide a stronger, more seamless experience for its customers.

“I am excited about what lays ahead for Sabre and our new leadership team,” said Sean Menke, Sabre’s president and chief executive officer. “We began this journey over two years ago with the unveiling of our SabreNext strategy and the creation of our Travel Solutions organization under the leadership of Dave Shirk. Since then, we have been taking difficult steps to transform this company and build a solid foundation for long-term, profitable growth – which culminated in the announcement of Sabre’s strategic initiatives earlier this year and the organizational realignment that we announced last month. Today, we are sharing additional details about the recently appointed executives who will be leading that organization and ultimately responsible for delivering the next generation of retailing, distribution and fulfillment for new and existing customers.”

The company announced the following leadership appointments today:

Dave Shirk will continue in his role of president of Sabre’s newly, realigned Travel Solutions business reporting to CEO Sean Menke. Shirk will oversee all aspects of the company’s agency and airline-focused business segments including product management, global product development, sales and account management, delivery and professional services, as well as strategy. As previously announced, the realignment of its business segments will enable Sabre to more quickly deliver on its promise to retail, distribute and fulfill travel by serving its airline and agency customers through a collective lens.

Reporting to Shirk are the following executives within the Travel Solutions organization:

Wade Jones has been appointed executive vice president, chief product officer and will oversee a centralized product management and marketing organization that will help customers maximize the value of their content by delivering a brand-consistent customer experience across all channels. The new product organization is designed to optimize a collective view of Sabre’s customers, product innovation and roadmap management and end-to-end go-to-market efforts with a laser focus on enabling next-generation retailing, distribution and fulfillment.

Dave Moore has been named executive vice president, chief technology officer, overseeing Sabre’s global product development team. Moore’s team is charged with building world class software products for customers, embracing a unified approach to all product development efforts, as well as leading Sabre’s technology transformation, including its Google Cloud partnership. This team structure is designed to unlock efficiencies in delivering global products and services while increasing speed to market by leveraging best practices, driving consistency and bolstering global alignment.

Roshan Mendis was appointed executive vice president, chief commercial officer and will oversee all agency and airline-focused sales and account management teams. This centralized organization was created to implement a cohesive sales approach and discipline across all airline and agency customers, providing a more seamless experience, benefitting our team members, customers and the travel industry.

Cem Tanyel has been named executive vice president, chief services officer, of a newly formed professional services, consulting and support organization that brings together the company’s delivery and care teams together under his leadership. Tanyel’s centralized organization is not only designed to generate efficiencies and improve productivity in the care and delivery of Sabre’s products but is also critical to the company’s success with responsibility to deliver world-class service professional services alongside its products.

Blair Austin has been named vice president, global business operations for the organization. This streamlined business operations organization will work cross-functionally to enable each business function to focus on maximizing value creation for the company.

“While we remain focused on managing our business through this challenging business climate, we are equally committed to taking this opportunity to make bold, strategic moves toward achieving our vision to create a new market for personalized travel. Now is the time to accelerate the organizational changes we began in 2018 to address the changing travel landscape,” said Shirk. “This is an incredibly experienced and driven leadership team and the realignment of the organization will make us more agile in accomplishing our strategic priorities, leveraging the hard work that has already been done over the last several years.”

The company also announced that Kristin Hays has been named senior vice president, global communications with responsibility for all aspects of Sabre’s corporate messaging, executive and team member communications, public and media relations and external affairs. Hays will continue reporting to CEO Sean Menke.

Sabre noted that neither the company’s previously-announced strategic realignment, nor the leadership appointments announced today, will change the organizational structure or mission of its hospitality business.