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Expedia Group Inc., an American travel technology company, announced that its chief executive officer, Peter Kern, will step down later this year. The firm said it has already appointed Ariane Gorin as his successor.
Kern’s Leadership
The Seattle Times reported that the outgoing chief will remain in the company as vice chairman and board member until May 13. Expedia Group said Kern is also staying for a few months to work with Gorin to ensure a smooth transition.
Kern was first appointed CEO in April 2020, when the pandemic has driven many businesses to shut down. Despite the struggles and massive decline, Kern’s leadership helped Expedia recover from a 57% revenue decline in 2020 to record earnings in the fiscal year 2023. On Thursday, the company reported a $12.8 billion annual revenue result.
New CEO’s Extensive Work at Expedia
Ariane Gorin joined Expedia Group in 2013 and has held various executive roles since then. Her most recent role was president of the business unit, where she delivered exceptional financial results. She also led the company’s ads business, global supply partner group, and B2B partner network.
“Ariane Gorin is a superb executive that all of us at Expedia Group and our Board have worked with for ten years,” Expedia Group’s chairman and senior executive, Barry Diller, said in a press release. “We very much wanted an internal candidate to succeed to the CEO position, and following a comprehensive search, the Board determined Ariane was the best candidate given her exemplary leadership.”
The newly-appointed CEO also commented that she is very honored to be given the chance to lead the Expedia Group. “Leading our multibillion-dollar B2B business has been an incredible experience and I look forward to even greater growth ahead for the entire Company,” she said.
Finally, Diller thanked the outgoing chief for his excellent service since 2020. He affirms that Kern not only guided Expedia through the very challenging time during the pandemic but also successfully steered Expedia Group’s organizational and technological transformation.
Photo by: Expedia Media Room
