Siew Hoon has been covering the travel industry beat in Asia Pacific for decades, starting off as a rookie reporter and going on to lead and launch the region’s key industry media titles. In 2005, she founded WiT (Web in Travel) to tackle how technology was changing travel in Asia Pacific and created a new space in the fast-growing, dynamic region with a dedicated media and events platform.

Over the years, she took WiT to new places, launching editions in Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Middle East, Europe and Africa to keep the world’s attention focused on the three pillars of travel, technology and Asia.

Following the acquisition by Northstar Travel Group in 2014, she led the launch of Travel Weekly Asia and M&C Asia and formed the editorial team to execute the entry of Northstar Travel Group to Asia.

Her work has been recognised by numerous institutions including the Singapore Tourism Board which recognised her as Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014. The WiT Singapore conference, which remains its tentpole event, has won several awards including Most Innovative Marketing Initiative and Trade Conference Of The Year.

In 2020, WiT Singapore became the first travel conference to go fully hybrid, paving the way for a new model in events.

Other than writing about travel, Siew Hoon is also a published author of titles such as “Around Asia In One Hour: Tales of Condoms, Chillies & Curries”, children’s books such as “Adventures of Habibie The Turtle” and “The Story of Baitong and Boon” and host of “A Life In Travel” podcast.

Timothy O’Neil-Dunne has spent most of his career in Aviation, Travel and Technology. He has been an entrepreneur, investment analyst and founding team member of some notable companies in Tech, such as Expedia. Several of these entities have valuations in billions. Today, he provides consulting services to different companies both in startup phase and amongst mature businesses addressing tough challenges.

Timothy is a recognized analyst and commentator in Aviation and Travel with a focus on Technology. He is frequently called on to speak at conferences. He has published several books in this subject area. Further he has authored four patents. Timothy was educated in the United Kingdom and now lives in Kirkland, WA USA. He is a surrogate parent to a boisterous Fox Red Labrador.

Prestine Davekhaw is a documentary photographer, and founder on a mission to preserve what matters – be it disappearing cultures or fair pay. Her documentary journey began with Disappearing Cultures, a long-term project capturing fading traditions across the world, from coastal fishing communities to ancient rituals in remote villages.

She is also the founder of MalaysianPAYGAP, a startup challenging wage opacity across Asia. What started as a simple Instagram page evolved into a full-fledged data platform and movement, making salaries more transparent and conversations around work more honest.

Through both her lens and her product, Prestine brings visibility to the invisible, be it a forgotten tradition or an underpaid worker.

As Vice President of Global Marketing at Klook, Marcus has been privileged to contribute to their mission of transforming travel experiences since joining the company as employee #51 in 2016. Working alongside a dedicated team, they’ve navigated the company through 6 successful funding rounds, including a recent $100 million investment led by Vitruvian Partners . These milestones have enabled them to enhance our platform and better serve travelers worldwide.

In 2023, Marcus and his team spearheaded the launch of Klook’s Kreator Program, building a community of over 20,000 content creators across 16 markets within a year. This initiative has positioned Klook at the forefront of social commerce in the travel industry.

Prior to Klook, Marcus led digital marketing efforts at Scoot, enhancing global digital acquisition and managing social media across seven markets. He began his career at the Singapore Economic Development Board, focusing on digital brand and channel management for North America.

As the APAC General Counsel for Airbnb, Darrell leads the legal teams in APAC and is responsible for driving the legal strategy of the company in the region. He brings over 20 years of legal and commercial experience, particularly in the consumer, tech and media space.

Also responsible for the legal tech transformation in the Legal Department at Airbnb, Darrell leads the Legal Tech Group.

Prior to joining Airbnb, Darrell served as Vice-President for Corporate Legal and Public Regulatory Affairs at Discovery Communications, and as Head of Legal for Asia at Expedia. At both Discovery and Expedia, he was responsible for legal, public policy and compliance.

When he’s not working, Darrell loves to spend his time with his family and travelling. He was named by the Asian Legal Business as one of “Forty Under Forty” outstanding legal professionals, and was listed by Legal 500 in its GC Powerlist for South East Asia in 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2024.

Kerry Healy is the Chief Commercial Officer for Accor’s Premium, Midscale & Economy division in the Middle East, Africa, Turkey & Asia Pacific. Kerry oversees the commercial function for this diverse region which comprises close to 900 hotels under iconic brands such as Pullman, Mövenpick, Swissôtel Novotel, Mercure and ibis. Based in Singapore, Kerry leverages her wealth of business acumen and over 25 years of hospitality experience to ensure all functions of the organisation are aligned to meet the Group’s strategic commercial objectives.

Kerry is an outstanding leader and a skilled negotiator who has a deep understanding of distribution, customer relationship management, partnerships and operations. With strong international experience across four continents, her commercial insight and wide connections play a key role in aligning Accor’s commercial strategy and driving increased revenue in an increasingly complex environment.

Kerry has a long history of managing teams to excellence through change, building trust and designing exciting robust strategies. She fosters a customer centric organisational culture based on quality, respect and trust.

With expertise spanning multiple continents, Kerry has held senior management positions in the UK, Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Rim.

Chee Chong is passionate about the tourism industry, so much so that his 15-year career has been centered around it. He has founded not one, but two start-ups to better meet the needs of the buoyant travel/tourism industry.

He is currently Chief Executive Officer and visionary of GlobalTix, an e-ticketing travel marketplace. Chee Chong was also one of the co-founders of Adventure Glamping, which has pioneered and built the first-ever “glamping” (glamorous camping) resort called Canopi, located in Bintan.

He began his travel industry career with SilkAir, the regional carrier owned by Singapore Airlines and subsequently was seconded to Singapore Airlines.

During his seven-year career with the two carriers, he handled various job functions, including postings to Thailand, Indonesia, and Central Japan which gave him invaluable exposure in the airline industry. In Central Japan, he started many initiatives, including several that continue to today, and the team was recognized with a CEO’s Merit Award for operational excellence.

Chee Chong next joined Sentosa Development Corporation as a member of the management team. He started as the Leisure Operation, Director where he was responsible for ongoing daily operations, from beach operation, attractions to ticketing and subsequently became the General Manager of Mount Faber Leisure Group.

Chee Chong holds a Bachelor of Engineering (2nd Upper) degree from the National University of Singapore.

Christian Watts, founder and CEO of Magpie Travel, has significantly influenced the travel industry for over two decades. He began his pioneering work by introducing San Francisco’s first Hop On Hop Off sightseeing service under the City Sightseeing brand. Addressing the inefficiencies within the sector, he established Magpie Travel, a company dedicated to revolutionizing content management in the experiences industry. Magpie offers a robust SaaS platform that enhances distribution and sales for tours and activities operators, streamlining operations and boosting industry connectivity. Under his leadership, Magpie swiftly ventured into the Generative AI realm, launching its first AI product in January 2023. Christian is a frequent and passionate speaker on the use of AI in the travel industry, advocating for its transformative potential.

TravelTech entrepreneur based in Singapore and Tokyo with 20 years of experience who led his company to an IPO, a buyout and two exits.

One of the original investors & advocates of Travel Massive.

Kei co-founded Venture Republic Group (VRG) in 2001 and has been serving as a CEO since foundation. Company runs a group of online travel services worldwide including TRAVEL jp, Japan’s largest online travel metasearch/media, Trip101, Singapore based global online travel media and Allstay, mobile accommodation search app in Korea.

In 2008, he led the company to an IPO and to LBO by the management in 2012. Kei also led to acquire Flocations, a Singapore based travel startup, have it grown to one of the fastest growing online travel media in the world under Trip101 brand that attracts the users from 200 countries.

Harvard MBA. Keio University BA.

Cross country & alpine skier/snowboarder. Love jazz, coffee and working from vacation homes.

Gareth Williams co-founded Skyscanner, the global travel search engine, in 2003 with Bonamy Grimes and Barry Smith. In 2016, Skyscanner was acquired by China’s Trip.com Group. Since then, he has focussed on AI interests and startup investing in Scotland.

Ross is CEO & Co-Founder at Wego, which is online travel marketplace that provides top ranked mobile apps and websites for users living in the APAC and MENA regions. Wego harnesses powerful technology that simplifies the process of searching, comparing and booking flights and hotels across hundreds of airlines, hotels and online travel agency websites. Wego is has dual-HQs in Singpaore and Dubai and is backed by top-tier investors including Tiger Global, Crescent Group, Square Peg Capital and the MBC Group.

Ross is a veteran of the Asian internet industry having established Yahoo!s Southeast Asian operations in Singapore back in 1998 and leading product development efforts across the region for 6+ years. He is also Singapore Co-Chair of H2, the premier global leadership network for the digital industry. Ross has been an active angel investor in the technology sector for a decade and enjoys working with other passionate entrepreneurs. He has worked in Sydney, Melbourne, London, Kuala Lumpur and is now splits his time between Singapore and Dubai. He travels frequently for business but not nearly enough for leisure.

Alfonso Paredes serves as President of Expedia Group’s Private Label Solutions, responsible for powering the industry with Expedia Group’s technology and supply. He leads the global commercial operation, establishing partnerships in a broad range of sectors from financial institutions to travel companies, powering their sites through Rapid API and template solutions. Mr. Paredes also leads the Expedia Travel Agency Affiliate Program (TAAP), Expedia Group’s global travel advisor business.

With over 14 years at Expedia Group, Mr. Paredes previously served as the senior vice president of Private Label Solutions and Commercial Partnerships, driving significant growth in B2B. Throughout his tenure, he has led numerous global teams and more recently, secured the expansion of Expedia Group’s industry-leading technology with major partners across multiple sectors and regions. Previous to Expedia Group, Mr. Paredes held management roles at Fexco, IATA, Bookassist and Accor.

Mr. Paredes graduated from Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne and holds an Executive MBA from the Instituto de Empresa. An avid supporter of Athletic de Bilbao and Real Madrid, he also has a profound appreciation for American and French culture, and cooking while listening to Latin music.

As Chief Commercial Officer of Expedia Group, Greg Schulze leads Travel Partners and Media, ensuring Expedia Group’s global supply is the cornerstone of its marketplace. Additionally, Mr. Schulze is responsible for Expedia Group’s growing advertising business, considered the most valuable travel media network. With his experience in building transformational partnerships across all verticals, Schulze underscores Expedia Group’s commitment to strengthening relationships in the travel industry. His teams ensure Expedia Group customers have access to more than three million lodging properties, airlines, activities, rental cars, cruises, and more.

In 2023, Mr. Schulze was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. He also serves on the executive committee for the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and the board of directors of Traveloka.

Previously, Mr. Schulze was Senior Vice President of Strategic Travel Partners, managing all global relationships with travel partners. A long-time Expedia Group veteran, he has held a wide variety of leadership positions for strategy, commercial, operations and analytics in his almost 20-year tenure with the company. Prior to Expedia Group, Mr. Schulze led pricing strategy for American Airlines.

Mr. Schulze holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Northwestern University and an MBA from the University of North Carolina. He embraces a global perspective, having lived and worked in North America, Asia and Europe.

Omri Morgenshtern is the Chief Executive Officer of Agoda, part of Booking Holdings (Nasdaq: BKNG). He was appointed in July 2022. In his former role as COO, Omri was instrumental in driving global operations, Product, Partner Services, and the Customer Experience Group.

Omri joined Agoda in 2014 as Senior Product Owner, Algorithms and Learning Systems, and was later promoted first to Vice President of Product Development, then to Chief Product Officer and Chief Operating Officer in 2018.

He was co-founder & CEO of Qlika, an award-winning UpWest Labs start-up specializing in online marketing optimization, which was acquired by Booking Holdings Inc. in 2014.

Omri received an M.S. Magna Cum Laude in Physics from Tel Aviv University and B.S. Cum Laude in Physics, Computer Science and Mathematics from The Hebrew University.

Idan Zalzberg is the Chief Technology Officer of Agoda. In his former role as Chief Data Officer, Idan was monumental in managing and architecting Agoda’s data and security solutions.

Idan joined Agoda in 2014 as Advanced Technology Architect Director and was later promoted to Vice President of Data, then to Chief Data Officer and to his current role as Chief Technology Officer in 2022.

He was co-founder of Qlika, an award-winning UpWest Labs start-up specializing in online marketing optimization, which was acquired by Booking Holdings Inc. in 2014.

Idan received an M.S. Summa Cum Laude in Physics from Tel Aviv University and B.S. Physics and Mathematics from The Hebrew University. He is also a graduate from the prestigious Talpilot program of the Israel Defense Forces.

As Chief Operating Officer (COO) at OAG, Filipov drives the optimization of business operations, enhances organizational performance, and spearheads the company’s long-term strategic vision. His leadership approach focuses on fostering innovation and operational efficiency, ensuring OAG maintains its position as a leader in the aviation and travel data industry.

Before joining OAG, Filipov served as Vice President of Product and Strategy at Skyscanner, where he played a pivotal role in transforming the company into a leading global digital travel platform.

Outside the travel industry, Filipov has held senior management positions in venture capital and strategy consulting, including key roles at Opera Solutions in New York and London.

With over two decades of expertise in hospitality technology, Ahmed accomplished professional that played a pivotal role in spearheading digital transformation and innovation across diverse hotel brands spanning Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Renowned for pioneering automation and developing contactless guest experience solutions in prestigious properties such as Fairmont and Swissotel Singapore, Ahmed consistently set new standards for operational excellence and guest satisfaction in the industry. Among their most recent achievements is the successful launch of “Shaheen” project, a groundbreaking “future hotels on cloud” initiative for AccorInvest, which involved the seamless migration of more than 300 hotels to a cloud-based platform. Previously serving as Group Vice President, Technology at AccorInvest, they now bring their wealth of experience to their current role with the HSH Group, continuing to drive technological advancement and transformative change in the hospitality sector.

Areas of Expertise include: Marketing, Sales, Consulting, Management, Travel,
Hospitality, and Technology

Boon Sian Chai currently serves as Managing Director and Vice President of International Markets at Trip.com Group. Based in Singapore, Chai oversees the entire International Hotel Supply team spearheading the growth of supply partners internationally.

Prior to joining Trip.com Group, Chai progressed through the ranks during his more than 14 years in the online travel agency (OTA) space. With an extensive knowledge and in-depth experience of the OTA space, Chai enjoys spending time consulting with hotel partners on their pricing, distribution and marketing strategies. His geographic coverage includes Asia Pacific, having spent time in Hong Kong and Shanghai, and he has extensive networks in these markets.

Before moving into the online travel space, Chai was the COO of an IT startup company
specialising in online human resource systems and held corporate planning and e-commerce positions with various enterprises working on strategic planning, business development and sales and marketing.

Chai holds an MBA from the Chicago Booth School of Business and a BSc with first-class honours from Loughborough University.

As Managing Director & Vice President of Asia Pacific, Laura Houldsworth leads and oversees business growth, operations and strategy for one of Booking.com’s most vibrant and diverse regions globally.

Laura joined Booking.com in June 2021, following 10 successful years at SAP Concur where she last served as Senior Vice President and General Manager for Asia Pacific, Japan and Greater China. Laura has previously held regional roles in BCD Travel and ABN Amro Private Banking; and is a commercial leader with more than 18 years of experience managing successful, multi-cultural teams.

As a people-fi rst leader, Laura is a keen advocate for causes such as gender equality in the workplace and sustainability. She serves as an executive sponsor for multiple employee resource groups, such as B.Equal and B.Sustainable, supporting grassroots initiatives to make Booking.com APAC a great place to work.

Laura has lived and worked in Singapore for more than 18 years and holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Marketing Management from Bournemouth University, United Kingdom.

Deep is the Founder & Chairman of India’s leading online travel company, MakeMyTrip Limited.

In his current role, Deep is involved in business strategy, policy issues, inorganic growth opportunities, culture and mentoring. In addition, Deep represents the company in various industry forums and with the Government. He also spearheads the group’s CSR initiatives and oversees the ESG agenda for the company. Deep is passionate about Sustainable Tourism and has been championing this cause personally and through the MakeMyTrip Foundation acting as its Trustee.

Deep is the Chair of World Travel and Tourism India Chapter, and the co-chair of CII’s National Committee on Tourism and Hospitality. He is a founding member of IndiaTech.Org, an industry body representing the interests of Indian digital companies. Deep is on the Board of TiE NCR Chapter and served as President from 2013 to 2016.
He is also one of the founding members of Ashoka University and serves on their Governing Body and Board. Deep serves on the Board of GMDA, Gurgaon’s Metropolitan Development Authority. A believer in citizens effort, he is a founding member of ‘I am Gurgaon’— an NGO focused on improving the quality of life in Gurgaon.

Deep has been recognized by Ernst & Young as Entrepreneur of the Year—Business Transformation (2011), and as the most powerful Digital influencer in India (2012) by KPMG. He holds an MBA degree from IIM, Ahmedabad and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi.

Deep’s interests include swimming, yoga, adventure sports, quizzing and of course, travelling.

Aloke Bajpai is the Chairman, MD and Group CEO of ixigo, India’s leading travel search app. Aloke’s consumer-centric thinking, passion for technology products and deep knowledge of the travel industry make ixigo stand out as one of the most innovative companies of the online travel industry.

An IIT Kanpur Electrical Engineering alumnus and an MBA graduate from INSEAD, Aloke loves discovering new cultures, creative writing, history and gadgets. Prior to launching ixigo, Aloke worked in product & technology roles at Amadeus, Nice, France, where he was part of the team that built the world’s first web-based cruise-line booking engine for agencies.

Along with being a TiE charter member he is also an investor and advisor in several startups, incubators and accelerators.

Peter Harbison is the Chairman Emeritus of CAPA Center for Aviation, a publisher of B2B commercial aviation information and analysis. Mr. Harbison established CAPA in 1990. It now produces the leading range of executive analysis, numerous newsletters, data and information reports, covering the global airport, air navigation services and airline industries.

Over the past 20 years, Mr. Harbison has conducted more than 200 consultancy projects in aviation, including airport privatizations, airline startups, strategy formulation and regulatory development. He has authored and edited numerous reports on the aviation industry.

In addition to his responsibilities at CAPA, Mr. Harbison is an aviation lawyer, consultant and commentator on industry issues. He speaks frequently at industry events and presents private high-level executive briefings to airlines, airports, suppliers and consultants. He was formerly Chairman of International Air Transport Association (IATA) World Aviation Regulation Monitoring Group, President of the Aviation Law Association of Australia and New Zealand and an IATA Travel Agency Commissioner.

Carolyn Choo is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Worldwide Hotels (WWH) Group, Singapore’s largest homegrown tourist-class hotel group with 41 properties, seven brands, and over 8,600 rooms, representing more than 10% of the city’s hotel inventory.

She has played a key role in shaping the Group’s growth story. In July 2023, Carolyn led WWH’s landmark acquisition of the former PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road for over S$500 million, the largest single-asset hotel deal in Singapore that year and the second largest in Asia. Through a strategic franchise partnership with Accor, the property was rebranded as Novotel Singapore on Kitchener on 1 November 2023. Soon after, she launched Hotel Mi Rochor, expanding the Group’s lifestyle-focused brand portfolio.

In April 2024, Carolyn unveiled the Group’s flagship property, the 989-room Mercure ICON Singapore City Centre, the world’s largest Mercure hotel. Developed under a dual-branding model with Accor, the hotel embodies WWH’s signature “lean luxe” concept, delivering a luxe accommodation experience at an accessible price point. Strategically located between the Central Business District and Chinatown, it offers travellers a destination hotel that captures the pulse of Singapore.

Beyond Singapore, Carolyn has driven WWH’s regional expansion, with 11 properties across Australia, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia, operated by respected global hospitality brands.

She also champions purposeful growth, having established the Worldwide Hotels–Choo Chong Ngen Foundation, which has contributed more than S$14 million in bursaries to underprivileged students. Her vision is simple yet powerful: to make travel better by offering quality, affordable stays that connect travellers to the heartbeat of a city.

Joe Lu is the co-founder and CEO of HeyMax, a fintech startup helping consumers earn more travel rewards – Max Miles – through smarter spending. A former engineering leader at Facebook Singapore, Joe launched HeyMax in 2023 after a sabbatical in Japan, aiming to make travel more accessible by turning everyday purchases into Max Miles. Under his leadership, HeyMax has grown rapidly across Asia, partnering with hundreds of merchants and airlines to power the emerging Traveller Economy.

Vikas Bhola is the Cofounder & CEO of NeoKe, building identity infrastructure for connected travel.
Vikas spent nearly two decades working with some of the most celebrated brands in travel, hospitality & technology. In the last decade, Vikas was instrumental in driving growth for Booking.com. In his last role, he served as Managing Director for Asia Pacific. Prior to that, he was a hotelier and has held various senior positions with Global Chains such as Kempinski & Hyatt. Vikas is a Harvard Business School alumnus.

Charlene began her career at Singapore Airlines (SIA) and has been with the company for over a decade. She started in the Product and Services division, where she gained in-depth knowledge of the airline’s reservations and ticketing policies and procedures.

She later transitioned to the Marketing department, where she played a key role in conceptualising and launching the airline’s digital marketing initiatives.

Currently, Charlene serves as General Manager, Distribution—a position she has held for the past five years. In this role, she spearheaded the development and global rollout of Singapore Airlines’ NDC (New Distribution Capability) programme and continues to lead its worldwide expansion.

Kelvin Fu is a tech-driven entrepreneur with a strong IT background. Since 2014, he has been deeply engaged in the travel industry’s airline and hotel supply chain, helping OTAs efficiently connect with global direct airline and hotel resources. Through a series of solutions, he has supported clients in navigating opportunities and challenges as they scale.

As a co-founder of Letsfly, he launched AeroHub in 2023, where he now serves as Founder and CEO. Kelvin is also a strategic advisor to several companies and a member of EO Beijing. He is passionate about simplifying travel through technology.

Driving Digital Transformation & Commercial Impact

Digital leader with 20+ years in Digital Marketing, E-Commerce, MarTech, and transformation projects across hospitality and attractions. Passionate about driving digital adoption and translating strategy into execution that delivers at the operational level. A people-first leader who builds culture, engagement, and high-performing teams. Skilled at navigating complex matrix organizations, creating commercial value, and communicating the value story across diverse stakeholders.

Tania is the Global Head of B2B Travel for Visa Commercial Solutions, where she responsible for the creation and execution of the business strategy for this rapidly evolving, high growth vertical segment. Bringing more than 25 years of experience in the payments, financial services and telecommunications sectors, Tania has led successful businesses around the world. Prior to joining Visa in early 2024, she managed the Commercial team at Outpayce from Amadeus, serving the global travel ecosystem with new advances in payments. Tania has also previously held senior business development roles at American Express, MasterCard Payment Gateway Services, Vodafone and IDT.

Academic/Professional qualification(s)
Master’s in Arts in Economics, New York University, United States Of America
Bachelor of Science in Economics London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE),
United Kingdom

Current responsibilities
Leads BigPay in its mission to be an Asean fintech company by providing financial services that
Southeast Asians need with accessible and impactful financial services to enhance their lives.
She oversees the company’s strategic growth product development and regional expansion
ensuring BigPay continues to drive innovation and financial inclusion across Asean.

Previous Experience
Aireen began her career at Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. in New York City and has served in
major financial institutions in Malaysia. With a career spanning over two decades, Aireen joined
AirAsia in 2006 as Director of Corporate Finance. Her roles expanded to include Treasury, Fuel
Procurement, Insurance and Investor Relations, playing a pivotal part in AirAsia’s rapid growth.
She was appointed Executive Director and CEO of AirAsia Berhad in 2012 and later became
Deputy Group CEO, overseeing digital transformation initiatives that transformed AirAsia into a
global cloud and data-driven platform company. Effective 2023 Ms Aireen was responsible for
Capital A’s investment and fund raising initiatives in her role as President, Investment &
Ventures.

Her achievements include the Outstanding CEO Achievement Award by Malaysian Women of
Excellence, Corporate Treasurer’s 25 Most Influential Women in Treasury, Masterclass Woman
CEO of the Year, Eminent Leaders in Asia by ACES and APAC CEO of the Year 2017.
Additionally, AirAsia was named Digital Transformer of the Year in Malaysia at the IDC Digital
Transformation Awards 2019 during her tenure.

David joined Booking.com (or rather Rentalcars.com) 7 years ago from consulting to lead strategy and build new businesses. He has held various roles in the Trips vertical since then before coming to Accommodations as VP Product earlier this year.

During his time in Trips, David built our Rides product from the ground up, growing it into the business we have today. He led the Trips Strategy & Operations teams, ensuring we had a cohesive strategy across all of the non-accommodations verticals, as well as led and contributed to various large initiatives towards the Connected Trip Product Vision.

On a personal level, David had an international upbringing in Germany & Japan, so is excited to be spending more time outside the UK in his new role. His fiancee Roxy and 1-year old son James are the focus of his time outside of work these days, although when he has a little spare time he enjoys keeping active via squash, skiing and golf – and he loves photography especially when traveling.

James leads product for Google Travel and Sustainability on Search, based in Zürich, Switzerland. He joined Google in 2017 and spent four years as a product management lead in Google Cloud before transitioning to Search. Prior to Google, James served as the general manager of a private equity-owned marketplace in the United Kingdom and a co-founder of two successful consumer startups. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Applied Economics and Management from Cornell University.

As Chief Customer Experience Officer, David is responsible for driving Klook’s product innovation and user experience. He joined Klook in 2016 as Vice President of Product and UX. Under his leadership, the team has scaled and achieved multiple milestones, including the launch of Klook’s iOS App Clip and best-in-class merchant solutions, as well as localizing platforms into over 15 languages, supporting 40 currencies and various payment methods. He also oversaw and evolved the app interface, expanding from experiences and services to other categories such as entertainment, mobility and staycations. David and his team have earned major accolades, including the Klook mobile app being featured over 100 times as the go-to app for trip planning and awarded “Best of the Year” by both Apple App Store and Google Play in 2015. Prior to Klook, David was instrumental in building up multiple e-commerce, messaging and social network products for Tencent and Yahoo, with valuable experience in technology development and product management from both Greater China and the U.S. 1

Mr. Xing Xiong is the current Chief Operating Officer of the Trip.com Group. Mr. Xiong joined Trip.com Group as Senior R&D Director in 2013 and became the Vice President of Technology. He was appointed the CEO of Trip.com Group Air Ticketing in 2014. In 2015, he became the Trip.com Senior Vice President , and in 2016 he was made the Trip.com Group Executive Vice President. Currently, Mr. Xiong is in charge of air ticketing, accommodation, corporate travel, technology, international business, Qunar Group and other areas within the group. Prior to joining Trip.com Group, Mr. Xiong held several management positions in R&D in Microsoft and Expedia. He has over 20 years of technology and management experience. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Peking University, and a master’s degree in Computer Science from Northeastern University in the United States.

The JTB Group traces its roots back to 1912 when “Japan Tourist Bureau” was formed to attract international travelers to Japan and assist with their travel needs. While our activities and clientele have expanded greatly since then, the JTB group remains aligned around a core purpose: bringing people, places and possibilities together.

Over an 18-year-career at JTB, Eijiro Yamakita was involved in the development of the company’s global strategy and then moved to Europe, where he was appointed to be a top management at the forefront of the company’s global business. Prior to becoming a Managing Executive Officer, he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kuoni Travel Investment Ltd and the European Head of JTB Group for 3 years. After he returned to Japan, he is the President and CEO of JTB Corp since then.

Chris has spent his entire professional life in and around startups and high-growth businesses in travel, hospitality and technology having founded six companies during his 30 years in business. Today he is a co-founder and Managing Director of Thayer Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in emerging technology companies in the travel and transportation space. Immediately Prior to Thayer Ventures, Chris was founder and President of iCare Marketing (sold to Sysco Foodservice Corporation in 2012) and founder and CEO of Dynamic Payment Ventures (sold to Elavon, a subsidiary of US Bank in 2007).

Prior to that, Chris was founder and CEO of CriticalArc Technologies, a supply-chain software provider to the foodservice industry, founder of E&O Kitchen and Bar, a casual dining restaurant based in San Francisco, founder of The Hemmeter Collection, a direct response retailer and founder of Hemmeter Publishing, a publisher and distributor of travel books and content. Upon graduating from Cornell University in 1986, Chris joined Hemmeter Investment Company, a real estate developer of destination-resort properties. Founded by his father in 1962, the Hemmeter organization developed major destination resort hotels in Hawaii and operated several related hospitality and travel businesses in the foodservice, gaming, retail and aviation sectors.

Chris received his undergraduate degree magna cum laude from Cornell University and his graduate degree from Harvard Business School in 1995, where he was recognized as a Baker Scholar for his academic achievement.

Philippe Kjellgren is a visionary entrepreneur and a global authority on luxury hospitality, with over 20 years of experience in marketing, sales, branding, and web design. As the founder of PK’s List, a bespoke travel advisory service offering Subjective Travel Intelligence™, Philippe continues to redefine how discerning travelers explore the world.

Having visited more than 2,000 hotels across 140+ countries, Philippe is celebrated as one of the travel industry’s foremost experts. His extensive journey, including 800 days mapping the world’s finest hotels, has made him a trusted resource for CEOs, royals, supermodels, and celebrities alike.

In 2002, Philippe founded Kiwi Collection, the world’s largest independent hotel collection. He later partnered with VISA in 2009 to launch the VISA Luxury Hotel Collection, a groundbreaking program available in 145 countries and translated into 10 languages, now a core benefit for VISA premium cardholders. Building on this success, Philippe conceived Hotel Insider in 2012 and introduced PK’s List in 2015. The app, now available in the App Store, provides a curated travel experience for like-minded luxury travelers.

Philippe’s passion for hospitality and innovation drives his mission to deliver exceptional travel experiences. Through PK’s List, he continues to connect travelers with the world’s most exclusive destinations, setting a gold standard in luxury travel advisory.

Leah Lee is a global hotelier who graduated from EHL Hospitality Business School, the world’s No. 1 hotel management university. Her various roles include deputy General Manager at the Michelberger Hotel, a leading boutique hotel in Berlin, Germany as well as with Design Hotels TM, a global network of design hotels representing a curated selection of 300+ independent hotels in over 60 countries across the globe.

In 2019, she led the renovation of Yeongjong Sky Resort and opened Korea’s first urban lifestyle boutique resort, The Week& Resort, and is leading a new culture in the Korean hospitality sector with various concepts such as The Connoisseur Residence for professionals and The Woof & Pet Hotel for dogs.

Having majored in Finance and International business at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, founder Stephanie Chai has always opted for the path less traveled as she embarked on a modeling and TV career post graduation. Having come from a family of entrepreneurs she finally nipped the entrepreneur bug with TheLuxeNomad.com. Initially a flash sales only site, TheLuxeNomad.com launched in July 2012 with a round of angel investment and a small team of just two. With its then innovative Celebrity Nomad angle the site quickly grew and expanded to include book anytime hotels and villas for the discerning traveler.

To date Stephanie has raised over USD 1 mil from investors such as Innosight Asia and Douglas Khoo, one of the founders of China’s largest travel booking sites, Qunar. With offices in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong, the site seeks to solve the issue of ‘time and trust’ by offering affluent travelers its highly curated collection of properties.

Kamonwan Wipulakorn is the Managing Director of Bound and Beyond Public Company Limited, a publicly listed company on the Stock Exchange of Thailand and owner of Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok and Capella Bangkok – the latter currently named the World’s No. 1 Best Hotel by the 50 Best Awards 2024. In her role, Kamonwan oversees all facets of the business, with a strong focus on long-term strategic planning and sustainability. Most recently, she has led the group’s bold expansion into brand ownership with the launch of KAIA, a new hospitality brand rooted in conscientious luxury, designed in harmony with nature and local communities.

Kamonwan began her career over three decades ago in the finance sector as an associate with a leading international financial institution. In 2002, she transitioned to the corporate world as CFO of a client’s petrochemical company, and in 2008, entered the hospitality investment sector as CFO of The Erawan Group PLC. She rose to become its President and Director in 2011 and CEO in 2014. Under her leadership, the company expanded significantly across Southeast Asia, managing over 7,000 hotel rooms and 6,000 employees across Thailand and the Philippines.

Beyond her executive roles, Kamonwan has served on the boards of several listed companies in Thailand, championing diversity and governance. She is widely recognized as one of Asia’s distinguished female leaders for her visionary leadership and impact on the region’s business landscape.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from Chulalongkorn University and an MBA from Western Illinois University. A lifelong learner, Kamonwan has completed executive education programs at both Harvard Business School and Stanford University, underscoring her commitment to continuous growth and leadership excellence.

Kristian Schmidt is an internationally-acclaimed nature and high-fashion photographer, as well as a film-maker and producer of music videos, commercial productions, and television shows. Kristian may be best known for his “Whale Shark Series” of photography which was groundbreaking, ethereal, and beautiful. He brings together humans and animals in his work to promote wildlife conservation. He has been involved with the well-regarded animal conservation organization, WildAid, for more than a decade. Through his art, Kristian helps to raise awareness about the importance of wildlife and our relationship to nature.

A senior travel industry executive with unparalleled experience of developing and leading global technology platforms, Mike’s ambition is for Meili to become the market leader in travel tech. As the former CEO of CarTrawler, Mike used his superior perspective on the mobility marketplace to oversee continual growth over a decade, the successful completion of two major private equity investments and multiple acquisitions. Mike’s commercial expertise and stellar track record make him uniquely qualified to guide Meili on its path to growth.

Eason Zhang is the Head of Apps, Strategic Partnerships for TikTok in Southeast Asia, where he leads 3 Industries focusing SuperApps, FinTech & Travel clients.

Over his 4 years at TikTok, Eason has successfully built and lead the Strategic Account team for Travel post pandemic. His effort had driven innovative performance product solutions for TikTok globally, and shaped effective digital strategies that empower Local Services, FinTech & Travel partners to leverage TikTok’s dynamic platform.

Before joining TikTok, Eason built up his industry knowledge and honed his skills at Skyscanner and Google, amassing nearly a decade of experience in travel space and digital marketing. He is well-versed in performance solutions and has developed a deep understanding of the travel landscape across the Asia-Pacific and Greater China region. Eason is also recognized for his thought leadership on the future of travel landscape, making him a compelling speaker and strategist in the industry.

Barry was Co-Founder of Skyscanner which he exited in 2016.

He is now Co-Founder/NXChairman of Noah Media Group a London-based, BAFTA-nominated, EMMY-winning technology and content production company. Barry’s Producer credits include “14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible” still one of the most watched doc features on the Netflix platform.

Barry is a huge sports fan – especially football and F1 – getting to games and races as often as his schedule allows.

Noah Media produces world-class storytelling, short form and long form content for some of the biggest sport federations in the world (FIFA, UEFA and Olympics).

After a recent partnership with Beautiful Destinations, Noah are now able to work with the biggest travel brands in the world.

He was awarded an MBE in the UK, for services to technology & travel in 2016.

Hermione is a leader with 15 years’ experience in sales, marketing, strategy and business development in the technology & travel sector.

Hermione leads the APAC Travel team for Google’s Large Customer Sales business, working with leading online travel agents, airlines, hotel chains & vacation rental companies to develop digital business strategy & products for Asian consumers.  Additionally she oversees the APAC Vertical search team, who help clients adopt our more technical solutions such as Hotel Ads, and work with our Product & Engineering team to build products for our region.  Prior to this, Hermione worked in Google’s Sydney office managing major Retail clients.

Before her time at Google, she worked in the TV industry for 4 years, working for 7media West running the Key Accounts team. When she launched her career she started in Creative Advertising working initially for M&C Saatchi and then TBWA in Sydney.

Hermione was educated in Sydney Australia, completing  a degree in Economics & Social Sciences from Sydney University and was awarded the Young Citizen of the Year (2009) by the Woollahra Mulinciptilty.

Hermione now lives in Singapore, and has done so for six & a half years. She is a mum to three young children and a Red Kelpie, and is an incredibly passionate traveler.

Prestine Davekhaw is a documentary photographer, and founder on a mission to preserve what matters – be it disappearing cultures or fair pay. Her documentary journey began with Disappearing Cultures, a long-term project capturing fading traditions across the world, from coastal fishing communities to ancient rituals in remote villages.

She is also the founder of MalaysianPAYGAP, a startup challenging wage opacity across Asia. What started as a simple Instagram page evolved into a full-fledged data platform and movement, making salaries more transparent and conversations around work more honest.

Through both her lens and her product, Prestine brings visibility to the invisible, be it a forgotten tradition or an underpaid worker.

Jacinta, co-founder of Seek Sophie, is a serial entrepreneur driven by the power of business to create positive change. From closing billion-dollar deals as an M&A lawyer at Linklaters, a top London law firm, to scaling a micro-insurance start-up that transformed millions of lives across Asia and Africa, her career has always been about impact.

But it was her travel adventures in over 60 countries that ignited her deepest passion. Jacinta saw firsthand how tourism could uplift communities and safeguard the environment, and was inspired to redefine how we travel. She founded Seek Sophie with a mission: to make travel a force for good, empowering local communities and safeguarding the planet we explore.

Seek Sophie now operates in 7 countries, offering earth-friendly adventures that empower thousands of small businesses across Asia. Jacinta’s vision is proof that sustainable tourism isn’t just a buzzword – it’s a movement, and it’s changing the way we experience the world.

Varun is the co-founder and CEO of Headout, a platform that connects people to the world’s best real-life experiences – from expert-led tours to incredible landmarks, live events, and more. Under his leadership, Headout has grown to serve 40 million guests across 100+ cities worldwide, generating over $3 billion in economic impact.

Recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30 and Phocuswright’s Top 35 Young Leaders in Travel, Varun considers leading Headout through the challenges of COVID his most meaningful achievement—one that no list or award could truly capture. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business from Bangalore University.

Nadia Omer joins AirAsia MOVE (formerly airasia Superapp) as its Chief Executive Officer effective 26 October 2023. Her key priority will be to drive AirAsia MOVE’s vision to be the best-value one-stop travel platform in Asean.

Nadia comes with deep experience within Asia and ASEAN in category conversion, habit change and building new categories that create shared value for the full ecosystem. She began her career at P&G and subsequently moved to bigger roles at Nestle and PepsiCo and served as the Chief Business Officer of Cars24, Southeast Asia before AirAsia MOVE.

Innovation and building talent is something very close to Nadia’s heart. She has built her career as a working mum, and feels passionately about energizing and engaging other young female talents to unleash their potential. She is also a mentor at Antler focusing on helping young founders in tech and e-commerce.

Nadia holds a Master of Business Administration from the Lahore University of Management, and is a Bachelor of Science (Maths, Stats & Econ) graduate.

Yoshiyuki Takano is Senior Vice President of Commerce & Marketing Company at Rakuten Group, Inc. He began his career at Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd., and joined Rakuten in 2002. Yoshiyuki has served as the head of the Travel & Mobility Business, a role in which he has driven significant growth since January 2017. Building upon his extensive experience and proven leadership capabilities, he also oversees a diverse array of ventures within the Commerce & Marketing Company.

20+ years in economic development, corporate strategy and technology.

Former roles include GM Strategic Enablement at Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Co-Founder and CEO of Elula, the AI-software company whose subscription products optimise home loan customer retention, acquisition and pricing.

Moved to Queenstown from Sydney in January 2025 to take on the CEO role at Technology Queenstown.

Adrian held numerous senior leadership roles at Booking Holdings for almost 20 years. This included CFO and MD APAC roles at Booking.com, Chair at Agoda and RocketMiles, and SVP Group Strategy. In 2021, he “retired” to dedicate most of his time to Tinwald Farm in New Zealand with his wife, Amanda, and shape its journey to regenerative farming and EOV accreditation from the Savory Institute in the US. In addition, he continues to advise and invest in a few travel and hospitality businesses in NZ and overseas. Prior to BKNG, Adrian spent 12 years with EY Corporate Finance. He has an MBA from London Business School.

Growing up in the US, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and mainland China, Ethan developed a lifelong passion for travel that has taken him to explore over 50 countries to date. Prior to founding Klook, Ethan started his career in 2008 at Citi’s Investment Banking division. He played an integral role in deals valued at over US$20 billion across Asian markets, specializing in the hospitality and real estate sectors.

Under Ethan’s leadership, Klook has achieved remarkable growth and has quickly become the market leader across Asia Pacific. This impressive journey has garnered substantial support and investment from an illustrious roster of renowned investors, including Sequoia Capital, Matrix Partners, Softbank, Aspex, Goldman Sachs, TCV, and more.

Reiwa Travel Inc. is a digital travel agency with the mission of “Designing New Travel Experiences.

We aim to provide innovative experiences and new societal value through international travel. Since April 2022, we have been offering the international travel booking app ‘NEWT.’

We aim to maximize the digital transformation (DX) of booking and management operations in the travel industry,  offering new and innovative package tours that are “easy, affordable, customizable, and secure.

We are dedicated to creating societal value through the experience of international travel.

Donggun Lee is the founder and CEO of MyRealTrip. Lee launched the service in 2012, while a student at Korea University. In five short years, MyRealTrip became a go-to-marketplace for all things travel among Korean tourists. Currently, it provides over 12,500 tours in 540 cities around the world, and has collected over 160,000 authentic reviews from its customers.

Lee completed degrees in Business Administration and Psychology from Korea University. He also studied at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management in Koblenz, Germany as a foreign exchange student.

John is North Ridge Partners’ Head of Asia based in our Singapore office.  He has more than 30 years of investment banking experience in New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore.

John started his career in Australia with CS First Boston and Jardine Fleming / Ord Minnett.  From 1997, he worked for ABN AMRO throughout the region, with roles including Head of NZ ECM (2001 – 2003), Head of Asian M&A (2003 – 2005), Head of Asian ECM (2006 – 2007) and Head of South East Asian Investment Banking (2007 – 2008).  After leaving ABN AMRO, John joined Craigs Investment Partners in NZ (the former ABN AMRO NZ) and led their investment banking team (focused primarily on ECM) between 2010 and 2014.

John joined North Ridge Partners in 2021 and has worked on transactions for clients in NZ, Australia and Asia.  Most recently, he has advised Stuff Limited on the sale of an interest in Stuff Digital to Trade Me.

Oliver M. Rippel is a Partner and Co-Founder of Asia Partners.

Previously he was the CEO of B2C e-commerce for Naspers, which included all e-tail, B2C Marketplaces, and online travel operations globally. As of Dec 2017, the B2C portfolio of Naspers was yielding a total portfolio IRR of 30%, higher than Naspers’ total internet portfolio (outside of Tencent) IRR of 23% at the time, generating exits >US$4Bn.

Mr. Rippel led all of Naspers’ investments in Flipkart, where he served as Naspers’ appointed Director to the Board for six years, which included chairing the Audit Committee and being part of the Investment Committee.  In August 2018, Flipkart’s exit to Walmart was one of the very largest exits ever in the Internet and e-commerce space and India’s largest-ever exit of a technology company. Walmart invested US$16 billion to obtain an approximate 77% shareholding at closing. As part of this transaction, Naspers exited fully, selling its 11.2% percent stake for US$2.2Bn. The investment was a US$1.6Bn or 3.6x return over six years, at an estimated 29% IRR.

Mr. Rippel joined Naspers in January 2009 as head of business development in Southeast Asia before managing e-commerce in Africa and the Middle East shortly after. From 2011 to 2014 he oversaw e-commerce in Southeast Asia, India, and Africa, after which he was managing online services segments including e-tail outside of Europe, travel, real estate, and mobile services.

Before working for Naspers, Mr. Rippel spent nine years at eBay – first in his home country Germany and then as part of the Asia-Pacific region in China, Korea, and Southeast Asia. There, he mostly focused on strategy, business development, as well as category management, and marketing operations. Mr. Rippel is of dual Asian and European ancestry. He studied economics in Berlin, Germany, and holds the INSEAD International Directors Program Certificate. He is also a member of the Young Presidents Organization Singapore Chapter.

William is a General Partner at SOSV, a US$300M AUM accelerator-focused venture capital fund, and Managing Director of Chinaccelerator, East Asia’s first startup accelerator. Previously, William was the Managing Director of China investments at SingTel Innov8 Ventures and a Partner at Softbank China & India Holdings. William is also an active angel investor, with 39 investments between 2006 and 2014 when he joined SOSV.

In 2005, William was ranked #1 stock picker in Technology, Media and Telecom and #3 overall in Hong Kong and China by Forbes/SCMP/Starmine. The following year, he was ranked #3 analyst in Asia for Technology/Software and IT Services by Institutional Investor Magazine Asia.

He currently holds advisory or director board seats in several companies (GMobi, ChaseFuture, Neonan, EscapeX, Thoughtful Media Group, Vericant, Mingbo, iTalki, kineticOne) as well as major roles in active Asian startup organizations (Angelvest, AAMA Shanghai, Techyizu). He holds a BA from Bowdoin College.

Gilad is an Israeli born AI Entrepreneur, Board Director, and Venture Capital Investor based in Seattle. Today, Gilad leads Brook Bay Capital, an AI focused fund, and serves on numerous boards of both large traditional and startup businesses, including Virtuoso, Selfbook, Thatch, Swayed, Faye, and others. Gilad is passionate about Travel & Hospitality and other experiential businesses and has a deep background in Artificial Intelligence and Personalization.

Gilad began his entrepreneurial career early, while at the University of Washington, with roles as a co-founder, head of Business Development, and head of product for multiple startups. Most notably, Gilad was the founder and CEO at Utrip, a pioneering AI startup in the travel space. Gilad has built strategic partnerships with some of the largest companies in the world, taken product to market utilized by nearly 100 million people, and is a leading thinker about personalization and consumer applications of AI.

In addition to his investing and board work Gilad is a prolific public speaker and participates in many major industry and technology events. Gilad is also an active mentor through Plug & Play, the University of Washington, and other organizations. Additionally, Gilad is involved with the academic and nonprofit fields including serving on the board of the Pillsbury Institute for Entrepreneurship at Cornell University, the think tank AI & Faith, and others.

Gilad is passionate about his young family, technology, travel, food, yoga, history, and more.

Startup Program Mentor:
– Startups and being a founder – I have founded 3 startups and exited 2. I spent a lot of time as a CEO mentor for founders.
– B2B2C in Travel Tech
– AI – deep area of focus for me for 15 years now.
– Luxury
– Fundraising

William is a General Partner at SOSV, a US$300M AUM accelerator-focused venture capital fund, and Managing Director of Chinaccelerator, East Asia’s first startup accelerator. Previously, William was the Managing Director of China investments at SingTel Innov8 Ventures and a Partner at Softbank China & India Holdings. William is also an active angel investor, with 39 investments between 2006 and 2014 when he joined SOSV.

In 2005, William was ranked #1 stock picker in Technology, Media and Telecom and #3 overall in Hong Kong and China by Forbes/SCMP/Starmine. The following year, he was ranked #3 analyst in Asia for Technology/Software and IT Services by Institutional Investor Magazine Asia.

He currently holds advisory or director board seats in several companies (GMobi, ChaseFuture, Neonan, EscapeX, Thoughtful Media Group, Vericant, Mingbo, iTalki, kineticOne) as well as major roles in active Asian startup organizations (Angelvest, AAMA Shanghai, Techyizu). He holds a BA from Bowdoin College.

Mizuho joined corporate development of Recruit Company in 2012. It owns and operates several search engines and booking platforms in travel, restaurant, beauty&salon, real estate, wedding sector and so on. They are also parent company of Indeed Inc. the world No,1 job search platform.

She focuses on topics such as transaction platforms, SaaS, mobile and online multinationals as well as equity funding for later staged ventures, internationalization and business extension, across the travel, restaurant and beauty&salon technology sector.

Currently she led the acquisition of Trustyou, and as a strategic investor, she is on the boards of multinational restaurant technology companies. During her career, Mizuho lived and worked in 3 countries within 3 years including experiences at World Employment Confederation former Ciett in Brussels.