Former Expedia Group CEO Peter Kern has stepped down as vice chairman and is leaving the company’s board after announcing his resignation as CEO back in February. Kern, who has been a board member since 2005 and vice chairman since 2018, led Expedia through widespread layoffs in 2020 and the challenges posed by the pandemic. The company has replaced Kern with Ariane Gorin, who previously served as president of Expedia for Business. Kern and Expedia mutually agreed that his service as vice chairman would end on Sept. 10, resulting in the elimination of his board seat within the company.
Expedia reported better than expected results for the second quarter, with $3.6 billion in revenue, up 6% year-over-year, and profits of $386 million. Gross bookings and room nights booked also saw growth during this period. However, Expedia shares were down 3% on the day of the announcement of Kern’s departure. The company has declined to comment further on Kern’s departure or his future plans beyond Expedia, but the change in leadership comes at a time when the travel industry continues to face challenges due to the ongoing impacts of the pandemic.
In other key personnel changes across the Pacific Northwest tech industry, Bilal Mateen has joined Seattle-based global health nonprofit PATH as chief AI officer, a newly created role. Mateen, who was previously the executive director of Digital Square, is excited about the potential of AI to revolutionize global health challenges and work with PATH to harness that power. PATH, which has a strong presence in Seattle, aims to use ethically and effectively applied AI to improve public health and make a positive impact on communities in need around the world.
Additionally, Everett-based manufacturing giant Fortive announced the retirement of CEO James Lico and the creation of a new spinoff called NewCo focused on precision technologies. Fortive exec Olumide Soroye will replace Lico as CEO, while another exec, Tami Newcombe, will lead NewCo. Fortive’s CFO Chuck McLaughlin will also be retiring as part of the restructuring. Meanwhile, cosmetic procedure information platform RealSelf has named Minou Clark as its new CEO, bringing a wealth of experience from senior roles at media companies such as 11:11 Media and Yahoo. Other companies such as Avalara, BuyWander, and The Technology Business Management have also made key hires in their leadership teams.
Overall, these recent personnel changes reflect a period of transition and restructuring within the Pacific Northwest tech industry. As companies navigate the ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic and look towards future growth opportunities, bringing in new talent and making changes to leadership positions can help drive innovation and success. It will be interesting to see how these changes impact the respective organizations and how the new leaders will steer their companies towards continued growth and success in the evolving tech landscape.
