Q: 15 years with Expedia and moving on – how does it feel to leave a company that changed travel?

I recall my first day at Microsoft Expedia on February 1 in 1997. I thought, ‘wow, what a window of opportunity’. Eventually Expedia transformed an entire industry and empowered consumers to compare information and prices online so they can make smarter choices when booking hotels, flights and destination services.

Being able to influence this transformation process for so long with the company which became the category leader was a once in a life time opportunity and I am very grateful for it. Based on the feedback I received from colleagues and industry partners when informing them about my decision, I seem to leave a solid legacy behind and that makes me feel very good and a bit proud, too.

Q: You were VP & MD for Germany and then moved to Hong Kong to run Expedia Affiliate Network – what were the key learning points you made with the move to Asia?

No matter whether you build a B2C or a B2B in the region, it is so much harder to scale than compared to a single market. It requires investments into local teams, payment options, customization and translations into local Asian languages. The more complex the technology and the product or service you offer, the harder it is to reach scale in a non-homogeneous market environment. It also requires laser-focus and execution discipline. That might sound very general but from what I have seen in the markets, that’s the simple truth many smaller and larger companies struggle with.

Q: What were the challenges building up the B2B EAN business?

There were both internal and external challenges. EAN was competing in the same markets and sometimes for the same partners as the Expedia consumer brands which caused internal friction. On the other hand, it is good to have internal competition as it forces the teams to focus and make tough decisions and trade offs.

From a market awareness and penetration perspective, I had to start from scratch and hire the right people, recommend investments as well as the market segments and countries to focus on. Looking back I can say it was hard but rewarding work as EAN APAC is now one of the fastest growing businesses within Expedia and the partner portfolio consisting of renowned travel brands such as Webjet, Lonely Planet, House of Travel and Jalan speaks for itself.

Q; Almost 3.5 years after you started in Asia, what have some of the biggest changes been in the online travel landscape in the region?

The region is now teeming with start-ups and incubators and it is hard to keep track of the many online businesses emerging across Asia-Pacific. More mature US start ups are eyeing the region for expansion and US and European venture capitalists seem to have become very active.

Q: Obviously when you start out early, it’s easier to grow but now that the online travel market has become so much more competitive and crowded these days, what do you think will be the ingredients that separate the men from the boys?

A great user experience remains key. That hasn’t changed from the early days except that nowadays customers are much more web savvy, online experienced and social. A bad experience is instantly shared and makes it around the world in nanoseconds. To continue to thrive, strong customer focus and the ability to make investments into content, technology and good people are key. I learned that it really matters greatly which people you hire. You can move a mountain with the right team. After all, it is a people business – online or not.

Q; What’s next for you?

Going offline for a while. I plan to spend a few months in Myanmar.