Stephan Ekbergh, CEO of Travelstart, shares this ode to Hugo Burge
I met Hugo Burge first in 2001. He had started Cheapflights. I ran Travelstart and had just acquired a small business in Ireland called Openjet. Openjet was the first to properly do mix and match bookings with LCCs and GDSes.
Hugo and I talked about the technology and what it did. I instantly took a liking to Hugo.
Over the years we have followed each other and I was very impressed with his business acumen, how methodical he was in his approach to building his business as well as investing in other companies.
But more than anything else I adored his “Britishness”. He just had something regal about him. He was a true gentleman, something that’s lost today. We could brush off each other in panels on the conference circuit where we often met. Me and my brazen caveman style vs Hugo who seemed like a cut-out of “The King’s Speech” with a boyish “Hugh Grant in Notting Hills” charm.
People like Hugo are hard to find and we men should especially aspire to be a bit more like him.
My thoughts and my prayers are for Hugo’s family, his partners and everyone who loved him.
I love Hugo and my heart is broken.
Rest in peace my friend.
