Concur, American Express, and Spotnana alum brings decades of experience to drive growth and innovation
Serko, a solutions provider in online travel for business, has announced the appointment of Johnny Thorsen as Vice President of Strategic Business Development, effective immediately.
In his new role, Thorsen will lead Serko’s strategic growth initiatives and enhance the company’s positioning as a market leader in business travel. For context, Booking.com for Business runs on Zeno, Serko’s travel management application, using intelligent technology, predictive workflows and a global travel marketplace to transform business travel across the entire journey. Thorsen’s responsibilities include developing Serko’s network of Travel Management Company (TMC) partners through the commercialisation of Serko’s growing platform ecosystem. Additionally, Thorsen will focus on enhancing Serko’s product offerings through innovation, building customer acquisition strategies and fostering partnerships to ensure long-term growth and leadership in the North American market.
Serko CEO Darrin Grafton welcomed Thorsen’s appointment, stating, “Having known Johnny for years, I’ve always admired his ability to anticipate trends in the travel industry. He’s not just an influential visionary; he’s someone who truly understands how to bring transformative ideas to life. His passion for innovation and building meaningful connections make him an ideal addition to Serko. I’m genuinely excited to see the impact he will have as we shape the future of corporate travel together.”
Thorsen brings over 30 years of experience in corporate travel, including senior leadership roles at Concur, American Express, and most recently at Spotnana, where he served as VP of Business Development for Content Distribution. He has also served as a strategic advisor or board member for more than 10+ travel-sector companies, including Troop, Thrust Carbon, Tryp and Envest Global.
“I am proud to join Serko, a forward-thinking company driving innovation in corporate travel,” said Thorsen. “With Serko’s ambitious growth plans and commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions, I see significant opportunities to strengthen the brand, forge impactful partnerships and solidify its leadership in North America and beyond.”
This announcement follows Serko’s recent acquisition of GetThere and its strategic partnership with travel industry leader, Sabre. Through this partnership, Serko and Sabre will accelerate innovation in managed travel with a co-development program and coordinated sales and marketing efforts. Serko also plans to invest US$100 million over the next three years to enhance its platform technology and deliver the next generation of business travel solutions.
