In Brief: Sabre has appointed Derek Sharp as Senior Vice President of Lodging, Ground and Media, effective Sept. 8.
Sharp will lead Sabre’s Lodging, Ground and Media business and report to Andy Finkelstein, Chief Commercial Officer of Travel Marketplace. He succeeds Chinmai Sharma, who is leaving Sabre after leading the business.
The appointment coincides with Sabre’s efforts to broaden travel options available through its marketplace and invest in connectivity for agencies, suppliers and other partners. Sharp’s responsibilities will include supplier relationships, customer engagement, lodging content quality and choice, and shopping, comparison and sales tools for travel buyers.
Sabre’s hotel-related revenue increased 11% year over year in the second quarter, driven by its lodging content, capabilities and customer adoption.
The Lodging, Ground and Media business includes lodging, ground transportation, media and data. Sabre sees potential in platform offerings involving media and data, including the use of scale, industry information and technology by travel buyers and suppliers.
Sharp has more than three decades of leadership experience in travel, transportation, IT services and professional services. He has held senior roles at EDS/HP, CWT and Travelport and led commercial and operational teams in the United States, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
His experience includes business model changes, profitability work, customer offerings and strategic partnerships.