In a reshuffling at the top of online corporate travel management companies, Egencia named Rob Greyber to replace departing president Jean-Pierre Remy, while Orbitz For Business said it is determining how to "properly resource" responsibilities of senior vice president and chief operating officer Dean Sivley, today named president and CEO of travel insurance firm Travel Guard.
Remy next week plans to leave Egencia after nearly a decade to become CEO of an unnamed, publicly traded, European company. Remy in 2000 founded Egencia as a European online agency and remained with the company after it was acquired in 2004 by IAC/InterActive Corporation, rebranded as Expedia Corporate Travel Europe and branded back to Egencia in June 2008. He took over as president in 2006. Remy's departure came as a surprise to Greyber, but "the opportunity to serve as the CEO of a public company is certainly a significant milestone and a great opportunity," Greyber said of the move.
Greyber joined Expedia in 2004 as vice president of its partner service group, responsible for airline partner relationships in North America. Most recently, he led Egencia's North American strategy and growth as senior vice president. Currently vice president of Asia Pacific and global partnerships, Pamela Keenan Fritz will replace Greyber as Egencia's North American leader. Egencia is seeking a replacement for Keenan Fritz, said a spokeswoman.
"One of the biggest challenges is how to continue to execute on the vision that Jean-Pierre developed in the industry," Greyber said. "That was our biggest challenge yesterday and it's certainly our biggest challenge today."
Despite the financial breakouts that Expedia reported last month showing declining revenue, bookings and operating income for its Egencia corporate travel unit, Greyber said he had no trepidation in accepting the promotion. "We believe the numbers released compare quite favorable to the numbers that other TMCs are seeing in their business," he said. "We are continuing to gain share and gain ground on our key competitors. We are in a very strong financial position."
Meanwhile, at Orbitz, Sivley wore a dual hat as head of Orbitz For Business and head of Orbitz Worldwide alliance marketing, responsible for "partner marketing, Away.com and our white label business," said an Orbitz spokesman.
Wisconsin-based Travel Guard recruited Sivley to replace John Noel, the company's founder who "stepped down" after 24 years. Travel Guard was acquired in May 2006 by American International Group Inc., which announced that Travel Guard is "part of a group of companies that will be spun off into a separate holding company called AIU Holdings."