Sean Menke
transitions to Executive Chair of the Board, effective April 27, 2023
Kurt Ekert to
become company's Chief Executive Officer and President
SOUTHLAKE, Texas, March 1,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ:
SABR), a leading software and technology company that powers
the global travel industry, announced today that Sean Menke, currently Chair of the company's
Board and its Chief Executive Officer, will transition to be solely
Sabre's Executive Chair of the Board, effective April 27, 2023. At that time, Kurt Ekert, currently President of Sabre, will
also become the company's Chief Executive Officer, reporting to the
Board of Directors. Ekert has also been nominated as a director for
election at Sabre's 2023 Annual Meeting, to be held on April 26, 2023. These moves are being made as
part of the company's and the Board of Directors' ongoing
succession planning.
Menke joined Sabre in 2015 serving as president of its largest
business division, before being promoted to CEO in late 2016. Under
Menke's leadership, the company set out, and executed against, bold
plans to reimagine the future of travel enabled by its technology
transformation, key strategic partnerships and building a
leadership team to deliver that vision.
Regarding the next phase in Sabre's leadership transition, Menke
stated, "It has been an honor and privilege to help lead Sabre over
the last eight years. I am proud of what our teams have
accomplished and how we've served our customers during
unprecedented times. It has been immensely gratifying to see the
dedication and success of our team, as Sabre continues to transform
itself to become the trusted, and preferred, technology partner in
travel. I look forward to transitioning into the role of executive
chair and welcome Kurt as our new chief executive officer. He's
been a driving force at Sabre over the past fourteen months and I
am confident he will continue to successfully lead this
organization into the future."
Ekert joined Sabre in January 2022
as President as part of the company's long term succession plans,
as it split the role of president and CEO. Ekert oversees all
aspects of the company's business and technology operations. Over
the last year, Ekert developed new growth strategies and
successfully executed against the company's operating plans,
including successfully reorganizing its Travel Solutions business,
implementing robust operating principles to enable faster and more
efficient execution, and putting a refined leadership team in
place.
Gregg Saretsky will continue to
serve in the role as independent lead director of the Board of
Directors, providing an effective balance between strong strategic
leadership and oversight by independent directors.
Saretsky added, "I know I speak on behalf of Sabre's entire
Board of Directors when I say that Sean has been an incredibly
strong and successful leader over the last eight years, especially
in those unprecedented moments during the global pandemic. He
leaves behind a tremendous legacy, including an ambitious
multi-year strategy that the leadership team will continue to move
forward. We thank Sean for his outstanding leadership and service
and are pleased to continue to serve alongside him as executive
chair."
"We look forward to having Kurt join the Board as he steps into
the chief executive officer role at the company. He is a strong,
forward-focused leader with the experience, operational and
technical acumen and industry perspective to successfully execute
Sabre's strategic plans."
Ekert responded, "I am proud to be stepping into the CEO role at
Sabre and eager to continue to advance our strategy while fostering
a winning culture of empowerment, innovation and performance. I
look forward to leading this company through its next chapter and
am confident we have the ability to meaningfully grow our business
and deliver long-term shareholder value."
About Sabre
Sabre Corporation is a leading
software and technology company that powers the global travel
industry, serving a wide range of travel companies including
airlines, hoteliers, travel agencies and other suppliers. The
company provides retailing, distribution and fulfilment solutions
that help its customers operate more efficiently, drive revenue and
offer personalized traveler experiences. Through its leading travel
marketplace, Sabre connects travel suppliers with buyers from
around the globe. Sabre's technology platform manages more
than $260B worth of global travel spend annually.
Headquartered in Southlake, Texas, USA, Sabre serves customers in more than 160
countries around the world. For more information
visit www.sabre.com
SABR-F
Contacts
Media:
Kristin Hays
Kristin.hays@sabre.com
Heidi Castle
heidi.castle@sabre.com
sabrenews@sabre.com
Investors:
Brian Roberts
brian.roberts@sabre.com
Sabre.investorrelations@sabre.com
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SOURCE Sabre Corporation