Priceline Group Team
The Group announced today that Darren has resigned as Group CEO and as CEO of Booking.com. The Group's Board of Directors has appointed me as interim Group CEO, as they commence a search for a long-term successor.
Gillian Tans, President and COO of Booking.com, has been named CEO of Booking.com. Gillian is a 14-year veteran of Booking.com and has played an instrumental role in building the business into a global leader. Her vision for the business and understanding of the culture is unmatched and I am confident she will continue the brand's success as its new CEO.
Darren's resignation follows an investigation relating to a personal relationship that Darren had with an employee who was not under his direct supervision. The investigation determined that Darren acted contrary to the Company's Code of Conduct and engaged in activities that were inconsistent with our Board's expectations for executive conduct.
The Group's businesses have performed well in the two years Darren has served as Group CEO and Booking.com has achieved strong growth during his four years as its CEO. From the Board's perspective, and from my own having served as Group CEO for over ten years and as Chairman for the last three, the Group has a winning strategy, and your execution of that strategy has been outstanding. You can count on me to support our brand leadership and all of you in your efforts going forward to build on the Group's leadership position in our global markets.
At the center of the extraordinary success of the Group over the years are the strong cultures of our brands and the values we share as a Group. Our culture and values demand that Company leaders represent the highest levels of trust and integrity and an absolute commitment to adhere to the standards of conduct that apply to everyone in the organization. I have tremendous faith in these core principles and in the strength of our brands and their leadership. I am confident that we will endure the difficulties inherent in this transition and continue building one of the best global businesses on the Internet.
Thank you for your hard work and commitment. I look forward to speaking with you all at our next Global Town Hall employee meeting on May 5th.
If you receive any media inquiries related to this, please forward to communications@pricelinegroup.com.
Jeff