The Other Reason Expedia’s CEO Would Have Left His Company
Photo Credit: Khosrowshahi being interviewed onstage at Skift Global Forum 2016 by Skift Executive Editor Dennis Schaal. Skift
Skift Take
What would make Expedia obsolete and cause Khosrowshahi to leave? Expedia's apparently outgoing CEO answered that question for us last year and talked about big technology trends a few years in the offing. But is he bolting because he thinks Expedia's best days are behind it?
There's been a debate concerning Expedia CEO Dara Khosrowshahi's apparent exit to become the Uber boss on whether he's jumping to grab a remarkable opportunity or leaving a sinking ship.
Expedia's financials have been somewhat shaky over the last year-and-a-half as it integrates its Orbitz Worldwide and HomeAway acquisitions, and perhaps Khosrowshahi feels that Uber is the future and Expedia is the past, goes this line of thinking. On the other hand, the global travel industry has tons of growth ahead, and as the number two player, behind the Priceline Group, Expedia is well-positioned.
But at Skift Global Forum in New York City on September 27, 2016, Skift founder and CEO Rafat Ali asked Khosrowshahi what would make him leave Expedia in five years, and the answer was about technology trends, not financials necessari
