The travel industry's next normal will be defined by companies that effectively rebuild traveler trust, as they introduce more elasticity into their operations and business models. Companies can transition from crisis management to effective recovery planning by prioritizing deep customer engagement that builds lasting trust, providing differentiated experiences consistently, driving down operational costs with a mix of technologies, and implementing strategies that increase business elasticity and cost variability.
About the Speaker
As Global Managing Director for IBM’s Travel & Transportation Industries, Dee Waddell is responsible for IBM’s global business in all industry segments within travel and transportation and leads IBM’s global accounts in developing and delivering industry-leading solutions and services. The organization’s industry segments include airlines, airports, railroads, freight carriers, logistics providers, port authorities, hotels, cruise lines, car rental companies, travel agents, and global distribution systems. Waddell has also operated in global leadership roles at Amtrak and United Airlines.
Most recently he served as Senior Vice President, Chief Digital Officer, and Chief Information Officer at Universal Weather and Aviation, a global leader in the business aviation industry. At Amtrak, Waddell served as Group Chief Information Officer and led the digital transformation of the paper-and-punch ticketing process with a next-generation iPhone eTicketing and reservation solution. At United Airlines, Waddell maintained leadership roles for united.com and MileagePlus, including responsibility for global eCommerce. He has also served in leadership roles in other major organizations including Motorola, Accenture, and the U.S. Department of Defense. Waddell holds a Doctorate in Management and BA in Information Systems from the University of Maryland University College and an MBA in Strategic Management from the Illinois Institute of Technology. Waddell is also fluent in Japanese, having lived in Japan for six years. Waddell currently resides in Houston, Texas, USA