LAS VEGAS, June 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — BirchStreet Systems, a leading global technology provider of enterprise procure-to-pay solutions to the hospitality sector, has announced significant growth momentum and expansion initiatives in the EMEA region, led by Mark Haywood, Chief Commercial Officer, EMEA & APAC. Haywood brings over two decades of diverse and highly relevant industry experience within the hospitality and SaaS technology sectors to his role at BirchStreet. Throughout his successful career, he has capitalized on his experience and expertise, holding several e-commerce and SaaS technology company management, leadership and commercial positions in organizations such as RateGain Technologies, TravelClick (Amadeus), Melia Hotels, The Ascott Group, and First Option Hotel Reservations.
“We continue delivering on our deep commitment to EMEA customers,” said Haywood. “Hospitality businesses in this part of the globe are searching for ways to enhance their operational efficiencies and bottom lines while building guest satisfaction and loyalty. Our local presence in the EMEA market allows us to maintain ongoing dialogue with our customers, understand their long-term business strategies and challenges, adapt our solutions to the specific market needs, and ensure we can help them grow.”
BirchStreet has expanded its presence to 57 EMEA countries, currently serving more than 1,800 hospitality properties in the region. EMEA customers leverage BirchStreet’s platform to manage 4.3 billion EUR in annual spend. Since the beginning of 2024, the company has added several new brands across Europe, UAE, and The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to its portfolio, posting triple-digit net new growth YoY.
To support its commitment to delivering value, BirchStreet Systems recently hosted the first annual EMEA Conference in Barcelona, gathering the hospitality industry’s leading and innovative brands to discuss important issues in property operations, exchange fresh ideas and share best practices.
ESG thought leaders Gavin McGee Fraser of Sircle Collection, Bart van den Hoven of Marriott, International, Maribel Esparcia Pérez of RaizUp, तथा Alvaro Rodríguez, Ph.D. of The Climate Reality Project, discussed the latest developments in hospitality Sustainability efforts, the impact of various European regulations and what actionable steps hospitality brands should take to ensure that they meet their customers’ expectations.
Marcel M. Bruognolo of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Jason Stump of Wynn Al Marjan Island, and Dorothée Bechstädt of Hilton Supply Management provided unique insights into how emerging technologies, financial strategies and innovation help drive operational excellence in hospitality, as well as sharing a thought-provoking outlook on what future trends will drive the next wave in the evolution of hospitality P2P.
Pablo Pérez Gutiérrez of Sircle Collection, Sachin Thomas of Marriott EMEA, & Dorothée Bechstädt of Hilton Supply Management shared their organizations’ remarkable journeys and success in P2P transformation, discussing the importance of the data that drives better decision-making and outlining critical business factors that lead companies to adopt procurement technologies and process.
Keynote speaker Dr. Christina Yan Zhang of The Metaverse Institute talked about the fascinating breakthroughs in Generative AI and other disruptive technologies, and how their proper adoption and utilization can help build a sustainable hospitality industry in the future.
“This forum was an important milestone in forming a unique hospitality community in the EMEA region that collectively will help shape the future of P2P hospitality. We look forward to many more gatherings in the future!” added Haywood.
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