Steep demand for performance marketing solutions in the two regions, coupled with explosive growth in its European locations, prompted Sojern's expansion.
SAN FRANCISCO – Sojern, travel’s leading data-driven performance marketing engine, announced the opening of new offices in Singapore and Dubai. Stewart Hunter has been hired as director of sales in Singapore and Stewart Smith as senior director of sales in Dubai. The two new regional heads will focus on expanding existing client relationships and introducing the Sojern Traveler Platform to new customers.
Asian travelers are increasingly shaping global travel trends and Singapore is an emerging travel hub for the region. As such, Stewart Hunter will be leading Sojern’s APAC efforts out of Singapore where he joins an existing team of sales and service professionals. Prior to joining Sojern, Hunter was the Vice-President, APAC, at Somo, one of the world’s fastest growing mobile marketing solutions companies. He is joined at Sojern by Bianca Loo, formerly a Wego sales manager for the Asia-Pacific region.
“Over the past year, data-driven advertising has become a key part of a marketer’s customer acquisition strategy across Asia,” said Hunter. “The Sojern team will be helping the biggest brands in travel to run the most sophisticated digital advertising campaigns in Asia-Pacific, just as the region is on the verge of overtaking Western Europe as the world’s second largest ad market. I’m extremely excited to join the company at this critical growth stage.”
In Dubai, Stewart Smith will be leading the expansion and development of Sojern in the Middle East and Africa region. Smith spent a year and a half in Sojern’s London office where he helped establish the brand with European clients. He brings more than 12 years of digital experience in travel at high growth technology companies, most recently at lastminute.com, where he developed digital media partnerships across agencies, airlines, hotels and tourist boards.
“The Middle East is home to three of the world’s leading international airlines and a fast-growing hotel and tourism sector,” said Smith. “One in six customers in the Middle East is using the internet as the booking platform of choice, so the market is now ripe for a player like Sojern. The Sojern Traveler Platform will help travel brands connect with a young and tech-savvy audience that is looking to travel within – and outside of – the MEA region.”
Sojern’s expansion comes on the heels of explosive growth across the North American and European regions. The company has increased its data footprint to more than 350 million global traveler profiles and continued a three-year pattern of rapid financial growth. In recognition of its momentum, Sojern has been named the fastest-growing travel technology company on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 list for the last two years.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
