After fending off a hostile takeover by Choice
International, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts aims to unite the commercial operations
across the hotel company’s 25 brands under the leadership of Scott Strickland in a
new chief commercial officer role. Strickland will report to president and
CEO Geoff Ballotti.
Strickland previously served as chief information officer
for Wyndham Hotels Group and Wyndham Hotels and Resorts after the former brand
spun off from Wyndham Worldwide Corporation in 2018 and was renamed. According
to the press statement regarding his CCO appointment, Strickland was
responsible for “enhancing and implementing” the hotel company’s technology
strategy and building the strength of the IT organization, aligning day-to-day
execution with Wyndham’s business direction. This included managing and
deploying the company’s $275M investment in technology, digital, and franchisee
opt-in services over the past five years.
Strickland now will take his baked-in technology and digital
background and apply it to Wyndham Hotels and Resorts commercial strategy,
adding global sales, revenue generation, marketing, communications and the
Wyndham Rewards loyalty program to his leadership remit.
“Integrating best-in-class technology, marketing, and sales
teams into a single organization enhances the Wyndham advantage,” Strickland
said in a press statement.
In the wake of the changes, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts EVP
and chief marketing officer Lisa Checchio will depart the organization.
Checchio’s tenure produced the hotel company’s “by
Wyndham” endorsement strategy and played a large role in introducing new
hotel brands and doubling the size of the Wyndham Rewards loyalty program. Checchio
also led the creation of the industry’s first-ever program dedicated to women’s
advancement in hotel ownership, Women Own the Room, a community of more than
550 members.
