Booking Holdings announced that Peer Bueller, who has served as KAYAK’s chief financial officer since 2016 and chief operating officer since 2021, will become the new chief executive officer of the travel‑search brand. The change follows the departure of long‑time co‑founder and former CEO Steve Hafner, who will assume the role of executive chair of KAYAK and a new leadership position within Booking Holdings focused on advancing the company’s artificial‑intelligence strategy.
Bueller’s tenure at KAYAK has been marked by a focus on operational efficiency and data‑driven growth. His experience as CFO and COO has positioned him to steer the company through a period of rapid AI integration and deeper alignment with Booking Holdings’ Connected Trip ecosystem, which aims to bundle flights, hotels, cars, and activities into a single booking experience.
Hafner’s new role underscores Booking Holdings’ commitment to AI as a core growth engine. By concentrating his expertise on AI innovation, Hafner will help accelerate the development of AI‑powered tools such as the AI Trip Planner and other predictive search features that are expected to enhance user personalization and increase conversion rates across the group’s brands.
The leadership transition is intended to accelerate KAYAK’s growth trajectory and strengthen its integration into the broader Booking Holdings portfolio. Management believes that a CEO with deep operational and financial expertise will better position KAYAK to capture a larger share of the meta‑search market while leveraging AI to improve pricing, recommendation accuracy, and customer engagement.
Investors have responded cautiously, reflecting a broader market trend of valuation scrutiny and anticipation of the upcoming Q4 2025 earnings report. Analysts remain supportive of the company’s long‑term strategy, noting that the leadership change signals confidence in the AI‑driven growth plan and the Connected Trip initiative.
Management quotes highlight the strategic intent: "Peer brings a proven track record of scaling operations and driving profitability," said Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel. "Steve’s focus on AI will accelerate our innovation pipeline and reinforce our competitive advantage," added Hafner. Bueller emphasized his goal of making KAYAK “everyone’s favorite travel app” by enhancing user experience and translating strategy into results.
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