Galileo gets new chief executive

Sam Galeotos has been promoted to the post of chief executive at GDS firm Galileo International, its parent company Cendant has announced.

Mr Galeotos – a former co-chief executive of Galileo rival Worldspan – becomes the third person to take on the post in the last year. He replaces former chief executive Mark Miller who left the company in June.

Mr Galeotos joined Cendant last October as CEO of strategic distribution and travel services following its acquisition of Cheap Tickets, where he was president and chief executive.

His appointment sees him taking on responsibility for Galileo’s global operations while integrating his current responsibilities, which include Cendant’s travel agency operations, hotel distribution and services businesses, and strategic supplier development.

Cendant – which bought Galileo as well as Cheap Tickets last year – said his appointment would see all of its Travel Distribution businesses placed under one operating umbrella, which it said would cut costs and drive synergies throughout its travel brands.

Samuel Katz, who remains chairman and CEO of Cendant’s Travel Distribution Division and chairman of Galileo said. “This is a major step forward in strengthening Cendant’s competitive position by reinventing Galileo as a preferred value-added, low-cost distributor.”

Prior to joining Cheap Tickets, Mr Galeotos worked for Worldspan from 1990 to 1999, most recently as co-chief executive.

See our previous stories:

14 Aug 2001: Cendant buys Cheap Tickets
19 Jun 2001: GDS firm Galileo sold to Cendant in $2.9 billion deal
19 Jun 2001: Galileo Europe boss welcomes Cendant takeover