Gillian Tans

A long time ago, we had to build interfaces to connect with other companies, and I thought that was a great idea. The company had to pay a lot of money to build it and basically launched it, but our whole operating system almost broke. So, we couldn't continue it. In the end, I had to go on the train to Paris to explain that I had spent millions.

Eventually, we want to be able to say, whether in your own neighborhood or a city across the globe, our technology will be needed to break through barriers - whether it's money, time, languages, or simply choice.

Recognizing that female participation in technology is lower than it should be, we are committed to bolstering female tech talent, eliminating obstacles and challenges they face, and fostering diversity.

There is a misperception among job seekers that opportunities for women in tech exist only for those with coding or engineering experience. To be sure, technology firms do need women with these skills, but they also need women with expertise in other areas, like marketing and finance.

With any previous transition we made with technology, it hasn't been the case that we need less people.

From our earliest days, Booking.com has been deploying technology to help strip the friction out of travel.

Many people think we are a technology company, but we are totally customer-led.

My mother was from an entrepreneurial family and very creative. She always pushed me to take risks, to do things I wouldn't have thought of.

If you run a global business, it's so important that you understand what happens in each place, and you can't do that remotely. I don't want to go anywhere and leave and not have seen the people who work for us. That doesn't feel good.

When you start very young and you start to work, you're going to fail. That's how you learn.

I am a woman, and I am proud to say that I work in technology. But I also recognise that the combination of those two facts puts me in the minority.

India is a fast-growth market and is developing a lot. We continue to increase our partners here and make investments.