Gillian Tans

As a company, we believe in free and open borders. We feel this best facilitates the exchange of cultural values and ideas. ”

Typically, I get to the office around eight o'clock. I have a very mixed schedule, and I always try to keep time for things that are not planned. You need time for whatever might pop up in the week. ”

I found the Internet really fascinating. ”

The move to Internet-enable travel booking is creating massive convenience, efficiency, and savings for consumers. ”

We have many accommodation owners - people who own small hotels, villas and bungalows - and the digital economy has opened up a world of possibility for these business owners. Now, they can sell to and communicate with people around the world, and where Booking.com comes in is to help these accommodation owners adapt to the digital world. ”

Tech is a key driver of social and economic change, and around the world, women like me are transforming businesses, industries, and communities. ”

As a company powered by technology and digital innovation, Booking.com believes strongly in ensuring equal access and opportunity for all within the technology sector. ”

Technology's great, but you can only be as good in technology as your people are. ”

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. ”