Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy, Innovation & Operating Officer | Forbes Travel Guide
Global Travel & Hospitality C-Suite Executive, Board Member, Advisor, Thought Leader, Speaker, Mentor and Investor.
At Forbes Travel Guide, Stuart drives strategy, innovation, and operations spanning 80+ countries.
Stuart also serves on a number of boards and institutions, including the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council for Responsible and Sustainable Tourism. Stuart previously served as Microsoft’s Senior Executive for Travel & Hospitality and led J.D. Power’s Global Hospitality & Travel group. Stuart also served as the Travel & Hospitality Practice Lead for customer data start-up and now unicorn, Amperity, backed by early investors in Amazon, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Stuart’s global background and leadership experience bringing innovative digital solutions to the travel industry spans his engagement with start-ups, prominent tech companies, top tier consultancies, VCs, private equity, and government. In these roles, Stuart partnered with many of the world’s leading and most loved travel and hospitality brands. Stuart continues to actively engage in the travel start-up community where he serves as a board member, advisor, mentor, and investor helping the industry elevate through innovation.
Stuart is a passionate connector of people, ideas, and opportunities. He is an advocate for female, DE&I, and traditionally underrepresented founders and leaders for which his leadership has been recognized by hertelier, IWTTF (Women in Travel CIC), and Female Founders In Hospitality. Stuart is a dynamic, sought after industry speaker, delivering keynotes, speaking on panels, and appearing in media as an industry expert, including CNBC Squawk on the Street, WSJ, New York Times, CNN, BBC, and other global press as well as industry and trade media such as Skift, Phocuswire, and HNN among others over the years. His thought leadership—on guest experience, social commerce, AI, and Innovation- has been published via industry trade and highly regarded academic institutions, including Cornell’s Center for Hospitality Research.
Stuart started his career at Accenture (Andersen Consulting) and holds an MBA in Strategy and General Management from The Darden School at the University of Virginia. He is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.