Sabre Appoints Deborah Kerr as Technology Officer

Leading global travel technology provider, Sabre, has appointed Deborah Kerr to chief product and technology officer. It was announced Tuesday, March 19.

Formerly with HP and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, she will lead the company’s global technology organization, overseeing innovation, development and delivery of software for airlines, hotels, travel agencies, corporations and travelers.

“Deborah’s extensive technology experience, and proven record of bringing disruptive technology to the marketplace makes her a perfect choice for Sabre,” said Sam Gilliland, chairman and CEO, Sabre Holdings.

“She will build on what we’ve already achieved with our revenue-generating and cost-saving technology, and embed emerging capabilities in areas such as mobile, big data and cloud capabilities, so our customers can stay ahead of the game in travel.”

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Deborah Kerr

Kerr (pictured above) joins Sabre from Fair Isaac (FICO), where she was executive vice president and chief product and technology officer. Prior to that she spent four years at HP, where she was chief technology officer at HP Enterprise Services and also served as vice president of business technology optimization products at HP Software.

Kerr also spent time at Peregrine Systems, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She is an expert on SaaS solutions, technology issues and trends.

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Kerr will lead Sabre’s efforts to innovate in all areas that Sabre serves its customers. Kerr replaces Barry Vandevier, who left in late 2012 to pursue a new opportunity outside the travel industry, according to the company.

Headquartered in Southlake, Texas, Sabre has its operations in 60 countries around the world. It has development and customer care centers in the United States, Argentina, India, Philippines, Poland and Uruguay.