Introducing the Skift Live Advisory Council

As the global travel industry navigates rapid technological change, geopolitical shifts, and evolving traveler demand, Skift today announced the launch of its inaugural Skift Live Advisory Council: a new initiative designed to strengthen Skift’s global events programming through deeper, more structured engagement with industry leaders across hospitality, aviation, destinations, travel technology, and investment.

Skift Live is Skift’s global events business, convening senior leaders across travel sectors through flagship forums and summits around the world. Since launching Skift Global Forum in 2014, Skift’s live events have welcomed more than 25,000 attendees globally.

“This Council reflects the depth and diversity of voices shaping the future of global travel,” commented Rafat Ali, Founder and CEO of Skift. “Skift has long been a platform for industry dialogue, and this Council helps us deepen those conversations by creating a collaborative exchange that directly informs and elevates our global live events.”

The Advisory Council establishes a more formal, ongoing framework for incorporating real-world perspectives into Skift programming, while final editorial control, programming decisions, and speaker selection remain fully with Skift. Council members will share insight on emerging trends, regional dynamics, and evolving business priorities, helping ensure Skift’s events remain relevant, forward-looking, and grounded in industry realities.

“We’re thrilled to welcome this exceptional group of industry leaders to help shape Skift’s programming in 2026,” said Brian Quinn, Vice President of Editorial Events at Skift. “Their perspectives will help ensure our events remain closely connected to the challenges and opportunities facing the travel industry.”

2026 Skift Live Advisory Council Members

• Ranju Alex — CEO, South Asia, Accor
• Muzzammil Ahussain — CEO, Almosafer
• Zina Bencheikh — Managing Director, EMEA, Intrepid Travel
• Gilad Berenstein — Founder, Brook Bay Capital
• Nelson Boyce — Managing Director, Travel, Google
• Leah Chandler — Chief Marketing Officer, Brand USA
• Royce Chwin — President & CEO, Destination Vancouver
• Dipak Deva — Managing Director, SITA India
• Sarah Dines — Chief Commercial Officer, Viator
• Ian Di Tullio — Chief Commercial Officer, Minor Hotels
• Fatih Durmaz — VP of the Americas, Turkish Airlines
• Laura Fuentes — EVP, Chief Human Resources Officer, Hilton
• Adam Harris — CEO, Cloudbeds
• Laura Houldsworth — Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Booking.com
• Juha Järvinen — Chief Customer Officer, Virgin Atlantic
• Tamara Lohan — Founder & Chair, Mr & Mrs Smith
• Hari Nair — SVP and General Manager, Hotels.com 
• Greg O’Hara — Founder and Senior Managing Director, Certares
• David Peller — Founder, If Not You
• Ankur Randev — Chief Commercial Officer, Highgate
• Miguel Sanz — Director General, TURESPAÑA
• Matthew Upchurch — CEO, Virtuoso
• Michael Zeisser — Managing Partner, FMZ Ventures

Shaping Skift Live Events in 2026 and Beyond

Insights from the Advisory Council will inform programming across Skift Live’s 2026 calendar, including Skift India Intelligence Summit (March 26), Skift Asia Forum (April 28-29), Skift Data + AI Summit (June 3), and Skift Global Forum (September 22-24), with additional events to be announced.

With the Council’s guidance, Skift Live will continue to convene senior leaders around timely, business-critical conversations shaping the future of travel.

Learn more and register for upcoming events at Live.Skift.com.