In this episode of Pod Leaders, host Rachael Thornton sits down with Massimo Morin, the Global Head of Travel at AWS. Massimo shares his journey in the travel and hospitality sector, starting the AWS travel and hospitality practice seven and a half years ago with a small team focused on transforming the industry through cloud technology.
He reflects on the significant changes he's witnessed, particularly during the pandemic, and discusses the emergence of major players in the travel space, such as Booking.com and Expedia.
Prior to AWS, Massimo worked at Google, where he launched Google Flight and Hotel Ads in EMEA, offering insights into the contrasting approaches of Google and Amazon in the travel domain.
Tune in to learn about Massimo's experiences and the future of travel technology.
00:00:00 - Introduction and Welcome
00:00:30 - Massimo's Background and Journey
00:00:48 - Starting at AWS
00:01:11 - Industry Changes and Major Players
00:01:33 - Experience at Google
00:02:05 - Early Career at ITA Software
00:02:28 - Innovations in Airline Pricing and Shopping
00:03:01 - Role as Consulting Engineer
00:03:34 - Academic Background and Early Interests
00:04:06 - Planning Malpensa 2000 Airport
00:04:48 - Impact of Small Changes in the Industry
00:05:00 - Moving to the US and Early Career
00:05:21 - Developing Maintenance Planning Software
00:05:55 - Pursuing a Master's at MIT
00:06:16 - Career Challenges Post-9/11
00:07:10 - Transition to Airline Operations
00:08:05 - Joining ITA Software
00:08:16 - Industry Roller Coaster and Opportunities
00:09:00 - Moving to the US and Cultural Adjustments
00:09:45 - Curiosity and Enthusiasm for New Experiences
00:10:07 - Early Impressions of the US
00:10:29 - Initial Challenges and Support
00:11:05 - Settling in Boston
00:12:00 - Working at ITA Software
00:12:46 - Learning from Smart Colleagues
00:13:08 - Diverse and Talented Team
00:14:00 - Educating and Communicating with Customers
00:14:39 - Developing Comparison Shopping Solutions
00:15:00 - Pitching to Amadeus
00:16:05 - Partnerships and Alliances
00:17:02 - Success with Major Airlines
00:18:12 - Complexity in the Airline Industry
00:19:08 - Innovations in the Airline Industry
00:20:03 - Impact of Low-Cost Carriers
00:20:25 - Challenges in Keeping Up with Customer Expectations
00:21:32 - AWS's Role in Industry Transformation
00:22:06 - Working with Major Airlines
00:23:02 - Transition from Google to AWS
00:24:08 - United Airlines' Innovations
00:25:00 - Generative AI in Airline Operations
00:26:14 - Ryanair's Panini Predictor
00:27:09 - Catering Challenges for Ryanair
00:28:12 - Reducing Waste and Increasing Revenue
00:28:23 - EasyJet's Scalability Solutions
00:29:06 - Understanding the Customer
00:30:09 - Challenges in Data Integration
00:31:02 - Building a Single View of the Customer
00:32:07 - Leveraging Data for Personalization
00:33:03 - Innovation in the Travel Industry
00:34:03 - Massimo's Favorite Tech and Reading Habits
00:35:17 - Importance of Personal Touch in Technology
00:35:34 - Favorite Food and Cooking
00:36:36 - Favorite Travel Destinations
00:38:01 - Memorable Travel Experiences
00:38:12 - Closing Remarks and Future Plans