Welcome back, Chris Burgess! Our ‘Boomerang’ Vice President of Infrastructure and Corporate IT returns to Expedia Group with nearly two decades of experience as an Expedian. From Seattle to London, Chris has powered global travel. After a brief hiatus, he returned to EG in 2024 to oversee our infrastructure and network connectivity, across Cloud and Hybrid data centers, as well as the technology tools our employees use.

Tell us about your career journey at Expedia Group?

When I first joined Expedia Group, we had around 30 employees in Europe. Now we have thousands in the London office and tens of thousands globally. 

My career at EG has had two phases. The first phase is my (almost) 20 years of growing up here, both personally and professionally. I met my wife at EG, traveled and worked in multiple locations, and progressed to different roles as the company grew. I relocated to our Seattle HQ for my first management opportunity, spent 4 years there, and my daughter was born during that time. Seattle is a fantastic place to live with its water, mountains, and skiing. We then moved back to the UK, and I helped combine several London offices into our current Angel building. 

A couple of years ago I left EG for a new opportunity but returned in 2024, marking the second phase of my journey. So that’s where we are today. 

Why did you decide to come back to Expedia Group?

I came back for several reasons: 

Leadership. Our new CEO, Ariane Gorin, and her team were a strong draw for me. Throughout my EG career, I’ve learned from impactful leaders who combine empathy with a focus on results. 

Culture. My time away highlighted how special our culture is. The people are incredible, and we embrace all points of view. We empower people to be their genuine selves, to explore, and to grow. 

Technology. We’re leveraging cutting-edge technology for employees and travelers, using the latest in generative AI and other new tech. Our cloud infrastructure allows us to innovate, to scale, and to drive efficiency globally. 

Travel. Travel connects people and empowers rich experiences. Whether you’re at Expedia Group or not, you have a story or memory related to travel. We enable and connect those experiences, which is pretty cool. 

The only downside is my family are now often asking me for ‘family & friends’ travel discount codes! 

Tell us about your current role and your team.

As VP of Infrastructure and Corporate IT, I oversee the technology and tools our business uses. My responsibilities span connectivity to our cloud and infrastructure components, and within the cloud to our hybrid data centers. The corporate IT side includes all the tools and technology our employees use daily to stay productive and collaborate. 

Our team is global, and I see us as a commodity. When everything works, you don’t notice us; when it doesn’t, you do. We ensure seamless connectivity and security for Expedians, protecting them online without adding friction. Protecting employees online when they don’t know it, I think that’s a real art for teams within IT. And like many teams, we value the power of the reboot – sometimes resetting a device does just work! 

What is your leadership style?

My leadership style is about being genuine. I’ve learned the most from leaders who are themselves. Transparency, frequent communication, caring, and empathy are important to me. The culture here allows you to be your genuine self. Including diverse voices in your team is also key, and ensuring there’s space for growth, belonging, mistakes, and learning. I’ve had great success in establishing new leaders, just as someone took a chance on me. Lastly, being in it together and delivering outcomes, with accountability for delivery, is crucial. 

What is your favorite Expedia Group value?

Go Get What’s Next. Technology moves so quickly. If we stand still, don’t iterate, and don’t embrace the new we’ll be left behind, both as a company and as an employer of choice. That’s why this value resonates with me, we are ambitious, forward-thinking, and are shaping an exciting future for travel. 

Join our Career Network

We’re looking for outstanding talent to join us on our mission to power global travel for everyone, everywhere. By joining our career network, you’ll have exclusive access to our latest opportunities, events, interview advice, and global insights from our Expedia Group leaders. Sign up now!