Travelport has grown its investment to 55 per cent in fast-growing Australian corporate travel technology company, Locomote, becoming its majority shareholder.

Travelport’s investment is an integral part of its on-going strategy to redefine travel commerce to address previously unmet needs - in this case
through the provision of state of the art digital and mobile services for business travellers.

Following the increased investment, Travelport, and Locomote founding investor and chief executive, Philip Weinman, have jointly named Sandra McLeod as Locomote new chief executive, while Weinman steps into a role as vice chairman.

McLeod brings to Locomote 25 years of highly varied, international experience within travel technology achieved during her career at Travelport; most recently as group vice president for global accounts.

In this role, McLeod had overall global responsibility for developing and executing a customer-focused strategy to service, support and help grow Travelport’s business with its largest global travel management companies, as well as building direct relationships with the corporate travel buyers and in house travel managers at several of the world’s biggest corporations.

In his new role Weinman will also provide broader strategic counsel and guidance to Travelport on its wider mobile and digital services strategy.

Meanwhile, Philip Emery, Travelport chief financial officer, has been appointed as chairman of the Locomote board.

All appointments take immediate effect with McLeod transitioning into her new role based in Melbourne in the New Year.

Travelport president Gordon Wilson said: “Corporate travel needs and demands, content, and the demographic make-up of travellers are all changing rapidly.

“Travelport intends to be at the forefront of these changes as we deploy our content and technology assets to address them.

“Locomote, which approached the market with a clean slate and a fresh approach, is a key part of how we envision the future.

“What has been done here is consistent with the vision that Philip Weinman and I mapped out together when we first began our association in 2013.”