Judy Hendrick to retire as CFO with Jim Shepherd named her successor and John Pelant named EVP, Chief Experience & Technology Officer.
CWT, the global business travel and meetings specialist, today announced three leadership changes, effective April 1, 2023.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Judy Hendrick will be retiring as of July 1, 2023, at which point Senior Vice President, Corporate Finance Jim Shepherd will become CWT’s Executive Vice President (EVP) & Chief Financial Officer. In the interim, effective April 1, 2023, Jim will be appointed CWT’s Deputy Chief Financial Officer and will transition with Judy, who will stay on as EVP and CFO until her retirement.
Chief Technology Officer, John Pelant has been named EVP, Chief Experience & Technology Officer, effective April 1, 2023, with responsibility for a new function that combines Traveler Experience and Product & Technology. Derek Sharp, current EVP & Chief Traveler Experience Officer, will be leaving the company to pursue new career opportunities, as will Belinda Hindmarsh, EVP & Chief Growth Officer, whereby her responsibilities will be integrated into other functions.
“Business travel is rapidly changing, and we need to adapt our operations and business model to ensure we continue to win, retain and service clients successfully. These changes create a realigned executive leadership team structure that better supports our strategic priorities, and underscores CWT’s ability to develop outstanding talent with the right skills to transform our organization,” commented Patrick Andersen, President & Chief Executive Officer of CWT.
“Given our technology-centric operations, John is uniquely qualified to lead both the technology innovation efforts and the travel experience for our customers. Jim has an incredibly strong background, bringing more than 20 years of experience in finance, strategy, operational excellence, and delivering stakeholder value for large companies. Jim and John’s leadership will be critical to scaling our business, driving long-term profitability and value creation. I look forward to continuing to work alongside Jim and John, and the rest of the Executive Leadership Team, as the Company enters its next chapter.”
Patrick Andersen concluded, “On behalf of the Board, we thank Judy, Derek, and Belinda. We are grateful to Judy for her expertise in partnering with our investors and our Board of Directors as we continue to position CWT for future success; Derek for his great leadership in Meetings & Events, RoomIt and then Traveler Experience; and Belinda for her stellar contributions leading Global Sales Effectiveness, Global Market Management & Market Development, RoomIt, China, and then the Growth Organization.”
About John Pelant: John Pelant joined CWT in 1991 and has held various leadership positions, with both global and Americas remits, most recently leading the Product and Technology organization as Executive Vice President & Chief Technology Officer. He is responsible for delivering on the company’s strategy for our external and internal product capabilities servicing our customers. John is also a board member for the Orphaned Starfish Foundation, a member of the Defenders Circle at Thorn, and leads the CWT Responsible Business program in the Americas. John holds a Bachelor of Science degree from St. John’s University in Minnesota.
About Jim Shepherd: Jim Shepherd joined CWT in 2022 as Senior Vice President, Corporate Finance. He serves as a member of CWT's Finance Leadership Team and is responsible for the delivery of analysis, decision support, and leadership of Financial Planning and Analysis as well as the Finance business partnerships to the global operating functions of CWT. Jim brings more than 20 years senior leadership experience in the areas of finance, strategy, and operational excellence, delivering shareholder value and strategic impact for Fortune 500 companies. He joined CWT via Medtronic, where he served as the Vice President of Strategy and Transformation for Global Operations and Supply Chain. Jim holds a Masters in Business Administration from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a Bachelor of Science from Miami University (OH).
CWT is a global business travel and meetings specialist, with whom companies and governments partner to keep their people connected, in traditional business locations and some of the most remote and inaccessible parts of the globe. A private company – owned through funds managed by a group of leading global financial institutions including Barings, MacKay Shields, and Monarch Alternative Capital – CWT provides its customers’ employees with innovative technology and an efficient, safe and sustainable travel experience.