Travelport Names John Mangelaars COO & Deputy CEO

Travelport, a global distribution system (GDS) provider, has announced the appointment of John Mangelaars as chief operating officer and deputy CEO. Mangelaars will succeed John Elieson, who is stepping down on Sept. 30.

Travelport is a U.K.-based travel technology company that operates an independent marketplace connecting airlines, hotels, car rental companies, travel agencies, and other industry partners. Its platforms focus on distributing and managing travel content while supporting retailing and booking across multiple channels.

John Mangelaars joins Travelport with more than 30 years of experience, including over a decade in C-suite positions with major travel technology companies. Most recently, he served as CEO at Skyscanner from 2021 to 2025, and previously was CEO at Travix International (2013 to 2021).

“John joins us at an inflection point for the travel industry,” said Greg Webb, CEO of Travelport. “We’ve established ourselves as the Modern Retailing platform that agencies trust and suppliers choose, and we’re just getting started.” 

In his new role, Mangelaars will focus on strengthening relationships with the company’s global customer base, driving growth, and building on Travelport’s position as a leading modern retailing platform. He will also be responsible for ensuring the company delivers the scale, reliability, and innovation that agencies and suppliers require in a competitive marketplace, while supporting Travelport’s broader strategy of simplifying travel retailing.

“Travelport is shifting the industry conversation from ‘legacy vs. new’ to ‘proven vs. experimental,'” said Mangelaars. “Our unique ability to handle billions of transactions, while innovating at the speed of modern retail, creates an exciting foundation for growth.”