Sabre Corporation, a software and technology provider that powers the global travel industry announced the appointment of Rajiv Bhatia as Executive Director, APAC Market Expansion.

Rajiv who has joined Sabre from Bird Group, is expected to be instrumental in further expanding Sabre’s footprint in key growth markets, including India, one of the world’s fastest growing travel marketplaces. 

With extensive experience in the travel space, Rajiv brings a wealth of knowledge to Sabre’s team. He began his career working for Gulf Air and Thai Airways. Most recently, he was chief commercial officer of Bird Group’s India GDS business, where he served for 16 years.

“With over 40 years of experience in the travel industry, we’re confident Rajiv will help us to accelerate growth in India and other key markets across the wider APAC region,” said Brett Thorstad, Vice President, Agency Sales & Airline Distribution, Asia Pacific. “We are focused on fostering strategic partnerships and delivering exceptional value to our customers, and Rajiv shares this vision. Our partners will benefit from his wealth of knowledge and experience.”

“This is a great time to be joining Sabre’s enthusiastic team as they look to drive further growth across APAC,” said Rajiv. 

“Rajiv has significant experience in building customer relationships and a stellar reputation in the marketplace. Sabre is building momentum in India and South Asia, and I look forward to leveraging his experience and customer focus as we continue our rapid growth in these markets,” said Sam Machado, Managing Director, India, and South Asia.