With over 35 years of international and domestic experience, Werner Georg Kunz-Cho stands out as a dynamic professional in the travel industry. After five years as Co-CEO and three years as CEO, Werner currently is serving as the Vice Chairman of Fareportal, Inc., a prominent travel technology company, Werner has been instrumental in leading the enterprise’s global operations, supplier relations, marketing, and financial strategies. His proven track record includes restructuring teams for agility, negotiating complex agreements, and consistently surpassing sales targets, driving annual sales volume to over $5 billion.
Werner’s leadership extends beyond Fareportal, besides having been on the board of Fareportal for the past eight and a half years, as he also serves on the Board of Directors for Tourism Cares focusing on the sustainability initiatives within the travel industry. During his tenure as Chief Operating Officer, he managed a workforce of over 3,500 employees globally, achieving remarkable year-on-year growth in booking volume and revenue. In his previous role as CEO of One Travel, Werner negotiated contracts with major travel service providers, planned budgets, and successfully launched a new website generating gross sales of over $350 million.
Prior to his current roles, Werner held key positions such as Chief Strategy Officer at Fareportal, President of JetLine Private, and Vice President of Business Development at Lufthansa Systems. His achievements include negotiating partnerships resulting in gross sales of $1.3 billion, conducting strategic acquisitions, and developing innovative business models in the aviation sector.
Werner’s career highlights also include serving as Managing Director of Marketing and Sales at the Belgian airline City Bird, where he doubled traffic in Business Class and increased overall revenue through strategic initiatives. As General Manager of North America for Balair/CTA, Swissair’s low-cost leisure airline he introduced direct passenger sales, maximized advertising budgets, and created new revenue streams through regularly scheduled flight operation as well as luxury charters and international relief missions.
Werner Kunz-Cho’s educational background includes formal classical music education in Zurich, Switzerland, reflecting his diverse interests. Fluent in English and German, Werner is a Swiss and American citizen and a passionate advocate for classical music and outdoor activities.
As a transformative leader, negotiator, and strategic visionary, Werner Georg Kunz-Cho continues to shape the landscape of the international travel industry with innovation and bottom-line results.
Character: Werner Georg Kunz-Cho is a seasoned international travel industry professional known for his integrity, leadership, and effective team management skills.
Knowledge: With over 35 years of extensive experience, Werner demonstrates a profound understanding of the travel industry, negotiating complex agreements, and implementing innovative business models.
Strategic: Werner’s strategic acumen is evident in his roles as CEO and COO, where he consistently achieved and exceeded business objectives, negotiates global agreements, and leads restructuring efforts for enhanced agility.
Communication: An effective multilingual communicator, Werner ensures seamless global operations, successfully negotiates with stakeholders, and articulates clear business objectives for his teams, fostering a culture of collaboration and achievement.
