Investing.com -- The Priceline Group (NASDAQ:PCLN) announced on Friday that Priceline.com CEO Paul Hennessy has resigned to pursue an e-commerce opportunity outside of the travel space.
Hennessy, who became the CEO of The Priceline Group last April, will be succeeded immediately by interim CEO Brett Keller. A 17-year executive of Priceline.com, Keller has served in a variety of leadership positions for the Norwalk, Connecticut-based company including Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer.
"We could not be more fortunate to have Brett, a 17-year veteran of the business, step into the role of interim CEO of Priceline.com," said Jeffrey Boyd, interim CEO of The Priceline Group. "I am confident that his expertise in all facets of the Priceline.com business and his passion for the brand will ensure a seamless transition upon Paul's departure, and I look forward to working with Brett as we continue to pursue this iconic brand's evolution in a changing marketplace. We thank Paul for his dedication to the Group over the last 16 years."
Before coming to Priceline.com, Keller headed Cendant's online travel business portfolio as director of its Online Travel division. Keller, a member of the Board of Directors at Broadridge Financial Solutions, received an MBA from Cornell University's Johnson School of Management and an undergraduate degree in Japanese from Brigham Young University.
"Priceline.com has a long history of bringing its loyal customer base the absolute best deals in travel," Keller said in a statement. "I have been a part of this journey alongside the Priceline.com leadership team and Jeff Boyd for many years and look forward to continued product innovation, further adapting and innovating around our passion to deliver customers the best deals across all digital platforms."
Shares in The Priceline Group inched up 0.29 or 0.02% to $1,302.00 in after-hours trading.