Andrew J. Arthurs is chief information officer of Aimbridge Hospitality, the global leader in third-party hotel management. He joined the company in 2019 as a result of the merger between Aimbridge and Interstate Hotels & Resorts, where he was CIO. Prior to Interstate, Arthurs was chief information officer at Two Roads Hospitality. He also held various IT leadership positions at Vail Resorts, where he spent 13 years. He began his career in hospitality technology as a college intern for Springer-Miller Systems.
Since joining Aimbridge Hospitality, Arthurs has overseen several strategic initiatives, including a major investment in data and analytics. Arthurs said that one of the accomplishments he is most proud of is the internal development of a platform that has enabled the company to shift to a data-driven culture. “By providing our team with self-service tools, we’re putting the power of data into the hands of our most knowledgeable users rather than relying on IT for data requests,” he said.
Arthurs partnered with finance to kick off a robotic process automation initiative aimed at helping the company improve its back-office capabilities and enabling business partners to address a variety of operational challenges. Moreover, he is leading the charge for digital transformation, which translates to widespread technology adoptions and improvements for both employees and guests. On the employee side, Aimbridge recently upgraded its applicant tracking and onboarding systems. On the guest side, the focus is on contactless solutions that enable a frictionless guest journey, which led the company in February to select a new AI-powered guest engagement platform for its properties in North America. The Medallia Zingle solution will enable Aimbridge properties to deliver high-touch, brand-differentiated experiences in real time. What’s more, the collaboration offers custom workflows based on each hotel’s specific needs and includes several new integrations between the messaging platform and Aimbridge Hospitality’s property management systems.
Arthurs has assembled a high-performing IT organization, bringing in people as needed to fill key roles – such as the recent hiring of a chief information security officer – and focusing on talent development. “I want to provide an environment where every team member has an opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way,” he said.
His business philosophy is straightforward: Enable business outcomes with technology. Arthurs said, “I frequently tell my team, ‘Show me the business strategy, and I’ll show you the IT strategy.’”
Aimbridge Hospitality is moving into its new headquarters, providing associates and visitors with a tech-forward, collaborative office experience.
