Albert Fernando

Group CEO, Travelwings

Albert Fernando is a distinguished leader in the travel industry and the Co-founder and CEO of Travelwings. With a deep passion for technology and travel from a young age, Albert’s curiosity about the profession led him to gain a comprehensive understanding of the industry, starting from the grassroots level. He began his career in the travel industry at just 17 years old, and over the years, he has been fortunate to work across a wide range of roles, including in airlines, retail counters, corporate travel, yield management, sales, commercial, and operations.

 

Before founding Travel-wings, Albert was the Chief Operating Officer of Toptraveltrip.com, where he played a pivotal role in managing the company’s online B2B business. He also served as the Global Head of E-business & Systems at Satguru Travel & Tourism Services, further expanding his expertise in the travel and technology sectors. These diverse experiences allowed Albert to build a solid foundation for his work in the online travel business.

 

Albert’s leadership skills, coupled with his exceptional problem-solving abilities, have enabled him to successfully launch and grow travel businesses across both startup and blue-chip organizations. He has a proven track record of driving growth in both offline and online sectors, particularly targeting the retail and airline industries. His expertise spans travel management, business development, operations management, P&L management, and travel technology.

 

A key motivator for Albert is his desire to create opportunities for people in developing countries, helping them lead better lives. His vision for Travel-wings.com is to provide accessible travel solutions while making a positive impact on the lives of people worldwide. Through his leadership, Albert continues to inspire and drive innovation in the travel industry.

 

Sessions

April 9, Thursday
Venue: Innovation City Cape Town  

 

OTAs: The Next Frontier

 

As we enter The Next 20, online travel agencies face a new frontier shaped by AI interfaces, shifting traveller trust, regional platform strength, and new paths to discovery and booking. Will OTAs become invisible infrastructure, intelligent trip partners, or powerful super-platforms? And as travellers gain more tools and control, how must intermediaries evolve to stay essential? This session brings together global and regional OTA leaders to examine where value will be created next – from product and payments to partnerships and localisation – and how competitive dynamics between global giants and homegrown champions will play out across emerging markets. Expect candid perspectives on what OTAs must reinvent, defend, and double down on in the next era of travel distribution.

 

Speakers:

Andy Hedley, CEO, Travelstart
Albert Fernando, CEO, Travelwings 

Bayo Adedeji, Group Chief Executive Officer, Wakanow

 

Moderator:

Yeoh Siew Hoon, Founder, WiT