Quick Buzz Feed
Choice Hotels appoints CVS Health's Ali Keshavarz, a data and AI expert with McKinsey and Aetna backgrounds, to its board to support AI-driven growth across its franchise portfolio.
Choice Hotels International, a leading global lodging franchisor, announced the appointment of Ali Keshavarz to its Board of Directors. Keshavarz currently serves as the President and Chief Data & Analytics Officer of CVS Health, where he spearheads the enterprise strategy for data, analytics, and the integration of artificial intelligence across all business segments. His prior roles include serving as Chief Analytics Officer for Aetna and CVS Caremark, where he was instrumental in establishing and scaling advanced enterprise data and analytics capabilities. Before his tenure at CVS Health, Keshavarz dedicated over a decade to McKinsey, providing strategic counsel to clients on data-driven transformation initiatives and co-founding the firm's healthcare analytics practice. He holds an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School and a B.A. in mathematics and economics from Northwestern University. His appointment is expected to significantly bolster Choice Hotels' strategic initiatives in leveraging data and AI for future growth.
Stewart Bainum Jr., Chairman of the Choice Hotels International Board of Directors, expressed enthusiasm for Keshavarz's addition to the board. He highlighted Ali Keshavarz as a highly accomplished leader whose extensive experience and profound expertise in artificial intelligence will be invaluable. Bainum Jr. emphasized that Keshavarz's insights will play a crucial role in advancing Choice Hotels International's long-term growth strategy. This strategic appointment is also aimed at continually creating enhanced value for the company's diverse stakeholders, including its franchise owners, guests, and shareholders, by integrating cutting-edge AI capabilities into the core business operations.
Dominic Dragisich, the interim chief executive officer of Choice Hotels International, underscored Ali Keshavarz's impressive background, noting his proven track record in spearheading enterprise-wide data, analytics, and AI transformation at a large scale. Dragisich conveyed the company's anticipation of benefiting significantly from Keshavarz's unique perspective. He articulated the expectation that Keshavarz's expertise will be instrumental in continuing to drive robust growth for the company, improving unit economics for hotel owners within the franchise portfolio, and effectively leveraging the transformative power of artificial intelligence across all facets of the business operations. This signals a strong commitment from Choice Hotels to infuse AI into its strategic framework for competitive advantage.