April 3, 2019 (Newport Beach, California) — BirchStreet Systems today announced the addition of Jo Stanford to their growing team in Europe, Middle East, Africa, and India (EMEAI) region. With over 15 years of hands-on executive-level positions in hospitality operations, IT and finance at De Vere Hotels, combined with five years of leading the EMEAI and the Asia Pacific hospitality technology operations at Newmarket International and Amadeus Hospitality, Stanford brings deep knowledge of understanding customer’s needs and delivering enterprise-level software and services around the world.

In her new role at BirchStreet, Stanford will work directly with the company’s Managing Director EMEAI, Dan Hiza, and BirchStreet’s worldwide CEO, Steve Markle, to focus on key accounts in the region and bring the BirchStreet platform to hospitality organisations with a need to control their procure-to-pay operations.

“I’m personally very excited to have Jo join the BirchStreet EMEAI team,” commented EMEAI’s Managing Director, Dan Hiza. “Jo’s background at De Vere Hotels as the group IT Director saw her drive change across the organisation by matching the company’s operational needs to high-performing technology solutions to increase revenues, reduce costs and improve operational efficiencies. Furthermore, Jo’s time at Newmarket and Amadeus Hospitality provided her with a deep understanding of enterprise-level solution delivery from the technology provider’s side. Hence, she will be an invaluable leader in understanding client’s needs in EMEAI and helping them gain the greatest benefits and ROI from the BirchStreet platform.”

Steve Markle, BirchStreet’s CEO added “Jo brings decades of industry knowledge from both the customer-side and technology-side, and has a strong reputation in the industry as a true thought-leader. As we continue to grow our company in EMEAI, the Asia Pacific and the Americas, our goal is to bring on the very best team we can to satisfy our existing customers and grow into new markets. Jo will definitely help us achieve our collective goals,” said Markle.

“The opportunity to join BirchStreet now is very exciting,” Stanford commented. “I have worked with Dan both as a customer at De Vere and as a colleague at Newmarket and Amadeus, and am greatly looking forward to building the BirchStreet business with the team in EMEAI. Having implemented Procure-to-Pay solutions in the past, I know the power that a solid platform can bring into a hotel and restaurant organisation. I also realise the impact on cost reduction, operational efficiency, and potential revenue streams when companies get control of their procurement, AP, Invoicing and Inventory Management processes. BirchStreet definitely ticks all the boxes.”

Stanford holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Liverpool in the UK.