South Florida Tech HubSouth Florida Tech Hub
09
Apr, 2023

By Nikki Cabus

Lisa Lutoff-Perlo retires from Celebrity Cruises welcoming a new President

Read Time 4 Minutes

Just days ago, Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) announced that after an illustrious tenure at the helm, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, current President and CEO of Celebrity Cruises, will be stepping down from her role. 

Lisa will transition to Vice Chair of External Affairs for Royal Caribbean Group, effective May 1, 2023. In her new role, Lutoff-Perlo will continue reporting to Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty. Laura Hodges Bethge will become the next brand President of Celebrity Cruises.

Celebrity Cruises’ iconic “X” is the mark of a fleet of 15 relaxed luxury resorts at sea taking guests to the world’s best places on the world’s best places. Celebrity revolutionized the industry with its cool, contemporary design and accommodation; dining, spa, and entertainment experiences for modern tastes; and culturally rich and diverse destination experiences, all complemented by warm, personalized service. Driven by wanderlust and a passion for opening the world, Celebrity journeys to all seven continents, visiting nearly 300 destinations in more than 70 countries. Celebrity Cruises is one of five cruise brands owned by one of the leading cruise companies in the world, Royal Caribbean Group.

“Lisa has been instrumental in transforming the Celebrity Cruises brand to what it is today,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group.

“From helping us introduce the revolutionary Edge Series of ships to advancing the role of women in maritime careers, Lisa has had an incredible career during her time leading Celebrity Cruises, and multiple parts of our Royal Caribbean International brand. I have had the pleasure of working with Lisa for almost 18 years, and I know her expertise will be invaluable as she transitions to serve as my Vice Chair, External Affairs.”

Lutoff-Perlo’s remarkable career with Royal Caribbean Group began in 1985 with her first role as a district sales manager and she went on to trailblaze a legacy of firsts. Along the way, she also led Celebrity Cruises to record growth, revenue, and profit, and she championed the brand’s evolution into the incredible cruise line it is today. Under her leadership, Celebrity Cruises welcomed four new award-winning ships, and underwent the Celebrity Revolution, one of the largest fleet revitalization projects in the industry.

In 2005, Lutoff-Perlo became Celebrity’s first female senior vice president of hotel operations. In 2012, she was named executive vice president of operations for Royal Caribbean International, the first woman in the industry to oversee both hotel and marine operations. Two short years later, she was the first woman appointed to president and CEO of one of Royal Caribbean Group’s brands.

“I would also like to congratulate Laura for her appointment as the next brand president of Celebrity Cruises,” Liberty added. “With her operational experience, business acumen and deep understanding of our company and the cruise industry, I know Laura is the right person to lead Celebrity Cruises to its next phases of growth.”

“It has always been difficult for me to imagine leaving the incredible Celebrity brand, but the time is right for me to start an exciting new chapter and turn the helm over to a new leader,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo.

“It has been my great honor to lead this brand and work alongside the phenomenal Celebrity shoreside team and crew. Together, our accomplishments have been extraordinary. I’m excited to now work closely with Jason on broader initiatives as we sail toward an even brighter future.”

In a recent social media post, Lisa thanked the community around her for supporting her through some wonderful achievements and important milestones such as being “the first woman at the Royal Caribbean Group to hold the President and CEO position, launching the extraordinary Edge Series of ships to great acclaim, helped catalyze gender equity on the bridges of our ships, sail through a pandemic and come out on the other side with Celebrity Edge leading the way for the industry’s triumphant return, and then become the first cruise brand to earn the coveted Forbes Travel Guide star rating.”

“Throughout it all, you were steadfast champions of me and this brand. In fact, we wouldn’t be the strong, remarkable brand we are today without your support,” she wrote in her post to the community. “And, if I can ask anything of you as I prepare to pass the baton at the end of the month, it is to continue to champion this great brand, its new leadership and the team.’

Laurie Sallarullo, President & CEO of Junior Achievement of South Florida, commented, “You are a tremendous inspiration to so many Lisa Lutoff-Perlo! From the moment I met you, heard your story and felt your passion I was enamored!!! You have broken the mold and removed barriers for women! I wish you fun, freedom and fulfillment in this next chapter. Thank you for your friendship! Congratulations!”

Laura Hodges Bethge, currently Executive Vice President of Shared Services Operations, will become the next brand President of Celebrity Cruises. She has been with the company more than 23 years and has held senior positions in many different areas including product development, hotel and marine operations, sales, marketing, product innovation, market development and investor relations.

Laura is an exemplary leader with a long history of success at the company. Previously, she was Senior Vice President of Product Development for Royal Caribbean International, and led the teams conceptualizing their groundbreaking ships, private island destinations, and new experiences introduced throughout the award-winning fleet, including the first island in Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day Island Collection – Perfect Day at CocoCay.

“Now 15 ships strong, this is an exciting time for Celebrity Cruises,” said Laura Hodges Bethge.

“This year alone, we’ll be welcoming Celebrity Ascent, and reaching key construction milestones in the yet-to-be-named fifth ship in the revolutionary Edge Series. I look forward to building on the incredible achievements of Lisa and this world class team, as we continue to break boundaries and chart new courses in the industry.”

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14
Jun, 2021

By Riley Kaminer

Royal Carribean’s Martha Poulter named CIO of the Year

Read Time 3 Minutes

Martha Poulter, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Royal Caribbean, has received an 2021 Miami CIO of the Year ORBIE Award in the Global category.

Poulter was recognized for taking an innovative approach to drive business for the cruise line during one of its toughest years.

“We are very excited and encouraged by winning this award,” Poulter told Tech Hub South Florida. “This is great recognition coming out of a period that was really challenging for this industry.”

She said the award reflects the success of her team above all: “it’s rewarding because I think it’s a great reflection of what the organization and the team has accomplished.”

The award’s selection process is competitive. It requires sponsorship from CEOs and includes rigorous interviews with past winners.

Poulter explained that the CIO touches all aspects of Royal Caribbean’s business, dealing with a diverse range of stakeholders. From customers to engineers and external vendors, it is Poulter’s responsibility to ensure that technology is being deployed effectively. 

You might be surprised to learn the diverse, innovative ways Royal Caribbean uses technology. For instance, they are tackling food waste using technology. And every ship has a data center on board.

Three main factors drive Poulter’s strategy as CIO: financials, regulatory issues, and innovation. “We always think about the financial impact, whether it’s top line or bottom line – thinking how does something we do affect the balance sheet,” Poulter said.

Regulation in such a complex industry is also crucial, according to Poulter. This broad category includes sensitive issues such as data privacy laws.

When it comes to innovation, Poulter said that in many cases she looks at a technology and “can’t quantify” its value yet “knows it’s important to invest.” That investment can take many forms – procuring from a third-party vendor, building it in-house, and anything in between.

Poulter expressed excitement around a few technologies in particular. “There’s lots of interest in the new entrants into the satellite space,” she said. Royal Caribbean is always looking to “push more bandwidth to consumers through untethered solutions.” Connectivity is key, Poulter says, in a context where their main products are “non-static, small floating cities.” She was particularly optimistic about SpaceX and Amazon’s foray into satellites.

Miniaturization is another key tech trend that Poulter is following. It’s the idea that tech is getting smaller. Poulter offered the example of “smaller sensors and other devices that you are able to draw information from.” She said that these technologies can bring significant cost savings to Royal Caribbean in cases where they can shorten maintenance downtimes and optimize fuel consumption.

Royal Carribean is headquartered in Miami, with its tech campus in Miramar. Poulter said that South Florida’s growth as a tech hub is “only good news” for companies based in our region.

“Three years ago it didn’t feel the same way,” she said, explaining that today’s tech ecosystem feels much more vibrant.

From an employer’s perspective, Poulter said that “you have to be able to attract the talent, and have people understand that they can have a great lifestyle and a great career here.” Previously, she explained that talent might be concerned about their career trajectory in South Florida. In her view that is now changing, with an increasing talent pool bringing more opportunities to the region. “This is what we need – it’s what we’ve yearned for,” she said.

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Lisa Lutoff-Perlo retires from Celebrity Cruises welcoming a new President
Royal Carribean’s Martha Poulter named CIO of the Year