Dennis Schaal, Skift
Regarding this particular shareholder proposal on increased transparency about political contributions, the stockholder who mattered the most was Barry Diller. But if the political winds in the U.S. are indeed changing, then corporations may find themselves under increased pressure to be transparent and to do the right thing.
3 weeks ago
Dennis Schaal, Skift
Barry Diller let it rip on Sunday in a wide-ranging interview on the pandemic, calling President Trump a "witch doctor" for his coronavirus treatment recommendations. Whether the subject is Trump or regulation of Google, Diller hasn't been shy about speaking his mind.
2 months ago
Dennis Schaal, Skift
Barry Diller's alleged right to retake control of Expedia Group, after wielding such power for 14 years, is under attack. At the least, the court-ordered delay in allowing him to exercise such rights could cost the Expedia chairman a ton of money.
3 months ago
Dennis Schaal, Skift
Diller and Kern are taking an ax, as promised, to Expedia Group's payroll. This could be just the first round, and the thinking might be: Why sell to private equity, have those folks squeeze out the cost savings, and reshape the business when we can do it ourselves?
4 months ago
Dennis Schaal, Skift
The straight talk from Diller and Kern will likely delight Wall Street and rankle former management and current employees. Employees will have to buy into the new vision if there's any hope it will become reality.
5 months ago
Sean O'Neill and Dennis Schaal, Skift
It increasingly looks like what we expected will happen will come true: Chairman Barry Diller is likely to make Expedia Group's acting boss Peter Kern the permanent CEO. It's very probable, too, that Diller is shopping the online agency giant to potential buyers. But who would buy?
5 months ago
Seth Borko and Dennis Schaal, Skift
When you consider Mark Okerstrom's performance, which will lead to a golden parachute substantially less than what might have been, he can take a bunch of blame — but not for everything. The integration of the Vrbo acquisition was clearly messed up, as was the reorganization. Conversely, he inherited a very tough competitive environment.
6 months ago
Dennis Schaal, Skift
Expedia Group Chairman Barry Diller flew to Seattle to rally the troops. His message to all the employees around the world was, in essence, the sun will rise tomorrow at the travel giant. Impatient investors aren't quite as sure.
7 months ago
Dennis Schaal, Skift
The strategy and vision for the next stage in Expedia Group's life should include sharp departures from the status quo, but rest assured that the company line for the time being will be stability to keep the peace.
7 months ago
Dennis Schaal, Skift
Facing intense competition and a company in disarray, the Expedia Group board and senior executive Barry Diller have no time to dillydally. No one can forecast what the online travel market will look like in the next five years, but Diller et al need to find a couple of top executives who can quickly figure out Expedia's path forward.
7 months ago
Dennis Schaal, Skift
The odds are against this shareholder lawsuit against Barry Diller and the Expedia Group board doing anything to upend Diller's ongoing control of the company, so look for a financial settlement. But the issues raised highlight why good governance groups abhor companies that don't have truly independent directors.
12 months ago
Sean O'Neill and Dennis Schaal, Skift
Expedia will stop being a controlled company after it acquires Liberty, and Barry Diller, chairman of Expedia, will own about 29 percent of the online travel group's voting power. The move makes the company's ownership structure more transparent, which is a good thing.
1 year ago
