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UK: European managed vacation rental business Awaze has announced that CEO Henrik Kjellberg will depart his role “at the end of this month”.
Kjellberg, who has held the position of CEO since 2018, confirmed the news when approached exclusively by STRz earlier today.
Awaze announced that chief financial officer [CFO] Matthew Price would lead the business until the appointment of a new CEO.
A spokesperson for Awaze said: “We can confirm that Henrik Kjellberg will be leaving Awaze at the end of this month. During his six years as CEO Henrik has cemented the company’s position as Europe’s leading vacation rental management business; expanding Awaze’s product portfolio, modernising its technology stack, and strengthening our guest and owner experiences. He has helped build very strong foundations for the long-term success of Awaze and we are very excited about 2025 and further strengthening our partnerships with homeowners and guests.
“We would like to thank him for everything he has done for Awaze and wish him every success for the future,” they added.
Awaze’s brands include Hoseasons, NOVASOL, Cottages.com and Fincallorca. The brands included in the Awaze portfolio were previously owned by Wyndham Worldwide before being sold to Platinum Equity in May 2018.
During Kjellberg’s tenure, he oversaw the corporate rebranding of Wyndham Worldwide’s vacation rental business to Awaze in early 2019, as well as the acquisition of five companies across Europe, and the closure of the company’s James Villas brand in October 2023.
Three months ago, the firm added to its senior leadership team with the appointment of Jennifer Day as chief growth officer [CGO] and Gavin Shetly has as chief technology officer [CTO].
Just over two years ago, Awaze was put up for sale for a reported $2.1 billion [£2 billion] by US-based private equity firm Platinum Equity, with global banks Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley appointed to oversee a strategic review and potential sale. It was also said to be considering exploring the possibility of a public listing.
However, no deal was finalised due to potential factors such as challenging market conditions and difficulties finding a suitable buyer at Awaze’s desired price.
More recently, Awaze was rumoured to have been exploring the potential acquisition of Swiss competitor Interhome Group, but it appears that SaaS-enabled vacation rental marketplace HomeToGo is now in pole position.
