My career experience includes leadership roles in the tourism, hospitality and consumer marketing industries. I have worked for global companies such as Four Seasons Hotels, The Walt Disney Company, United Airlines and Rakuten in countries including Canada, the USA, Japan and Asia.
I am a successful, thoughtful and creative business leader with international experience in consumer loyalty, marketing, business development and passionate leadership.
Please contact me for more information on my career and to schedule a discussion.
PROFESSIONAL
I enjoyed working with Kyle on our partner marketing efforts in Japan and the Asia/Pacific region. He has a deep understanding of the leverage points and business opportunties that can come with these relationships, and he was always focued on building successful, long-term partnerships. Kyle also has a keen understanding of doing business in Japan. His skills would be valuable to many organizations.
James Mueller
SVP International Sales, Marketing and Revenue Management at Hertz
Kyle has demonstrated a successful track record of managing, developing and growing the Mileage Plus partnerships in the Asia Pacific region. Against the volatile and uncertain nature of the airline business over the past seven years, he has weathered these changes and remained a highly reliable resource for the organization. Kyle works well independently in an off-site location yet possesses effective communication skills with his co-workers in our headquarters. He adeptly tailors his communication to the audience, whether conducting account reviews with b2b customers, crafting innovative b2c marketing campaigns, or sharing best practices and cultural insights with our "home office" staff. This experience and in-depth knowledge of Asian cultures has been an invaluable asset to Mileage Plus. Financial performance in the region has been strong, products and service offerings have been expanded and our new marketing channels developed. In particular, Kyle's efforts to innovate and establish new business in China have exhibited strong initiative.
Jay Hoffmann
Cofounder at Rocket Travel, Inc.
Kyle delivered for United Airlines in a way that was unprecendented. He built tremendous alliances with customers and partners in a way that maximized revenue. Kyle reinvigorated partnerships and programs that had been dormant and as a results achieved the most significant revenue increases that I saw during my time at United. Not only was Kyle strategic, but even more importantly, he was able to navigate the complicated systems and processes at United to implement programs. Kyle is detail oriented, thorough in his presentation and has the ability to maximize resources. Kyle is one of the most effective managers that I've ever worked with.
Mia Mends
CEO at Sodexo, Benefits and Rewards Services, USA
I was a volunteer mentor, advisor and angel investor at UBC's entrepreneurial school, e@UBC and related programs at the Sauder School of Business.
e@UBC is open to students, alumni, staff and faculty as a means to bring their ideas to life. I participated several times per year in the Lean Launch Pad sessions. It is a five-week incubator program focused around customer discovery and market fit. Participating ventures learn to validate their business hypotheses through customer interviews.
I am proud to have mentored several ventures now emerging into actual businesses with investor funding including Hubly, BarrelWise, Aqua Intelligent, GUD and RecognAIse.
UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
2016-2020
MARTINIBURGER
2015-2016
The owner/operator of Tokyo's top-rated gourmet burger diner contacted me about collaboration. How exactly should he take his successful concept to "the next level"?
We are worked closely together to evaluate opportunities to grow the business, enhance the brand and connect with customers and investors.
From New York to Tokyo to You...
RAKUTEN LINKSHARE
2013
I joined Rakuten Linkshare as Executive Vice President based in Tokyo. For me it was going to be my dream job and a means to apply everything I had learned and experienced in my career.
With a team of almost 175 staff, most of them about half my age, I set out to bring fundamental changes to the organization.
Based in Silicon Valley, Arista was founded in 2004, and launched in 2008. I helped to establish the Japan operations in 2010 as Managing Director.
ARISTA NETWORKS
2010-2014
Download my resume
UNITED MILEAGEPLUS
2003-2012
Once a top-tier flyer on United Airlines, I took on the responsibility of building MileagePlus as a revenue source and marketing channel, first in Japan, and later in the Asia Pacific region. For almost ten years, and with very limited resources, I built a significant portfolio of partners in the region, re-engaged the membership and drove significant revenue growth year on year.
WALT DISNEY PARKS & RESORTS
2000-2002
Based in Japan, I headed up the sales and marketing group for the theme parks and resorts division. Charged with the responsibilities of increasing the number of Japanese visitors to the theme parks in the US, I provided leadership to our team as we ensured maximum efficiency of distribution channels. Working closely with the consumer marketing group, we built awareness of Japanese visitor needs and services at the theme parks and resorts.
FOUR SEASONS HOTELS & RESORTS
1983-2000
My career started in the hospitality business based on my love of hotels and restaurants as a child. I began at a very basic working level at a hotel managed by the company that would become Westin Hotels. I later joined a small but growing luxury hotel company based in Toronto, Four Seasons Hotels and my life was forever changed.
I worked as Director of Sales at the Edmonton hotel until it was sold and I was temporarily assigned in Vancouver. In a little less than a year I was off to Santa Barbara to relaunch a classic beachfront resort.
"To teach is to learn twice"
Joseph Joubert
What is my greatness weakness? A common interview and evaluation question. I define a weakness as "excessive use of one's strengths". I consider my sense of humor as a strength but too much use of it could lead others to preceive me as lacking in focus or discipline. As a leader I must remain "aware of myself" and "aware of the situation".
Customer service has always been the cornerstone of my leadership at any company. Ensure everyone on the team stops saying, "We are in the (insert industry description) business" and replace it with, "We are in the customer service business."
Take every available opportunity to exceed customer expectations. Empower your team to do so.
"People who are successful in life don't do things the hard way."
Best advice I ever got from my father
"There is no rearview mirror on the flight deck"
During my time at United,I constantly reminded myself that the flight deck on an aircraft does not contain a rearview mirror. Many United pilots told me, "When everything is coming at you at 900 kph, you don't care what is behind you."
I lean heavily on my experiences but don't spend much time looking backward. My focus is on what is around, approaching and ahead of me and enjoying the view.
In 2000 I co-founded an invitation-only group of gentlemen in Tokyo interested in gourmet dining, exclusive experiences and conversations with "gentlemen of like minds". It was named "Guyshoku", a play on the Japanese word, "gaishoku or 外食"... "to dine out". For most events, the required dress was black tie.
Over the years we had many unique and amazing culinary adventures. But none to compare with dinner aboard the USS Kitty Hawk with the senior officers. Months later they flew us from an air base outside Tokyo by plane to the Kitty Hawk at sea for a day aboard as she left Japan to be decommissioned. About a year later we were invited to dine aboard the USS Santa Fe, a Los Angeles-class submarine while in port in Yokosuka in Japan.
Opened in 1913 by Yoshiko's grandfather, the Takahashi Clinic has been the primary health services facility in her hometown of Bando for more than 100 years. When her father passed away Yoshiko took over the clinic and later I joined as a director in 2011.
We sold the business in 2015.
During my tenure at United Airlines I had several "working vacations" in Maui, which lies about halfway between Tokyo and Chicago. These were the two places to which I did most of my work.
Arising early in the morning and seated on the lanai, I would spend the morning communicating with the Chicago office (HQ for United) via email and phone. They would retire for the day around lunch time in Maui and I would enjoy a walk on the beach or a swim in the ocean.
In the afternoon Tokyo and Asia would "come online" and I would handle their issues and support.
An effective, relaxing and enjoyable (as well as creative) way to do business from time to time.