Joan Barceló
CIO in España
Joan Barceló
CIO in España
Designing and scaling a fully integrated, cloud-native travel ecosystem — from infrastructure to core business — powered by data and AI.
I am Corporate CIO at W2M – World2Meet, where I lead the end-to-end technology strategy of a fully integrated, digital-native travel group.
Since 2020, I have been driving the “Born from Scratch” project: the design and build of a vertical, cloud-native architecture that supports the entire travel value chain — from airlines and tour operators to distribution, mobility and hotel management. This ecosystem integrates infrastructure, communications and core business platforms into a unified, scalable model.
My focus is not on adopting technology, but on embedding intelligence into real operations — using data, automation and AI to improve decision-making, operational efficiency and customer experience across the full travel lifecycle.
My work is guided by a few core ideas:
- Technology only creates value when it is technology with purpose
- The most impactful AI is invisible, embedded into operations
- Scaling AI requires architecture, governance and execution
- Complexity should be absorbed by systems, not transferred to people
- Real transformation happens when technology impacts the entire value chain
Currently focused on:
- Scaling AI across a multi-company, vertically integrated travel group
- Designing unified data and operational platforms
- Driving digital experience across the full customer journey
- Connecting technology, business and people into a single operating model
- I actively collaborate with industry, academic and technology ecosystems to explore how to move from experimentation to real impact in complex organizations.
Alongside my executive role, I collaborate with academia, industry forums and technology ecosystems to explore how to move from experimentation to real impact in complex organizations.