Darren Huston was the CEO of Booking Holdings Inc. from 2014 until 2016. Before this, he led the Booking.com division for Priceline Group, where he gained valuable experience in the online travel industry. His background includes working at Microsoft, where...

Darren Huston was the CEO of Booking Holdings Inc. from 2014 until 2016. Before this, he led the Booking.com division for Priceline Group, where he gained valuable experience in the online travel industry. His background includes working at Microsoft, where he held significant roles, including Corporate VP for Consumer & Online and President of Microsoft Japan. Huston also has experience from Starbucks, focusing on acquisitions and product development. His CEO journey had its ups and downs; in 2014, he earned a staggering $222 million, largely from stock awards linked to performance goals. However, in 2015, Huston faced challenges when he didn't receive a bonus due to a personal conduct issue, which stemmed from a relationship with an employee. This eventually led to his resignation in 2016 after an investigation into these conduct issues. Despite the controversies, Huston's impact on the online travel landscape remains notable, and his career path reflects the risks and rewards in executive leadership.