News Briefs

Serko Ltd. announced the appointment of Tarun Phaugat as Vice President of Engineering, effective immediately.

Phaugat has more than two decades of engineering leadership experience within the enterprise and travel technology sectors, most recently serving as engineering lead for the Uber for Business platform, and previously in senior roles at Airbnb, Apple and Microsoft.

As VP of Engineering, Phaugat will spearhead the continuous innovation and modernization of Serko’s platform, a key pillar in Serko’s growth strategy across the SME and Enterprise business travel market.

“At Serko, we are focused on building the most innovative technology platform, both for today’s business travel industry and for the challenges that lie ahead,” said Simon Young, CTO at Serko. “Tarun’s experience in delivering groundbreaking technology solutions is ideal, and we know that he will be a driving force to scale our ongoing innovation efforts, including our Indian Development Hub. We could not be happier to add Tarun to our team.”

In addition to his role as VP of Engineering, Phaugat will also serve as a leader in the strategic and operational growth of Serko’s Development Hub in Bengaluru, and join Serko’s Booking.com for Business Leadership Team.

"Innovation is core to Serko’s technology DNA,” said Phaugat. “From its embrace of automation to creating category leaders with Zeno and Booking.com for Business, Serko’s track record of providing solutions that tackle the most pressing business travel challenges is second to none. The Serko team is renowned for its technology talent, and I cannot wait to work alongside such a stellar team as we build the future of the Serko travel platform.”

This announcement follows Serko’s recent announcement of an accelerated program of innovation with plans to invest US$100 million over the next three years to enhance its platform technology and deliver the next generation of business travel solutions.

Paul Macaluso will be joining Torchy’s Tacos as Chief Executive Officer, effective February 24. He succeeds founder Mike Rypka, who will transition into a new role as Chief Innovation Officer.

Macaluso has more than 30 years of experience building respected brands and driving business success across the restaurant industry. Most recently, he served as President and CEO of Another Broken Egg Cafe, a high-growth daytime-only restaurant concept, overseeing significant business and footprint expansion. He also previously held progressive marketing and leadership roles at GoTo Foods (formerly FOCUS Brands), a developer of global multi-channel foodservice brands, including President of McAlister’s Deli, as well as Senior Vice President leading brand marketing strategy for Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, Cinnabon, McAlister’s Deli, Moe’s Southwest Grill, and Schlotzsky’s.  Macaluso has also served in senior brand and marketing positions at SONIC Drive-In and Burger King Corp.

The Torchy’s Board of Directors commented, “After an in-depth search, we are thrilled to welcome Paul to Torchy’s. His long track record of delivering growth across iconic large-scale and up-and-coming restaurant brands makes him uniquely suited to lead Torchy’s through its next chapter. We are also grateful to Mike for his dedicated leadership over the years and look forward to his continued contributions.”

Dine Brands Global, in partnership with franchisee Ramzi Hakim Group, has opened the first dual-brand Applebee’s | IHOP restaurant in the U.S. The new restaurant opened to the public on February 18,  in Seguin, Texas.

At the dual-branded Applebee’s | IHOP restaurant guests can enjoy all the classics from IHOP’s world-famous pancakes and breakfast offerings to Applebee’s fan-favorite boneless wings, burgers, and appetizers from morning to late-night. The unique menu features beloved items from both brands that can be mixed, matched, and ordered any time of day, including specialty cocktails such as an espresso martini or Irish coffee – all under one roof. This restaurant also introduces new, exclusive menu items, like the Buffalo Chicken Omelette and Ultimate Breakfast Burger, available only at U.S. dual-branded locations.

“For decades, Applebee's and IHOP have been places where friends gather, families celebrate, and careers begin. Now, with our dual-branded restaurant, we are combining the strengths of both brands to create a unique and innovative dining experience that offers choice, variety, and value to guests,” said Dine Brands chief executive officer John Peyton. “Our international success with this concept has shown that our brand menus complement each other, providing something for everyone, from early mornings to late nights. We are excited to bring this new dining option to Seguin and look forward to expanding it to more communities across the country.” At MURTEC 2024, Peyton took to the stage to talk about the success of the dual-branded concept oversees and share why the company had tripled its tech spend.  

When guests walk through the doors of this dual-branded location, they will find two distinct dining areas to choose from—the warm, familiar atmosphere of Applebee’s or the bright, cheerful ambiance of IHOP. The shared common areas, including the host stand and bathrooms, create an integrated experience, and the optimized back-of-house and single kitchen, provide operational efficiencies.

“We’re thrilled to welcome guests and serve the community of Seguin with all the IHOP items they know and love, while also introducing them to Applebee’s selection of lunch and dinner favorites,” said Ramzi Hakim, president of Ramzi Hakim Group. “As owners of both IHOP and Applebee’s restaurants, we are no strangers to these iconic brands and are honored to open the first U.S. dual-branded location in this great community.”

Dine Brands currently franchises 13 international dual-branded locations across Canada, Mexico, Honduras, and the Middle East, as of September 30, 2024. The system is slated to break ground and open 14 more dual-branded locations in the United States through 2026 by transforming existing single-branded restaurants and building new locations from the ground up.

RoomPriceGenie, a provider of revenue management systems (RMS) for independent hotels and groups, is proud to announce a $75 million USD investment from Five Elms Capital to accelerate international expansion and further enhance its award-winning platform. As part of this next phase of growth, experienced technology executive Chas Scarantino has been appointed as CEO. Co-Founder and current RoomPriceGenie CEO, Ari Andricopoulos, will transition to Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), focusing on product innovation and strategic partnerships.

“According to Skift Research, only about 10% of hoteliers use a dedicated RMS for pricing, with adoption historically skewed toward larger properties and branded chains," said Andricopoulos. "RoomPriceGenie was founded in 2017 to make automated pricing more accessible and intuitive for independent properties. While we've grown and expanded our functionality, our core philosophy of simplicity and efficacy remains. With our new OpenAPI PMS integration and investment from Five Elms Capital, combined with Chas' leadership and expertise, we're positioned to help more independent hotels and groups maximize revenue through automated pricing technology."

RoomPriceGenie has grown into a global business, with over 100 employees and 3,000+ hotel clients across 65 countries. The company has achieved rapid, efficient growth while reaching profitability, proving that its approach—prioritizing innovation and exceptional customer support—resonates with the market.

RoomPriceGenie’s excellence has been widely recognized, earning multiple top rankings in the HotelTechAwards, including second place for “Best Revenue Management System (RMS)” and third place for “Best Place to Work” for two consecutive years. In 2025, it was also named the 7th “Most Recommended Solution” across all hotel technology categories.

"Five Elms identified RoomPriceGenie as a category leader in revenue management, both technologically and operationally," said Ryan Mandl, Partner at Five Elms Capital. "The launch of RoomPriceGenie’s OpenAPI—the first revenue management system integration of its kind—underscores the team’s commitment to innovation, allowing PMS providers to integrate its solution seamlessly without the typical costs or complexities. We are excited to support the company as it continues to scale."

Scarantino, who steps into the CEO role, brings extensive experience building and scaling technology companies, leading global expansion efforts and driving operational excellence. Over the course of his career, he has successfully led teams to market products across the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, Japan and Australia, in addition to founding and scaling his own ventures.

“My passion is scaling teams, developing talent, and fostering a culture that drives both innovation and execution,” said Scarantino. “RoomPriceGenie has built an outstanding platform, a strong company culture and a team deeply committed to helping hotels optimize their revenue. The company has already established itself as the best RMS for independent hotels and a forward-thinking integration partner for PMS providers. I’m excited to build on this success and expand our reach while preserving the unique Genie Culture that makes RoomPriceGenie exceptional.”