CDS Group (S4BT), a leader in France and a key European player in booking and payment solutions for business travel, announces the arrival of Christopher Hecht to the group. A recognized expert in Business Travel based in Germany, Christopher brings a strong background in sales, product management, and strategic business development, specializing in B2B payments, fintech, and corporate travel.

With over 10 years of experience managing international teams across Europe, Vietnam, and China, Christopher has played a key role in driving strategic growth for both startups and established companies. His expertise covers hotel distribution, e-invoicing, and scalable payment solutions for large global enterprises.

In his new role, Christopher will focus on unifying the group’s various payment solutions and expanding their reach into new corporate travel segments through AI-driven automation and intelligent payment workflows.

“The group has grown through strategic acquisitions. My mission is to unify four distinct payment solutions into a single, data-powered and machine-learning-enhanced model, and extend it beyond hotels to include air, rail, and other corporate travel categories. By leveraging AI, we can optimize approval flows, fraud detection, and cost efficiency, transforming the way companies manage their travel expenses. This is a unique opportunity to drive innovation, efficiency, and growth in corporate travel payments,” said Christopher Hecht.

His arrival marks a key milestone for the group, further strengthening its commitment to providing AI-powered, automated, and seamlessly integrated payment solutions to businesses and stakeholders in the corporate travel industry.

“Booking, payment, invoicing: a single dynamic. With Christopher Hecht, we are unifying these flows. Our Smartpay solutions will leverage AI and predictive analytics to set the standard for payments in business travel, combining automation, security, and spend control. A strong ambition, reflecting the spirit of our group and brands: CDS, CRC, Goelett, SIAP,” said Ziad Minkara.

Press contact:
Rebecca XERRI – Chief Marketing Officer – rxerri@cdsgroupe.com