Expedia says two execs dismissed after ‘violation of company policy’

Expedia says Rathi Murthy and Sreenivas Rachamadugu, respectively its CTO and senior vice president of core services product & engineering, are no longer employed at the travel booking company.

In a statement shared with TechCrunch and other publications, Expedia said Murthy and Rachamadugu are “no longer employed at Expedia Group” due to an unspecified “violation of company policy.”

“We’re actively searching to fill these roles and remain confident in our technology, strategy, and employees,” the company said. “Due to confidentiality, we will not be making any further comments on the matter.”

Murthy’s and Rachamadugu’s departures appear to be unexpected. Murthy spoke to TechCrunch about the new AI-powered features announced earlier this week, and she reportedly gave a presentation on those features at an Expedia conference with business partners.

“Throughout my career, I’ve conducted myself with a commitment to the highest level of integrity,” Murthy said in a statement. “I am proud of my work at Expedia and have endeavored at all times to serve the greatest interests of the company. I look forward to sharing my story at the appropriate time and setting the record straight.”

They both joined Expedia in 2021, coming from TechCrunch’s then-parent company Verizon Media (now Yahoo).

This isn’t the company’s only recent leadership change. Ariane Gorin, who was announced as Expedia Group’s new CEO in February, officially took over this week.

This post has been updated with a statement from Rathi Murthy.