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Propellic Strengthens Executive Leadership to Support Next Phase of Growth in Travel Marketing

Business

Propellic Strengthens Executive Leadership to Support Next Phase of Growth in Travel Marketing
Business

Business

Propellic Strengthens Executive Leadership to Support Next Phase of Growth in Travel Marketing

2026-01-21 21:35 Last Updated At:01-23 00:23

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 21, 2026--

Propellic, a category-leading digital and performance marketing agency dedicated exclusively to the travel and tourism industry, today announced the expansion of its executive leadership team with the appointments of Jeff Johnson as Chief Operating Officer and John Matson as Chief Revenue Officer. The additions mark a key milestone as Propellic enters its next phase of growth, enterprise expansion, and product innovation.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260121400816/en/

The leadership appointments underscore Propellic’s focus on scaling operational excellence, strengthening revenue discipline, and expanding the ways it supports travel brands navigating an increasingly complex marketing and distribution landscape.

Jeff Johnson, Chief Operating Officer

Jeff Johnson brings more than 20 years of experience leading and scaling digital marketing agencies, with senior leadership roles at some of the industry’s most respected firms, including NP Digital, iProspect, Covario, and iCrossing. Across his career, Jeff has built and led high-performing teams, strengthened operational rigor, and delivered consistent results for global clients across complex verticals.

As Chief Operating Officer, Jeff will oversee Propellic’s operations, service delivery, and internal systems, ensuring the agency continues to scale efficiently while maintaining the quality, accountability, and partnership-driven approach that defines its work with travel brands.

“Propellic has become a leading force as a marketing agency focused on the travel and tourism industry. They deliver for their clients on the promise of being a true partner and delivering excellence in all they do. I could not be more excited and honored to be joining Brennen and the rest of the Propellic team in their next stage of growth,” said Johnson.

John Matson, Chief Revenue Officer

John Matson brings more than 15 years of experience across sales, marketing, and revenue leadership, including over a decade in the travel industry. His career has focused on helping travel and technology companies scale by connecting performance marketing to disciplined revenue strategy.

John was the Managing Director and co-founder of Voyager HQ, which grew into the largest travel startup incubator and community in the world. He later co-founded Location Engine, an AI and location data product spun out of a Google Sidewalk Labs venture and acquired by Gerent, a Platinum Salesforce partner. He also served as President and COO of Vacayou, a venture-backed wellness travel OTA, where he led the launch of the company’s B2B SaaS model.

After founding Syncopated Ventures, John partnered with startups and larger organizations to design and scale go-to-market strategy, revenue operations, and growth infrastructure. During this period, he worked closely with Propellic’s leadership team as a fractional CRO, helping strengthen sales execution, forecasting, and marketing alignment.

As Chief Revenue Officer, John will lead Propellic’s revenue strategy across sales, marketing alignment, partnerships, and revenue operations, with a focus on scaling the business while ensuring client marketing investments translate into measurable commercial outcomes.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to help grow the already incredible organization and culture that Brennen and the team have built at Propellic,” said Matson. “When travel brands grow, the world opens up. Every booking represents discovery, connection, and perspective. The opportunity to partner with even more travel brands and help connect their offerings with the right travelers at the right moments is what makes real growth both meaningful and impactful.”

Scaling the Next Chapter

With Johnson and Matson joining the executive team, Propellic is positioned to expand its full-service marketing capabilities, invest in data and insights products, and deepen its work with enterprise travel brands. Together, the leadership team will guide Propellic’s next chapter as it continues to help travel organizations grow through performance-driven, revenue-focused marketing.

About Propellic

Propellic is a performance marketing agency focused exclusively on the travel and tourism industry. The agency helps travel brands grow through data-driven SEO, paid media, content, and revenue-focused marketing strategies designed to deliver measurable business impact.

Right: John Matson, Chief Revenue Officer, Propellic Left: Jeff Johnson, Chief Operating Officer, Propellic

Right: John Matson, Chief Revenue Officer, Propellic Left: Jeff Johnson, Chief Operating Officer, Propellic

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung agreed Friday to work together to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and ease global economic uncertainties caused by the war in the Middle East.

Their summit in Seoul came as U.S. President Donald Trump slammed allies for not supporting the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran. Macron was making his first visit to South Korea since taking office in 2017, as part of an Asian tour that already has taken him to Japan.

Macron told Lee at the start of the meeting that the two countries can play a role in helping to stabilize the situation in the Middle East, including Iran’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, which has unleashed shock on global energy markets.

At a joint televised briefing afterward, Macron underscored the need for France and South Korea to cooperate to help reopen the strait and deescalate Middle East animosities, while Lee said the two affirmed “their resolves to cooperate to secure the safe shipping route in the Strait of Hormuz.”

The two leaders did not take questions and did not elaborate on how they would help reopen the strait — the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil usually passes.

“We need to clearly define, at the international level, the conditions for a process to ease the crisis and conflict in the Middle East,” Macron said. “We need to ensure that the Strait of Hormuz is reopened.”

Lee said he and Macron agreed to expand cooperation in technology, energy and other areas. South Korean and French officials also signed agreements to cooperate on nuclear fuel supply chains, jointly invest in an offshore wind project in southern South Korea and to collaborate on critical minerals. South Korea has moved to increase output at its nuclear reactors to mitigate the energy crunch and Lee has also called for a faster transition to renewable energy, saying the war has exposed the country’s heavy reliance on fossil fuel imports.

Macron’s Asia trip comes as Trump has ramped up his frustration with allies. In a speech Wednesday, Trump said Americans “don’t need” the strait but the countries who do “must grab it and cherish it.”

In an earlier Easter event at the White House, Trump called for his allies in Asia and China to get involved in reopening the waterway.

“Let South Korea, you know, we only have 45,000 soldiers in harm’s way over there, right next to a nuclear force — let South Korea do it,” Trump said. “Let Japan do it. They get 90% of their oil from the strait. Let China do it.”

The United States stations about 28,000 troops in South Korea, not the 45,000 stated by Trump. The U.S. troops’ deployment in South Korea is meant to deter potential aggressions from North Korea.

Macron has said reopening the Strait of Hormuz through a military operation is unrealistic.

South Korean officials have said they are in contact with Washington on the issue and that Seoul isn’t considering paying Iran transit fees to secure fuel shipments through the strait.

French President Emmanuel Macron, front left, his wife Brigitte Macron, back center, and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, front right, and his wife Kim Hea Kyung, right, attend the welcome ceremony at the presidential Blue House in Seoul Friday, April 3, 2026. (Jung Yeon-je /Pool Photo via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron, front left, his wife Brigitte Macron, back center, and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, front right, and his wife Kim Hea Kyung, right, attend the welcome ceremony at the presidential Blue House in Seoul Friday, April 3, 2026. (Jung Yeon-je /Pool Photo via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron, center, his wife Brigitte Macron, left, and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, right, and his wife Kim Hea Kyung, second left, attend the welcome ceremony at the presidential Blue House in Seoul Friday, April 3, 2026. (Jung Yeon-je /Pool Photo via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron, center, his wife Brigitte Macron, left, and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, right, and his wife Kim Hea Kyung, second left, attend the welcome ceremony at the presidential Blue House in Seoul Friday, April 3, 2026. (Jung Yeon-je /Pool Photo via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron, second left, talks with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, second right, during their meeting at the Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, April 3, 2026. (Jung Yeon-je/Pool Photo via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron, second left, talks with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, second right, during their meeting at the Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, April 3, 2026. (Jung Yeon-je/Pool Photo via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron shakes hands with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung during their meeting at the Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, April 3, 2026. (Jung Yeon-je/Pool Photo via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron shakes hands with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung during their meeting at the Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, April 3, 2026. (Jung Yeon-je/Pool Photo via AP)

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