James Byers

Group Product Manager
Google

2026 Phocuswright Conference speaker

James Byers Group Product Manager
James leads product for Google Travel and Sustainability on Search, based in Zürich, Switzerland. He joined Google in 2017 and spent four years as a product management lead in Google Cloud before transitioning to Search. Prior to Google, James served as the general manager of a private equity-owned marketplace in the United Kingdom and a co-founder of two successful consumer startups. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Applied Economics and Management from Cornell University.

Sessions

Thursday, November 19, 2026
1:05 PM – 1:25 PM EST

Presentation + Executive Interview: From Search to Action

Search is moving beyond answers and recommendations toward action. As conversational planning, personalization and transactions converge, the lines between search engine, travel planner and booking channels are beginning to blur. James Byers shares the latest on how travelers are using Google’s AI-powered travel tools, then joins us to examine what this shift means for visibility, distribution and the battle to influence the traveler from inspiration through booking.

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