Dida Holdings – an AI-first tech leader and one of the fastest-growing global traveltech companies, today announced that its founder, Rikin Wu has appointed Daryl Lee as its new Group Chief Executive Officer, effective 5 October 2025.
A pivotal leadership appointment:
Lee was previously global CEO WebBeds and before that led GTA across the Middle East & Asia Pacific. He began his career in aviation and hospitality with Singapore Airlines and earned a degree in Economics from the London School of Economics. He joins Dida at a decisive moment for both the company and the wider industry as travel and hospitality are being reshaped by AI, automation, and digital connectivity and Dida is uniquely positioned at the crossroads of these transformative shifts.
His appointment reflects Dida’s ambition to strengthen its position as the premier gateway between China and the global travel ecosystem, enabling hotels, airlines, OTAs, wholesalers, and travel agencies worldwide to access both the world’s largest outbound market and the most advanced AI-driven technologies.
Dida’s journey: from Shenzhen startup to global leader:
Founded in 2012 in Shenzhen by entrepreneur Rikin Wu, Dida began as a travel distribution startup with the vision of modernizing how China connected to the world. In just over a decade, the company has grown to become China’s #1 B2B travel distribution platform, a market leader across Asia-Pacific, and a global enterprise with the ambition to power cutting-edge connectivity, automation and AI-driven solutions for travel partners across all continents.
Dida’s diverse travel portfolio today spans the entire traveller journey, powered by seamless technology and global partnerships. Dida Hotels connects partners to over a million properties worldwide including a curated portfolio of direct contracts featuring unique conditions, while the Dida Flights divison delivers dynamic access to global air content through a cutting-edge API.
Dida Go provides end-to-end ground transportation solutions, from airport shuttles and private transfers to chartered day drivers, while Dida Experiences unlocks curated tours, activities, and attractions to enhance every traveller’s journey. Together, these business units create an integrated ecosystem that enables partners to deliver exceptional travel experiences at scale.
Strategic vision: three pillars for growth:
From its early focus on unlocking outbound Chinese travel demand, Dida is rapidly transforming into a full-fledged AI-first travel tech group, bridging two worlds: the scale and innovation of China, and the diverse needs of global travel partners. As Dida enters its next chapter, its strategy will be guided by the ethos: “Smarter solutions powering the strongest partnerships”, focusing on three strategic pillars:
1. TRAVEL: Expanding and strengthening Dida’s high-value global distribution network, with a continued focus on maintaining its leadership position in China and APAC, while deepening partnerships in Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East.
2. TECHNOLOGY: Dida is embedding AI into every aspect of hotel and distribution operations — from performance insights, smarter sourcing, and instant onboarding to guest sentiment, marketing content, and even hotel infrastructure monitoring. Whatever a hotel needs to thrive, if AI can enhance it, Dida is committed to delivering it to partners worldwide.
3. NEW VENTURES: Investing in innovation and pursuing strategic acquisitions that accelerate growth, strengthen capabilities in emerging technologies and unlock new revenue streams.
Rikin Wu, Founder & Chairman of Dida, commented: “Since founding Dida in 2012, our vision has been to redefine global travel distribution by blending deep partnerships with cutting-edge technology. Over the past decade, we have built an organization that is not only the leader in China but also a trusted global player.
As we enter this exciting new chapter, I am proud to welcome Daryl as our Group CEO. His proven leadership, expertise and international experience will help us accelerate our mission: to bridge China and the world through smarter solutions and stronger partnerships.”
Daryl Lee, incoming Group CEO of Dida, added: “I am honored to join Dida at such a transformative time for the company and the industry. What excites me most is Dida’s unique ability to act as a gateway for travel innovation — combining scale, speed, and AI-first technology with a global outlook.
Working alongside Rikin and Dida’s experienced leadership team, I am committed to building on Dida’s remarkable success to date. Together, we will strengthen our global distribution network, expand the reach of our AI-driven solutions, and help shape the future of travel technology. Our goal is clear: to empower our partners with smarter solutions that help them grow, innovate, and thrive.”
