# Ziad Minkara

> Ziad Minkara founded CDS in 2001 and is founder and Group CEO of S4BT - Solutions for Business Travel. He has expanded the business through acquisitions including Rydoo Travel, Corporate Rates Club, SIAP and HotelHub, combining hotel distribution, booking, payment and agency technology. He also chairs 60 000 rebonds Île-de-France Normandie, which supports entrepreneurs after business failure.

- **Role:** Founder and Group CEO at S4BT - Solutions for Business Travel
- **Organizations:** S4BT - Solutions for Business Travel, CDS Groupe, Goelett, 60 000 rebonds Île-de-France Normandie, Alliance France Tourisme (S4BT representative)
- **Education:** DEUG in Mathematics, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, M2 in International Business, Institut Supérieur de Gestion (ISG)
- **Known for:** Founded CDS in 2001 and developed it into the S4BT group., Led the expansion into hotel distribution, online booking, agency systems and payment technology through acquisitions., Regained majority ownership in the 2025 capital reorganisation.

## Career timeline

- **2001** — Founded CDS, a business hotel booking and services company.
- **2018** — Published an essay on connected hotel rooms, hospitality and hotel distribution.
- **2020** — Brought IDI into CDS as a minority investor alongside management.
- **2022** — CDS acquired Rydoo’s travel business, the basis of Goelett.
- **2023** — CDS acquired Germany’s Corporate Rates Club.
- **2024** — CDS acquired Italian travel technology specialist SIAP.
- **2025** — Regained majority ownership in a transaction supported by Andera Acto and IDI; S4BT became the group holding identity.
- **2025** — Appointed Christopher Hecht CEO of Goelett in October.
- **2026** — S4BT acquired Travel Centric Technology, parent of HotelHub, and announced an eighteen-month integration plan.

## Achievements

- Founded CDS in 2001 and developed it into the S4BT group.
- Led the expansion into hotel distribution, online booking, agency systems and payment technology through acquisitions.
- Regained majority ownership in the 2025 capital reorganisation.
- CDS received the Trophée d’Or at the Sommet des Entreprises de Croissance in the B2B services category above €70 million, reported in April 2023.
- Led S4BT at the February 2026 HotelHub acquisition; the combined group announced eight brands, 700 employees and over $5 billion in annual hotel booking volume.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — Appeared in a forty-minute Les Voix du Voyage conversation with Eddy Mimoun, published September 10, discussing his background, customers, AI and the future of travel agencies.
- **2026-04** — Publicly welcomed the opening of the Caen branch of 60 000 rebonds Île-de-France Normandie.
- **2026-02** — S4BT acquired HotelHub parent Travel Centric Technology; Minkara described an eighteen-month integration plan.
- **2026-02** — Named S4BT’s representative as the group joined Alliance France Tourisme.
- **2026-01** — At the regional association’s New Year event, publicly reaffirmed his commitment to supporting entrepreneurs after business failure.

## Links

- Website: https://sforbt.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ziad-minkara/

---

Profile page: https://yespress.io/ziad-minkara
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-23