Schafer Newman
Background and experience
Schafer is a manager in ZS’s travel and hospitality practice, where he advises airlines, hospitality companies and other travel businesses on commercial strategy and transformation. His work spans airline retailing and distribution, revenue management, loyalty, sales strategy, customer experience and technology-enabled transformation.
Schafer helps clients translate changing customer expectations and emerging technologies into practical commercial strategies, operating models and implementation road maps. He has supported travel companies in modernizing how they develop, price, distribute and sell their products, as well as how they use data and analytics to improve decision-making.
He also contributes to ZS’s travel and hospitality thought leadership, with a particular focus on the future of airline retailing, artificial intelligence and premium travel. He regularly works with commercial, technology and analytics leaders to connect strategic ambition with execution.
Before joining ZS in 2022, Schafer served as a surface warfare officer in the U.S. Navy, where he led teams and managed complex operations in high-pressure environments.
Education
Bachelor’s in American history, United States Naval Academy
MBA, University of California, Los Angeles