Move reflects rising demand from hospitality tech companies for category positioning and AI-driven visibility, as the agency reports 30% average annual growth
LONDON, 30 March, 2026 — Abode Worldwide, the specialist strategic public relations and communications agency for hospitality tech and proptech brands, has appointed Kerry Wilson as Chief Operating Officer as it scales alongside sustained growth in the hospitality technology and proptech sectors.
Wilson brings more than 20 years’ experience in agency leadership, business transformation, client service and talent development. Her background spans innovation-led agencies and global technology brands, including Google during her time at Rehab Agency. She’s also held senior roles at Freemavens, Essential, BWP Group, Brandwidth and MullenLowe UK, where she drove business growth across multiple sectors. At Abode, she will lead operations and client service as the agency strengthens its leadership team and deepens its specialism in hospitality and property technology.
Wilson’s appointment comes as Abode builds on a 30% year-on-year growth over the past three years and broadens its international reach, with a strong and growing client base across the UK, Europe, North America and APAC, supported by in-market associates across France, Spain, Italy and the DACH region.
Founded in 2017 by Jessica Gillingham, Abode works with tech companies across hotels, short-term rentals and the serviced living sectors, with a focus on helping brands define categories, build long-term authority and strengthen their position in increasingly competitive and fast-moving markets.
Wilson joins at a time when the hospitality technology and communications landscape is shifting rapidly. As AI-powered search and Large Language Models (LLM) influence how buyers, investors and operators discover businesses, companies are placing greater emphasis on category positioning, narrative development and visibility in the channels that now shape decision-making. Abode has been expanding its offer to support clients in navigating this shift.
The agency has also become a recognised industry voice through its proprietary research and market intelligence, including the annual Short-Term Rental Tech Index and the Hospitality Tech Investment Index. These initiatives track where innovation and investment are moving across the sector, positioning Abode not only as a communications partner but as a contributor to how the industry understands its own growth.
Jessica Gillingham, CEO and Founder of Abode Worldwide, said: “The hospitality and proptech industry is evolving quickly, and so is the way influence is built. It’s no longer enough for brands to be visible. They must be credible, grouped in the right category, and discoverable in places where buyers make decisions. Kerry’s appointment is an important step for Abode as we continue to grow, strengthen our offer and support our clients to lead their categories in a more complex communications environment.”
Kerry Wilson, Chief Operating Officer at Abode Worldwide, said: “Abode has a very clear sense of what it stands for and where it creates value. It has built strong momentum by combining deep sector knowledge with commercially minded communications, a powerful mix that hospitality tech companies look for in a communications partner. I’m very excited to help scale the business and support the team in building on the strong platform already in place for the next stage of growth.”
