As Stripe's Global Lead for Hospitality, Travel & Leisure, James Lemon combines deep industry passion and knowledge with payment expertise to help travel companies transform their financial infrastructure. Working with a platform that processes $1.4 trillion annually across 3+ million businesses—including industry giants like Airbnb, Booking.com, Marriott and Uber — James enables companies to enhance customer experiences, accelerate innovation, and build more efficient operations.

His 15-year journey through the travel industry has equipped James with unique insights from multiple perspectives. Before joining Stripe, he founded and successfully exited Otolo, a mentoring platform that connected hospitality and travel professionals across the globe. His executive experience includes serving as COO of Hostmaker (the technology partner behind Marriott Homes & Villas), and leadership roles at IHG Hotels & Resorts and Travelport, where he guided commercial strategy through periods of significant industry evolution.

A respected voice in the travel community, James regularly shares his expertise at leading industry events including Phocuswright, Websummit, ITB Asia, and HEDNA. His practical approach to innovation has made him a sought-after speaker and advisor for companies navigating the increasingly complex travel payments landscape.

Based in Wimbledon, UK, James balances his passion for travel technology with life as a father of two.