Reinventing corporate relocation

In the intricate world of corporate relocation, where global workforces navigate hybrid work, visa complexities, and geopolitical shifts, Matt Tebbe, president and CEO of Cartus Corporation, is charting a new course. A subsidiary of Anywhere Real Estate, Cartus manages employee relocations for over a third of Fortune 100 companies. Since taking the helm in July 2023, Tebbe has brought clarity, akin to a systems thinker, to the role, as revealed in an interview with CEO.com. His vision — rooted in adaptability, technology, and human-centric solutions — aims to redefine how companies move people in an unpredictable era.

Tebbe’s path to Cartus reflects a career spent solving complex problems. With an MBA from Yale’s School of Management, he began at Booz Allen Hamilton, sharpening his operational expertise. He later spent nearly a decade at Equifax, leading HR technology in Australia and New Zealand, where he integrated Veda, a major acquisition, and launched Australia’s largest native pre-employment screening business. Before Cartus, he served as general manager of group products at Riverside Insights, overseeing a business unit that supports over six thousand schools. “I’ve always been drawn to roles where you can make things better, not just bigger,” he told CEO.com.

When Tebbe joined Cartus, the company faced a transformed landscape. The pandemic had upended traditional mobility, with remote work and global disruptions complicating relocations. Cartus held steady under interim CEO Eric Barnes, but Tebbe was tasked with accelerating its evolution. “Matthew has a gift for seeing around corners,” Don Casey, president and CEO of Anywhere Integrated Services, said in a 2023 press release announcing Tebbe’s appointment. Tebbe’s response has been to lean into the complexity. “We’re seeing trends that no one could have predicted five years ago,” he said in the interview. “Hybrid work is here to stay, but it’s not one-size-fits-all. Some employees want to relocate for opportunity; others need flexibility to stay put. Our job is to make both possible.”

This philosophy underpins Cartus’s 2023 brand refresh, with the tagline “Where Mobility Meets Agility.” For Tebbe, it’s more than marketing—it’s a mandate. “The relocation industry isn’t just about moving bodies from point A to point B,” he said. “It’s about understanding what makes people thrive in a new place — culture, community, opportunity.” To achieve this, he’s betting big on artificial intelligence. “AI can analyze patterns—housing markets, cultural fit, even employee sentiment — and give us insights that make moves more successful,” he said. Cartus is piloting AI-driven tools to predict outcomes, from costs to employee satisfaction, though Tebbe emphasizes balance. “It’s not about replacing people,” he noted. “It’s about giving our experts better data to do what they do best: solve problems.”

This blend of innovation and empathy defines Tebbe’s leadership. He speaks often of “unlocking growth,” a phrase that peppers his LinkedIn posts and Cartus’s communications. But growth, for him, transcends revenue. “I want Cartus to be the company that clients trust, not because we’re the biggest, but because we’re the most thoughtful,” he said. His track record — empowering teams at Equifax, championing equity at Riverside — suggests he means it. His focus on value over cost is deliberate. “Cost matters, but value matters more,” he said. “If we can show clients that a thoughtful move saves money in the long run — through retention, productivity, morale — they’ll listen.”