NBTA Europe Roles Announced
Wednesday 06 January 2010
ITM Resources to Manage New Network
NBTA Europe, the new network of European buyer-led associations created to provide information and networking to professionals in the business travel and meetings industry, has announced a series of appointments as part of its roll-out throughout Europe.
With NBTA having contracted the Institute of Travel & Meetings UK & Ireland (ITM) to manage the network, the institute has reviewed its leadership and staffing to ensure roles are designed to manage NBTA Europe effectively whilst continuing the development of their operation in the UK, Ireland and through their affiliate in South Africa.
Caroline Strachan, global category leader for business travel at Astra Zeneca, has stepped down as Chairman of ITM at the end of her two year term and will continue as Immediate Past Chair whilst Jamie Hindhaugh, head of logistics and sourcing at the BBC takes the helm. Ms Strachan will take up the post of NBTA Europe Chairman for a two-year period to lead the newly formed advisory board, soon to be announced.
Other staff changes include the promotion of Paul Tilstone to NBTA Europe Managing Director and CEO of ITM, and Diane Steed to Head of Sales & Marketing for NBTA Europe and ITM. The association is presently recruiting a sales & marketing executive for Europe and is reviewing the roles of other ITM staff to provide for both the NBTA Europe contract and the continuous development of ITM.
Speaking about the role changes, Ms Strachan said, "We have a very successful team at ITM and with input from our European counterparts, we are adapting that team to make NBTA Europe as much as a success as ITM has become. Our board has been re-structured to provide focus to the activities of ITM and our management office strengthened to support the great plans we have for the European network."
In addition to the management office changes, ITM has asked new board directors to take on portfolio roles to lead the next stage in ITM’s own development. Ian Jones, Head of Sales at De Vere and ITM Supplier Director, takes on the role of “Regional Leadership” to develop events and communications within the ITM regions, whilst Sarah Makings, EMEA Travel Manager for KPMG, undertakes the role of “Resources Leadership” to assist ITM in the creation of a suite of templates for RFPs, SLAs etc for those new to business travel. Louise Kilgannon, EMEA Travel manager for Infor, has taken over the chair of the SME and New Entrants (SMENE) working party to complete the “How to...” Guide started during 2009.
More appointments to NBTA Europe are expected during the year.
About NBTA Europe
NBTA Europe is the only buyer-led business travel and meetings industry network across Europe. The network is part of the National Business Travel Association (NBTA), the world’s premier business travel and corporate meetings organisation, with a role to lead debate, networking, education, advocacy, events and innovation in the business travel and meetings sector. NBTA Europe represents more than 2,000 regional corporate and government travel and meetings managers, as well as travel service providers. Members of the network collectively manage and direct more than €100 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually on behalf of more than 3 million business travelers within their organisations.
NBTA Europe is powered by the Institute of Travel & Meetings (ITM). For more information, visit www.nbtaeurope.org
About NBTA
The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) is the world’s premier business travel and corporate meetings organisation. NBTA and its regional affiliates – NBTA Asia Pacific, the Brazilian Business Travel Association (ABGEV), NBTA Canada, NBTA Europe, NBTA Mexico, and NBTA USA – serve a network of more than 17,000 business travel professionals around the globe with industry-leading events, networking, education & professional development, research, news & information, and advocacy. NBTA members, numbering more than 5,000 in 30 nations, are corporate and government travel and meetings managers, as well as travel service providers. They collectively manage and direct more than US$340 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually on behalf of more than 13 million business travelers within their organisations. For more information, visit www.nbta.org
About ITM
The Institute of Travel & Meetings UK & Ireland (ITM), previously the Institute of Travel Management, was established over 50 years ago to promote knowledge, networks and opportunities within the business travel sector. The association presently represents over 1,000 professional buyers and suppliers with a travel & meetings spend in excess of £34 billion per annum and over 50% of the FTSE 100.
Visit our website:www.itm.org.uk
