ACTE Names Ikea's Galimidi New European Chair

ACTE Names Ikea's Galimidi New European Chair
Seth Harris

The Association of Corporate Travel Executives this week announced the appointment of Ikea global travel purchaser Yves Galimidi as its new Europe regional chair, replacing Capgemini group travel manager Jerome Drevon-Barreaux, who has served in the role since mid-2007.

Galimidi, who will serve a two-year term, previously served as ACTE country champion for Benelux. That position is now empty. Drevon-Barreaux becomes ACTE country champion for France.

In an effort to increase membership and buyer participation at European forums, Galimidi said he plans to advocate for a corporate membership option in the region, which would allow a company to buy a membership that encompasses all of its travel buyers and local coordinators. As in Ikea's case, "where in every country we have local meetings and travel coordinators, I would love to have an Ikea membership so that if there is a forum in Madrid I can tell my colleague from Spain to go," he said.

"I would be absolutely ready to take on the cost. On my central budget with the travel manager, together we would take on the cost for this in Europe. Of course, if we have 40 countries we will not take 40 individual subscriptions. If we can find a good price for corporate subscriptions that of course would be more expensive than an individual subscription, but I would really do it when it comes to my Ikea duties."

The ACTE board in January also unanimously appointed to a second term as Asia/Pacific regional chair Microsoft Asia travel manager Georgie Farmer, the association announced today.