Mike Buckman, CEO of the recently rebranded BCD Travel, this month spoke with Business Travel News editors David Meyer and Jennifer Merritt to discuss the company's integration, new headquarters and the future he envisions for the evolving mega-travel management company.
BTN: When can you begin business as one organization?
Mike Buckman: I feel like we have started, but we really can operate as one organization after the closing, set for March 30. I think the integration will be done within a few months. We're looking forward to getting started. Frankly, we've got some things that we're ready to pull the trigger on, we're just waiting for this closing.
BTN: Does that mean it will be some time before the technological integration will begin?
Buckman: No. In fact, the technology integration team was the first that got together. Dee Runyon from WorldTravel and Michel LaBianca from TQ3 have been the two people driving that. I hold them up as the poster children for the other 25 integration teams we have created, because they have really done a lot in working together, setting out priorities and identifying the synergy opportunities. I'm very pleased with the work they've done there.
BTN: Meanwhile, you're still serving BTI contracts?
Buckman: Absolutely. We don't see that as a difficult thing and we've made the commitment. Mr. Radcliffe and I are friends and we talk very frequently.
BTN: Are you tapping executives from both WorldTravel and TQ3 for the new company?
Buckman: John Snyder is responsible for the U.S. Ilona De March is responsible for EMEA. Mike Wally, who is the CEO of The Travel Company, will remain responsible for the U.K. and Ireland. Bicky Carlra, who ran the TQ3 network for TQ3 in Singapore will continue as the coordinating point for our activities in Asia. Stephan Baars, who is the CFO for TQ3, will stay on as CFO for the consolidated company. Melanie Garrett is going to have responsibility for the marketing and communications. Dee Runyon is going to continue to have a large role within the company, Tom Barham, who came from the U.S. as the CFO, will be our treasurer. Mary Ellen George will have global responsibility in sales and consulting. We really tried to take what we think is good talent from all over, and we have a lot of diversity and we want to take advantage of that.
BTN: How involved will John van Vlissingen be in the new company?
Buckman: John's specific involvement is in the M&A. He is very interested in that area. It's probably the one he is most involved in. Otherwise, no, he doesn't have a great involvement.
BTN: Does this new global approach mean that you're going to travel more?
Buckman: I made 34 trips to Europe last year, so I don't know how much more I could be moving. I will have an office in Amsterdam. I think most of my offices will be in a seat on a plane as we're getting this all done and dealing with additional acquisitions. If you want to know where the phone is going to be answered, it's going to be answered in Amsterdam.
BTN: Why Amsterdam?
Buckman: For a number of reasons. We're putting together a global company, so it made sense not to be headquartered in locations where existing companies are. You want to have something new that's not tied to one of the companies specifically. If anything, this one's tied more to our shareholder, and that's positive. I think it's helpful as you're trying to set a new mindset for your people to be able to say this is new. I love Atlanta, but in the last three or four years, I don't think I've spent more than 30 percent of my time in Atlanta. I'm going to be wherever I need to be, but the 'For Sale' signs haven't gone up in my front yard.
BTN: Do you have offices in Amsterdam yet?
Buckman: Our intention, though we don't want to make a big deal about it because we haven't signed and finalized the leases yet, is to be very close to the airport if not right there in the World Trade Centre at the airport.
BTN: Do you foresee any U.S. acquisitions?
Buckman: Probably less. I wouldn't rule it out. We've got a great group of affiliate agencies that operate in the United States. We'd certainly want to do everything to maintain and support that network, but with the money we're going to spend, we're probably going to want to spend it to make sure we have good positions in place in the key markets of the world. We're of the size in the States that adding another $500 million of transactions isn't going to make that big of a difference. If it's a good deal and you've got the right chemistry of people, maybe so, but our priorities are making sure that we build up in all the places we need to be. And given where all the growth rates are, it probably makes more sense to invest more of our money outside the U.S.
BTN: Where do the gaps remain?
Buckman: The gaps occur in Asia. We have a list of top 10 countries that we want to own in, and we're going in with the philosophy that we need to own in all the major markets, not just be a partner. There are several opportunities in Asia, there's one or two more in Europe and one or two more in Latin America. Last week, I had a call from a time zone that's far ahead of me, and we have a verbal agreement at least on the transaction that will be a good piece for a key market, so we aren't going to waste time on waiting for the TUI closing before we get these other things done.