Certainly, 2008 posed its share of challenges to corporate travel managers many of whom had to balance the need to cut travel costs with higher prices, all while grappling with developments in technology, globalization and green travel management. Today,
BTN presents a sample of the most notable corporate travel management profiles we published this year.
Happy New Year, all the best for a prosperous 2009, and thank you for reading
Business Travel News.
Royal Bank of CanadaTo offset the limitations of Air Canada's Corporate Pass program, Royal Bank of Canada head of procurement infrastructure Ken Scott contracted with smaller Canadian carriers to shift some domestic volume and provide the company's travelers with more convenient airport alternatives.
Reed SmithMidmarket travel spending international corporate law firm Reed Smith implemented companywide green initiatives including a carbon calculation system and carbon offset donation program. To achieve an accurate assessment of the firm's carbon emissions, firmwide travel manager Rosanne Russo organized the green travel program from scratch and summoned the help of the company's travel management partners.
Merrill LynchMerrill Lynch vice president of global travel services Karen Hutchings stewarded the
Corporate Travel 100 program's travel management configuration into Asia/Pacific by consolidating suppliers, leveraging new technology and adapting the program for best-in-region global distribution systems and online booking tools—a new take on the follow-the-sun travel management configuration.
Northrop GrummanNorthrop Grumman corporate director of travel, meetings and special events planning Janice Chang was named
BTN 2008 Travel Manager of the Year for leading the improvement of the internal hotel request-for-proposals process and the innovation of an automated tool that streamlines hotel negotiations and hotel program management. Her methods also helped reshape the industry's standard hotel RFP template.
IntelBTN named Intel global strategic sourcing mobility manager Megan Stowe its 2008 International Travel Manager of the Year for leading the development of a comprehensive global travel program with a local approach and continually extending the bounds of travel management through new and innovative practices including allowing travelers to book directly though airline Web sites.