Education Sessions

Offered in varied formats, Education Sessions give you the opportunity to interact with your peers and subject matter experts. Each session is designed with the business travel buyer in mind, and will provide real-world solutions and resources you can begin to use immediately.

Education Sessions Compliments of:

CWT

Wednesday, 12 August 2009 (11:00 – 12:00)

W101: Essential Steps to Launch Your Strategic Meetings Management Programme

This interactive session begins with the concept of the strategic purpose, offers working models necessary for it to be operational and deals with the actual implementation in an organization. Attendees will be guided through the main stages including:

  • Analysis of corporate meetings & events spend and benchmarks of successful programmes
  • Scope and pre-requisites: key services, processes and systems
  • Advantages of taking a strategic approach in managing corporate meetings and events
  • Implementation: What to expect when the plan goes “live”

Presenters:

Jonas Borglin, Head of Advisory Services JAPA, Business Travel JAPA, American Express Business Travel
Ina Christian, Meetings & Events Manager for Asia Pacific & Japan, Cisco Systems
Michael Molloy, Director, Credit Suisse

W102: Dynamic Hotel Pricing - Defining the Offer and the Value of the Pricing Methodology

This pricing methodology for hotel rates has been proposed to corporate buyers by hotel chains before, but many questions - including GDS display and post-sale audits--remain unanswered . This session discusses the offers generated by dynamic pricing and examines the value dynamic pricing proposes to deliver. Join the panel of buyers and hoteliers for this lively discussion, which is certain to provide interesting perspectives “for” and “against” dynamic pricing alternatives.

Moderator:
Leigh Garvan, Regional Head of Travel, Asia Pacific, Deutsche Bank

Presenters:

Francis H'ng, Global Financial Services, Dell Global Business Centre
Frank Trampert, Executive Vice President, Revenue Generation - Asia Pacific, Carlson Hotels Worldwide

W103: Two Sides to Every Story: How Outsourcing Can Affect the Travel Programme

Are companies ready to outsource part of its managed travel function in efforts to reduce costs and further improve travel services? This session presents an argument which may only be settled by examining actual cost-savings, traveller-satisfaction, strength of customer/supplier relationships and other criteria. Listen to the discussion and make your own conclusions:

  • BPO trends in indirect spend categories.
  • Does travel present a unique set of challenges to a BPO model?
  • Which parts of the managed travel function would you outsource?
  • What issues would you have to contend with managing travel programme quality, supplier relationships and compliance?
  • Is there such a thing as the “perfect BPO model” for travel?

Presenters:

Dinesh Chauhan, Consultant
Stephanie Leung, Regional APAC Manager, Real Estate Travel (RET), Shell International
Charlie Villasenor, President & CEO, Procurement & Sourcing Institute of Asia

Wednesday, 12 August 2009 (14:30 – 15:30)

W201: Traveller Safety & Security: Is Corporate Travel Management a Core Member of Your Risk Management Strategy?

Immense attention is being paid by companies to the safety and security needs of travelers, but in sharp contrast, participation of Corporate Travel Management executives in the actual risk management policies seems ‘light’. Their expert knowledge of the supply environment, traveller behaviour and access to travel data would lead many to presume their active roles in shaping strategic decisions in this field, yet many travel managers serve on the periphery. Learn what you need to know about risk management and where you can weigh-in on risk management policy.

  • Relationship between Managed Travel and Corporate Risk Management
  • Interface between company and travel supply environment, traveler and travel policy
  • Case study

Moderator:

Tony Ridley, Director, Security Services - ASPAC, International SOS

Presenters:

Peter Brady, Vice President, Global Program Management, Asia-Pacific, Carlson Wagonlit Travel
Colleen Lee, Regional Director, Honeywell Pte Ltd
Martin Leo, Regional Manager, Information Risk Mgt & Corporate Security, ING Investment Management AP

W202: Pre-trip Data + Post-trip Data = Policy Compliance + Savings

Successful demand and compliance management practices promote better travel programme results. How can travel managers take advantage the technologies providing immediate pre-trip and post-trip information to harness this potential? This discussion aims to shed light on:

  • Data type and the fit with its main objectives
  • Implementation process
  • Measurement of success
  • Case study

Moderator:

Lisa Akeroyd, Regional Director, Asia Pacific Business Solutions, Amadeus IT Group

Presenters:

Koby Brice, Director, Global Hotel & Car Program, Oracle
Blake Hedger, Global Programme Manager, Asia-Pacific, Carlson Wagonlit Travel
Marten Jagers, Director of Sales, Concur Technologies
Jens Schneider, Category Team Manager Asia pacific, Indirect Materials & Services, Henkel China

W203: Optimising Hotel Contract Negotiations with Total Spend Data

A hotel contract can overlook the “full –picture” of a corporation’s total spend. There are many reasons for this oversight but none as evident as the possible over-dependence on negotiating deals based on room nights and room rate commitments. This fixation leads to a neglect of other areas where a corporation may be contributing to the overall business of a hotel chain. Full appreciation of this concept enables both parties to influence market shares globally or regionally. This discussion session challenges the conventional way of striking a deal and explores the optimal deal:

  • Inclusion of corporate meetings and events spend
  • Negotiating with chains at global, regional and local levels
  • Balancing cost with the total product offering including auxiliary services
  • Making a contract worth honouring in good times and in bad

Moderator:
Genevieve Prieto, Director of Global Accounts, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
Presenters:

Ramesh Chhabra, Regional Travel Sourcing Manager, Asia-Pacific, Agilent Technologies
Peter Koh, Travel Manager, Asia pacific & Japan, Symantec Corporation
Josephine Lim, Executive Director, Global Sales - Asia Pacific, Preferred Hotel Group
Derek Yan, Senior Manager - Global Sales, Starwood Asia Pacific Hotels & Resorts Pte Ltd

Thursday, 13 August 2009 (10:30 – 11:30)

T101: Emerging Mobile Communications and Your Travel Programme: Ascertaining the Potential of New Applications

This session presents the relevant mobile communications technologies with potential of enhancing the managed travel practice empowering both travel managers and business travellers. The panel looks beyond the traditional online booking tools to consider the wider range of applications that improve travel cost management, increases traveller efficiency, simplifies processes and delivers better information. Discover what is available and appropriate for your business objectives.

Moderator:

Martin Jagers, Director of Sales, Concur Technologies

Presenters:

Georgie Farmer, Regional Chair - Asia-Pacific, APAC Travel Manager, Microsoft
Michael Foynes, Director, Microsoft Global Security
David Newington, General Manager, FCm Travel Solutions
Johnny Thorsen, Co-Founder, CEO, conTgo

T102: Integrating Videoconferencing with Your Demand Management Goals

Videoconferencing technology has surged onto the scene in the wake of urgent calls to reduce the consumption for travel. In spite of advanced and improved technology uncertainty still remains in VC as a suitable substitute for face-to-face meetings among its largest user-group, business travelling executives. Learn more about:

  • Travel managers’ influence in ensuring a fit between VC solutions and needs of business travellers
  • Measuring suitability and ROI of VC as an alternative to travel
  • Integrating VC into the travel policy and its processes
  • VC’s impact on the roles of a travel management company

Presenters:

Wayne Koh, Regional Travel Manager, Autodesk Pte. Ltd.
Sonny Sammy, DIrector, Strategic Business, Cisco Systems (USA) Pte. Ltd.
Joshua Soh, Country Manager, Integrated Technology Services, IBM Singapore

T103: Implementing Your Hotel Programme: Practices that Overcome Rate Inaccuracy

Corporate travel managers and bookers are looking for a reliable solution to a predicament that has given rise to incidences of non-compliance, difficulties in accessing hotel contracted rates and other inefficiencies undermining relationships between corporate travel managers and hotel chains. Learn from experts from both sides of the fence how to avoid and fix:

  • Problems with rate loading and its negative impact down the line
  • Squatters in the channel and non-sanctioned promotional offers
  • Getting it right: hotels, corporate buyers, GDSs and TMCs

Presenters:

Christian Binting, Business Development Director, Distribution Marketing, Asia Pacific, InterContinental Hotels Group
Francis H'ng, Global Financial Services, Dell Global Business Centre
Joe Lim, Business Development Manager, Hotel & Car Services, Travelport

Thursday, 13 August 2009 (12:00 – 13:00)

T201: The Business Case for Managed Travel: Measuring the Return-on-Investment (ROI )

Findings from research conducted by the ACTE Traveller Productivity Committee & the National University of Singapore reveals how managed travel programmes perform against a return-on-investment parameter, particularly in respect to its contribution to executive productivity.

Moderator:

Geraldine de Guzman, Multinational Account Manager, Asia-pacific, FCm Travel Solutions

Presenters:

Anthony Chin, Associate Professor, Department of Economics, National University of Singapore
Desmond Chong, Director, Business Development, Corporate Segments & Solutions, Abacus International Pte Ltd
Marian Bindu Dominic, International Travel Manager, APAC & EMEA, Juniper Networks India Pvt Ltd
Steve Smith, Vice President, Passenger Sales - The Americas, Japan Airlines

T202: Is There Room on Your Plate for More? The Evolving Roles of Travel Procurement and Sourcing Professionals

This session will examine the changing role of the travel procurement specialists and new priorities that have emerged. The new procurement attitude has changed relationships with suppliers and invited to present their perspective of these issues. You will gain insights regarding:

  • Your customer’s new procurement KPIs and priorities
  • Information you need when negotiating a contract
  • Impact on hotel rates, TMC remuneration, airfares, etc.
  • Impact on tender documents – RFI, RFP, RFT, Response Doc
  • Impact of procurement strategies and measurement of travel spend category

Moderator:

Kevin Tan, Global Sales & Expense Management Director, Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Presenters:

Karina Harris, Asia Pacific Travel Manager, BP
Charlie Villasenor, President & Chief Executive Officer, Procurement & Sourcing Institute of Asia

T203: Optimising Hotel Contract Negotiations with Total Spend Data

A hotel contract can overlook the “full –picture” of a corporation’s total spend. There are many reasons for this oversight but none as evident as the possible over-dependence on negotiating deals based on room nights and room rate commitments. This fixation leads to a neglect of other areas where a corporation may be contributing to the overall business of a hotel chain. Full appreciation of this concept enables both parties to influence market shares globally or regionally. This discussion session challenges the conventional way of striking a deal and reviews explores the optimal deal:

  • Inclusion of corporate meetings and events spend
  • Negotiating with chains at global, regional and local levels
  • Balancing cost with the total product offering including auxiliary services
  • Making a contract worth honouring in good times and in bad

Moderator:
Genevieve Prieto, Director of Global Accounts, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
Presenters:

Ramesh Chhabra, Regional Travel Sourcing Manager, Asia-Pacific, Agilent Technologies
Peter Koh, Travel Manager, Asia Pacific & Japan, Symantec Corporation
Josephine Lim, Executive Director, Global Sales - Asia Pacific, Preferred Hotel Group
Derek Yan, Senior Manager - Global Sales, Starwood Asia Pacific Hotels & Resorts Pte Ltd