Press Release

For Immediate Release
22 October 2007

Corporate Travel Professionals Debate Hot Topics in the UK

London, UK -- Management Solutions (UK) Limited (MS Ltd.), in cooperation with the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE), held the 13th Corporate Travel Forum in London, 11 October 2007.  This interactive forum focused on best practices within the corporate travel industry relating to making meetings management easy, client measurement of TMCs, imminent changes surrounding open skies agreements, and how employee safety and the Corporate Manslaughter Bill will impact businesses operating within the United Kingdom.

Forum panel discussions featured senior industry professionals providing insights and best practices on issues within the European travel sector.  Faculty included, Grant Appleton Commercial Director from Hotel Reservation Service, Marc Lozier, EMEA Customer Success Manager with GetThere, Sally Shervington, Managing Director of Travelocity, David Taylor Sales Director for Hotel Bookers, Mike Platt, HRG Director, and Susannah Knowles Dispute Resolution & Litigation practice with K&L Gates.  Forum discussions were moderated by the BBC’s Nigel Coombs, Britain’s best known Travel Commentator, with the assistance of Colin Brain, Director and Senior Consultant, MS (UK) Ltd.

Sessions offered focused on four areas of particular interest within the European business travel market, including:

• Consolidated Meetings Management Made Easy:
  Meeting management is a much debated topic in the travel industry and this education session offered dynamic interaction from three leading executives. The debate focus quickly turned to the sourcing of meeting space in which attendees represented two distinct viewpoints - some preferring meetings sourced on volume like hotels while others preferring meetings to be one-offs within their companies. Examination of these views lead to sharing of tips, methods and practices used to make meetings management easier.


• How Open Are Our Skies:
  Bob Schumacher, Director of Sales at Continental Airlines, and Kam Jandu, General Manager UK Sales with BMI, provided a detailed overview of open-skies agreements and legislation. Discussion focused on anticipated chances at Heathrow and Gatwick airports and what these reguatlions will mean for corporate buyers and their travelers.


• Employee Safety and the Corporate Manslaughter Bill: Head of Travel and Transport at the BBC, Jamie Hindhaugh, lead a discussion on how to effectively deal with employee safety. Hindhaugh provided practices and entertained discussion on how he keeps his staff safe when traveling to some of the most dangerous places in the world.

Megan Stowe of Intel commented:
The MS UK Ltd / ACTE event was excellent; there was great interaction and debate amongst corporate, supplier and TMC delegates on some very pressing topics. I would like to see more of these types of events.”Ron Mitchell, Zurich Financial Services, added, “This event always seems to be more open and honest than others ”

For more information, contact:
Debbie Flynn
CEO
Brighter Group
The Pod, London's Vertical Gateway
Bridges Wharf, Battersea
London SW11 3BE England
T: 020 7326 9880
F: 020 7326 9890
E: [email protected]
W: www.brightergroup.com