Press Release
For Immediate Release
5 November 2009
Three Leading CFO's to Speak at the 2009 ACTE Canada Education Conference
Alexandria, VA --
Three of Canada’s leading Chief Financial Officers will present their perspectives on what a successful managed travel program should look like at the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) 2009 Canada Education Conference in Toronto on Tuesday.
Peter Allen, CFO, Allen Vanguard; Richard Prupas, CFO, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP; and Alan Smith, Canadian CFO, Ernst & Young LLP, will participate in a panel discussion moderated by Michael Bingham, Partner, BottomLine Consulting Group.This CFO roundtable will take place during the Tuesday morning (November 10) General Session, and is expected to be one of the highlights of this year’s conference.
“We are very excited that these three senior executives will be able to not only join us at this year’s conference, but share their thoughts and opinions with our attendees,” said Monica Hailstone, Canada Regional Director for ACTE. “In today’s economic environment, it is important for business travel practitioners to understand the needs of their top executives, and this discussion will offer that necessary insight.”
Peter Allen joined the Allen Vanguard Corporation in Ottawa in June 2008 to restructure and recapitalize the company during the most challenging global financial crisis in recent memory. Allen Vanguard supports global military and security forces with proprietary counter terrorist solutions. Mr. Allen has twice been nominated for Canada’s CFO of the Year award.
Richard Prupas is the Chief Financial Officer of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, one of Canada’s leading business law firms, which was founded in 1856 and has more than 550 lawyers. He has been with Blakes since 2001 in his capacity as Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining Blakes, Mr. Prupas was the Director of Finance for a major Canadian accounting firm.
Alan Smith is Chief Financial Officer and a Partner of Ernst & Young. Many of its 4,000 staff are required to travel on a regular basis to serve its clients - so management of travel, meetings and entertainment costs is key. In the past few years, E&Y has reduced its travel and meeting costs by over $10 million annually. Recognized repeatedly in external surveys as being one of the Top 10 Employers in all of Canada, E&Y constantly looks for innovative ways to manage its costs while maintaining its focus on its People First culture.
The fourth-annual ACTE Canada Education Conference at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto, 8-10 November, 2009, is the premier business travel event in the region. Bringing together more than 300 senior-level industry executives, the conference will offer attendees exceptional educational and networking opportunities. To learn more about the conference and this panel, please visit www.acte.org.
ABOUT ACTE:
The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) represents the global business travel industry through its international advocacy efforts, executive level educational programs, and independent industry research. ACTE's membership consists of senior travel industry executives from 82 countries representing the €463 billion business travel industry. Our members serve more than 12 million business travellers worldwide. With the support of sponsors from every major segment of the business travel industry, ACTE develops and delivers educational programs in key business centers throughout the world. ACTE has representation in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and the United States. For more information on ACTE, please go to www.acte.org.
Contact:
Monica Hailstone
Regional Director, Canada
Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE)
Phone: 1-613-836-7652
Email: [email protected]
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