Meet BCD Travel at GBTA Convention 2022 in San Diego, Aug. 14-17

BCD Travel speaker lineup

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Sunday, Aug. 14

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Committee Insights: Igniting Your Power Through Mentorship

With Christina Reichelt, Senior Director, Global Client Team, BCD Travel | 12:30 p.m. – 1:10 p.m. (PT)

This event is part of the WINiT Summit by GBTA and is specifically designed to help positively change and ignite the careers and lives of women in travel-related industries. Learn about the value of mentorship for mentees and mentors.

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Monday, Aug. 15

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Executive Real Talk: Future Challenges & Opportunities for Business Travel

With Michele Lawley, Senior Vice President Regional, BCD Travel | 10 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. (PT)

The return to business travel has challenged the entire travel ecosystem. In this session, senior executives address the return-to-travel scenario, service situation, resource prioritization, the impact of an inflationary environment and—on the bright side—the opportunities and innovations arising from disruption.

GBTA Around the World Series: Europe

With David Coppens, Executive Vice President, Global Operations, BCD Travel | 10 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. (PT)

Part of the five day “GBTA Around the World” series, this panel on Europe will cover current economic issues and governmental/regulatory policy updates in the region, as well as important business travel sector updates in air, hotel, ground and TMC unique to the area. 

Breaking Down the Buzzwords: Understand Sustainable Travel & Avoid Pitfalls

With Olivier Benoit, Principal and Vice President, Air, I&A, Sustainability, Advito | 10 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. (PT)

Cutting through sustainability jargon to understand what will make a real impact can be overwhelming. This session will focus on myth-busting around six sustainability concepts and explore how they may or may not be useful tools for your program.

GBTA Ladders: Developing talent in the travel industry

With Christina Reichelt, Senior Director, Global Client Team, BCD Travel | 2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. (PT)

Talent risk is the No. 1 threat to companies’ long-term growth. Learn how GBTA Ladders, a unique team-based mentorship program, can help motivate the talent in your organization and accelerate growth and development within your team.

Map your sustainable journey: Real life data example and gaming exercise 

With Olivier Benoit, Principal and Vice President, Air, I&A, Sustainability, Advito | 4:30 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Part of GBTA’s first-ever Sustainability Pavilion, this session explores ways to integrate sustainable initiatives into travel programs.

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Tuesday, Aug. 16

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Overlooked Organizations: SME & Non-Profit. People Risk Management for ALL!

With Kathy Bedell, Senior Vice President, BCD Travel | 8:30 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. (PT)

Of the 6M+ organizations in the U.S., 99.7% employ fewer than 500 people; and the numbers are similar in many other countries. How can small- to medium-sized organizations create a robust People and Travel Risk Program in partnership with their TMC and augmented by a Risk and Assistance provider? Where to begin? Who are the internal partners? Where can you find resource and financial support for the project? This Risk Committee session will provide answers and tools to create a program unique to your organization’s needs.

The Workforce Revolution: Travel’s Role in a People-First World

With Chris LeFevre, Vice President, Program Management, BCD Travel | 8:30 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. (PT)

The pandemic significantly accelerated changes in both employers’ and employees’ attitudes to work. The pause has focused minds on work purpose. Individuals seek to put their energy into corporations aligned with their values. Combined with the breaking down of traditional physical office boundaries and a more dispersed workforce, it means that travel management has a special role to play in supporting and driving the values of the 21st century employer and enhancing the employee experience. This session will explore how to frame business travel alongside the future needs of business.                          

Cybersecurity: More than a Matter for IT

With Sherron Burgess, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer, BCD Travel |11:15 a.m. – noon      

Ensuring the cyberworld is secure is essential for protecting people, organizations, and infrastructure. As cybersecurity threats escalate, travelers are particularly vulnerable. Learn what you can do to keep your traveler and company data safe. Spoiler alert: security training refreshers for returning travelers are strongly advised.

Achieve Your Travel Program Goals with Digital Marketing

With Kelly Ellis, Senior Managing Consultant, Advito | 11:15 a.m. – noon      

Choosing travel was simple 20 years ago: you called your TMC. Now, choices are limitless and travel programs are competing with outside influences for business travelers’ attention. If you don’t use the same marketing tactics that they are used to seeing outside of your program, you’ll lose them to other channels. In this session, hear how you can influence travelers’ buying behaviors and build a future-fit traveler engagement strategy.

Here’s Your Handbook to Optimizing The Meetings RFP      

With Shauna Whitehead, Vice President, Sales Administration, BCD Meetings & Events |
12:15 p.m. – 1 p.m. (PT) 

Is the meeting RFP process flawed? In many cases, yes. While the process for sourcing third-party meetings and events providers is well established, it’s often more supplier than buyer-centric. This session is an essential guide to help you learn from those on each side of the equation as they share how to optimize successful outcomes. In this session, we’ll define critical success factors, design your RFP, cover key areas of focus, and share stakeholder and communication strategies to ensure RFP performance and success!

ISO 31030 – What is it and what do I do with it?  

With Jorge Mesa, Director, Global Crisis Management, BCD Travel | 12:15 p.m. – 1 p.m. (PT)                          

In September 2021, the International Standards Organization (ISO) published ISO 31030 – Travel risk management – Guidance for Organizations. Experts from around the world agreed on guidelines for implementation of a travel risk management program based on the ISO 31000 Risk Management guidelines. This session will provide a high-level and easily understandable view of these guidelines.

The DE&I Journey and Travel: Are we there yet?

With Yvette Bryant, Senior Vice President, Diversity & Inclusion, BCD Travel | 8:30 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. (PT)

In this interactive panel session, buyer participants will highlight key DE&I initiatives that they have successfully incorporated into their respective travel programs and the results to date. They’ll also share how they’re addressing inclusion for all, i.e., race, ability, and sexuality, in their travel programs.