BCD TRAVEL - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President
- Managing Director of Advito
April Bridgeman is a longtime road warrior with unmatched passion for the business traveler experience. She has a clear vision for travel-related solutions that blend into today's mobile and socially connected lifestyles. April loves to collaborate with clients to incorporate unique behavior management strategies and newly available intelligence & analytics to drive corporate travel programs across new horizons.
As managing director of Advito, April heads BCD Travel's global consultancy unit, inventing new best practices in corporate travel management. She is known for taking concepts and turning them into reality. Under her guidance, Advito continues to develop new practice areas and deep analytics that vastly increase the value of travel programs.
As senior vice president of BCD Travel, April leads the team behind BCD Travel's hotel offering, Stay by BCD Travel. In this role, she is often tapped to meet with clients for her unique skill set, experience and capacity to innovate managed travel programs. In her previous role as senior vice president of strategic marketing, she led BCD Travel's product planning, product marketing and emerging technologies teams.
Before joining the BCD Travel team, April was a management consultant with Deloitte for over eight years, providing strategy and operations consulting. April earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics and German, a Master of Health Services Administration and a Master of Applied Economics from the University of Michigan. She is based in Chicago, Illinois.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Global Life Sciences Center of Excellence
Job Titles:
- Global Chief Financial Officer
Cees Batenburg is responsible for determining the company's financial needs, overseeing its forecasting and budgeting process, and creating and maintaining its capital structure. Prior to his current position, Cees worked as Senior Vice President, Global Accounting, Controlling and Treasury, responsible for BCD Travel's finance function globally, overseeing banking relationships and involved in mergers & acquisitions and tax matters.
In his 10+ years with the company he also has successfully managed and contributed to forecasting, cash management, year-end closings, re-financings, accounting technology implementations and strategic planning.
Prior to joining BCD Travel in 2007, he served as an assistant auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers, servicing a diverse portfolio of customers, both listed and privately owned.
Job Titles:
- Employees
- Senior Vice President, People & Culture
Christian defines and leads our company-wide employee experience initiatives and heads our human resources groups worldwide. In that role, he defines the company's people strategy, employer branding, learning and development, talent development programs and talent acquisition.
Under his leadership BCD Travel became the first travel management company to reach for and achieve accreditation from Investors in People®, a globally recognized workplace ratings firm. BCD has regularly been included among the companies named to Forbes' list of America's Best Employers and FlexJobs' list of Top Companies with Remote Jobs. The company was selected for a 2017 Stevie® Award for its multi-year Confident Self approach to talent management. That approach links recruitment, professional development and employee satisfaction to increase service quality and client satisfaction.
By strategically enhancing the opportunities for BCD employees, Christian has overseen a rise in employee engagement by more than 5.3% since 2014 and a doubling in the hours per employee spent on training-including the strengthening of BCD's middle management for better leadership capabilities at all levels.
Christian began his career in the travel industry in 1993 at BCD Travel legacy company DanTransport, covering many roles in operations, marketing, learning & development and finally overall HR. He lives in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Craig brings a talent for building and fostering strong client and vendor relationships, a depth of experience in strategic planning and a track record of success in managing large teams. As the leader of BCD's Americas region, he focuses on shaping, strengthening and growing business in the United States, Canada and Latin America.
Craig previously served as president for North America, where he led a team which contributed significantly to BCD's client retention, operational innovation and business development in the company's largest market. In his previous role as senior vice president, North America Central Region and Tbiz, he oversaw more than 100 corporate accounts under his management. He also led the integration of Tbiz, one of the 10 largest travel management companies in the U.S., after its June 2013 acquisition. Craig brings over 30 years of industry experience to his current role. Prior to joining BCD Travel, Craig spent 17 years with American Airlines, where he held a number of increasingly senior roles in finance, marketing and sales.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President, Global Operations
David leads our customer-centric vision for operations across borders and around the world. He oversees off-shore and centralized services that support our travel agents and our diverse customer base. His team plays a key role in enhancing the user experience for both travelers and agents through service and technology innovations. He also provides clients and prospects strategic insight into the practical aspects of global travel program consolidation leading to more effective and progressive travel programs.
David previously served as senior vice president of Performance Solutions in our Europe, Middle East and Africa region. In that role he led a team of professionals focused on optimizing operational process and business performance. Prior to that role, David led our Global Business Solutions team, advising customers on BCD Travel technology products and operational solutions.
David joined BCD Travel in 2002 from American Airlines to implement and manage Europe's first multinational service center in business travel.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Global Program Optimization
Gary leads a global team at BCD Travel dedicated to strengthening client relationships and developing comprehensive strategies to optimize client programs. BCD's Global Optimization team takes a proactive approach to delivering the most effective and cost-efficient program, serving as a seamless collaborative extension of our client's internal travel team.
A long-time student of global markets, with more than 30 years working in the industry, he's a leading authority for BCD Travel in designing multinational travel programs. Clients benefit from his and his team's comprehensive knowledge of corporate travel solutions, advanced configurations, supplier tactics and meetings and events. He sits on several industry advisory boards and is a member of BCD Travel's senior leadership team. He lives in greater Boston.
Job Titles:
- President, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa & Global Network
Greg O'Neil has over 40 years of global travel management experience and is responsible for the management of BCD Travel's operations in Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, as well as the BCD Global Network, a key component in our service and value to clients.
Job Titles:
- Head of Strategic Advancement
Jennifer draws upon her consulting background and experience advising large corporate travel buyers to efficiently and rapidly advance the strategic initiatives of BCD Travel and its clients. As a key strategist, consultant and implementer, Jennifer works with a variety of stakeholders to prioritize, streamline and drive accountability on both new initiatives and existing business-critical activities. She serves as a senior-level strategic partner, managing or acting as executive sponsor for projects across the entire organization. As an executive account owner, she has earned the confidence of one of BCD's largest strategic accounts by building trusting relationships, driving change with rigorous project management and tailoring solutions to fit their needs.
Since joining BCD Travel in 1996, Jennifer has focused on process redesign, customer satisfaction, marketing and account management evolution. She led two of BCD's largest agency integrations between 1998 and 2007. In managing strategic projects for the Global Executive Team, she set BCD's vision for talent management strategy, led change efforts and outlined the strategic direction framework.
Prior to joining BCD Travel, Jennifer was a consultant with Accenture in Atlanta working with financial system implementations and organizational design projects for Fortune 100 companies.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Global Client Team
Job Titles:
- President and CEO, BCD Travel / CEO, BCD Group
John oversees all of BCD Travel's commercial, financial and operational functions. He sets the company's strategic direction to fulfill our mission of helping people and companies travel smart and achieve more.
John's extensive experience and strategic focus encourage our organization's 10,000 creative, committed and experienced people to pursue a shared vision to be the world's most trusted and innovative travel management company. John also oversees BCD Group, a privately owned market leader in the travel industry for global corporate travel management, off-airport parking, and consolidation and fulfilment.
Prior to his appointment as CEO, John served as global president and chief operating officer, responsible for executing our business strategy and aligning the company's commercial, operational and technological functions and processes across the globe. During his 30-year tenure with BCD, he has also served as president of our Americas region, where he aggressively drove operational excellence and consistently improved the company's performance in North America and South America. In addition to his time with BCD Travel, John has held management roles with U.S. Bank and Thomson Reuters.
John is a proud member of the Strategic Advisory Board for WINiT by GBTA, a global network of women and men focused on driving positive change for the career mobility of women in travel-related industries.
John enjoys snow skiing, all water sports and especially loves spending time with his family and traveling with them to interesting places.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President, Global Sales & Marketing
Jorge oversees the teams tasked with understanding both existing and prospective clients' needs, connecting them to the skills and solutions we offer, and building loyalty to the BCD brand in the marketplace, in our client base and in our own company.
With more than 37 years of experience in the travel industry, his leadership, communication skills and strategic understanding of travel and expense programs have fostered strong client relationship and impressive sales growth. During his 12 years as Senior Vice President on the West Coast of North America, he led more than 400 employees in consistently exceeding company goals for productivity, earnings, client retention and sales. He reduced expense per transaction by over 16%, won over US$500 million in new air volume, and maintained a client retention rate that never dropped below 96%.
Since his appointment to EVP in June 2018, Jorge has leveraged a commitment to teamwork, strategic analysis, budget controls, logic and decisiveness to transform BCD's culture to focus providing market value to drive business.
Jorge lives in San Diego, California. He enjoys playing golf, cycling, and snowboarding. He also values time with his wife, Deb Cruz, and his children, Conor and Skyler.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Global Compliance
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Client Shared Services
Leslie leads the teams at BCD Travel charged with delivering client and travel technology, central project management, client implementations and change management. Her Shared Services team supports both BCD Travel's proprietary client-facing technology-such as DecisionSource, TripSource and SolutionSource-as well as on-line booking tools such as SAP Concur, GetThere, and Cytric.
Job Titles:
- Global Chief Operating Officer and Chief Commercial Officer
Partnerships and smart investments not only fuel business growth, but also allow us to continue providing exceptional products and services to our clients.
Mike oversees the company's operational and technological functions across the globe to drive innovation and efficiency. As global chief commercial officer, he's responsible for BCD's commercial strategy and for aligning the marketing, sales, product development and customer-service activities that foster business growth and increase market share.
Since joining BCD Travel in 1993, Mike has been instrumental in shaping, strengthening and growing the company and contributing to its global success. He's led account management, finance, operations and supplier relations teams with outstanding results - setting ambitious goals and ensuring operational excellence. His commitment to delivering customer value helped generate US$7.75 billion in annual turnover in 2013 from operations he oversaw in Canada, Latin America and the U.S. He played a central role in the acquisition of TBiz, and he's been key to establishing and maintaining strong partners, owned operations, affiliates and joint ventures - notably the 2013 partnership in Brazil.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President, Global Supplier Relations & Strategic Sourcing
Rose Collazo Stratford leads and develops supplier relations strategy and has commercial responsibility for BCD Travel, overseeing all vendor programs including air, car, hotel and global distribution systems (GDS) suppliers worldwide. She also oversees our Strategic Sourcing team responsible for the procurement of all third-party products and services.
Rose has more than 30 years of travel industry experience, including operations, marketing and sales. Prior to joining BCD Travel, Rose spent more than 19 years at Delta Air Lines, where she held numerous management positions of increasing responsibility. She won recognition for her leadership and excellence in orchestrating a highly effective sales team.
She is an active member of the Global Business Travel Association. She's based in Atlanta.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President, Technology, Products & Innovation
Russell is responsible for leading BCD Travel's companywide technology and new product & service development organizations. With over two decades in the corporate travel industry, he brings broad global experience in aligning technology with business drivers, leading change in competitive environments, and driving innovation.
Russell oversees all aspects of technology strategy development and execution, organized into five areas key to BCD Travel's success: Client Shared Services, Global Operations Strategy, Product Planning & Development, Infrastructure & Communications Technology, and Global Information Security.
Before joining BCD Travel, Russell held the role of Vice President, Global Travel Technologies at American Express Global Business Travel. Prior to that role, he spent three years leading travel technologies for American Express GBT in Europe. He started his career in travel technology in 1991 with Wagons-Lits Travel in the U.S., moving to Paris in 1994 during the merger that formed Carlson Wagonlit Travel. Other professional experiences have included: District Supervisor for Aldi Foods in Ohio (1990-1991), IT Consultant with ITIM Associates in London (1996-1997), and CIO of internet startup ePipeline in Atlanta (2000-2005).
Job Titles:
- Global President, BCD Meetings & Events
Scott Graf has been with BCD for more than 20 years and has global responsibility for all facets of BCD Meetings & Events, spanning North America, Latin America, EMEA, UK and Asia-Pacific. This includes the strategy and growth of all functional business areas in the BCD Meetings & Events business lines of Strategic Meetings Management, Incentive Travel Management, Sports Hospitality & Sports Travel, Live Production Services and Creative Communications.
Scott joined BCD in 1997 from a leading provider of meetings & events where his tenure included more than 10 years of managing, selling, operating and directing a variety of key products and services. His experience includes positions in onsite operations, account management, group logistics, marketing, direct sales and executive management. Scott has worked with clients in a wide range of industries, including financial, insurance, life sciences/pharmaceutical, automotive, food and beverage services and petroleum.
Scott is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and is based at BCD Meetings & Events global headquarters in Chicago.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President
- Executive Vice President, Global Client Team
Teri leads the Global Client Team, responsible for optimizing overall programs, including consulting and meetings, for many of BCD Travel's largest global customers. These companies confront an expansive array of program management challenges and benefit from the lessons of Teri's more than 35 years in the travel industry. Over this time, she has built a reputation for improving even the most mature and complex of programs. She brings exceptional skills for accelerating, innovating and aligning global programs at scale.
Teri previously served as Senior Vice President, Global Client Management, overseeing a portfolio of global customers based in the Americas, including those in the life sciences, banking, entertainment, technology, manufacturing and retail sectors. In that role, she led large operations and service centers, building client relationships, retaining and expanding client business and leading global teams.
She entered the travel industry in 1982 as an employee with her family's agency, Swanson Travel. From the beginning of her tenure at BCD Travel, she has played a key role in creating a culture of innovation, starting with her contributions to the acquisition of the mid-office technology company Travel Technologies Group by BCD legacy company WorldTravel Partners. Teri is a committed volunteer and financial supporter for multiple charities. She loves spending time with family, vacationing near water and mountains and attending live concerts of all music genres.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Product Planning & Development
Yannis works on the forefront of travel and technology at BCD Travel. He leads a global team that sets the vision and manages the development for all aspects of BCD's products, platforms and solutions, including TripSource, DecisionSource and SolutionSource.
Yannis has over 20 years of experience building global travel technology businesses across the eCommerce and corporate travel industries. Prior to his role at BCD Travel, he held senior-level positions at Sabre, GetThere and Travelocity. He is based in Southlake, Texas.