Corporate Travel Management (CTM) has appointed Chris Thelen to the role of CEO North America as it aims to expand the business stateside.
The US is CTM’s largest market since recent acquisitons of Montrose Travel and Travizon Travel.
Thelen has led CTM’s expansion in the UK and Europe as CEO EMEA since the acquisition of his former company Chambers Travel Group in January 2015 – a deal worth up to £39 million for three years. He will be based at CTM’s head office in Denver.
He will be replaced by CTM’s chief operating officer for Europe, Debbie Carling. She joined Chambers Travel Group’s senior management team in 2011 and has overseen the company’s operations during a period of rapid growth.
“I am delighted to have been given this opportunity to drive CTM’s growth in the US as this is now our largest global market,” said Thelen.
“There is huge potential to increase CTM’s client base not only in the USA, but also business across the CTM global network originating from the US. However, this is definitely not ‘goodbye’ as I will still remain actively involved with key clients in the UK and Europe and I’ll be back here on a regular basis,” said Thelen.
Jamie Pherous, CTM’s managing director added: “Since the acquisition of Montrose Travel in January 2016 and Travizon Travel, CTM now operates in over 20 cities in the USA. North America is now our largest market with total annual transaction value above US$1 billion FY17, ranking CTM in the top 10 travel management companies in the USA only four years after entering the market.”
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