The Institute of Travel Management (ITM) has announced EY travel buyer Karen Hutchings (pictured) will replace Mark Cuschieri as chairman from May 2017.
Upon completion of his 2 year term as ITM chairman, Cuschieri will hand over the reins at the ITM annual conference next year – He will remain on the board of directors for a further 12 months.
Hutchings has more than 20 years’ experience in the corporate travel industry and is responsible for managing travel, meeting and events spend for EY globally, a programme valued at more than US$2 billion.
ITM said although Hutchings is a new appointment to the ITM board, she has been involved as a member and a volunteer for many years.
"2017 is going to be an exciting year for the association,” said Hutchings. “Our members need us most when they are dealing with change and given the unknowns that we will be facing in the coming years, ITM will have an important role to play.
“As a platform for collaboration between buyers and suppliers, I will make it my priority to ensure the community maintains its strong voice and continues to provide relevant and useful resources and education for our members.”
Also joining the ITM board of directors in January 2017 will be Claire Marsden, senior supply chain manager travel and fleet at Sodexo. She has been a volunteer on the ITM Industry Affairs Group for the last 2 years and currently sits on the ITM Northern committee.
ITM chairman Mark Cuschieri said: “I will step down from my chairman position in May knowing that I have left the legacy of an extremely strong and passionate board of directors and adding Claire and Karen to this team has brought an even greater depth of knowledge, experience and wisdom to the group.
“I am proud to be handing the Chair to Karen Hutchings, an extremely competent travel buyer who I believe will continue to take the association from strength to strength,” he added.
ITM CEO Simone Buckley said: “The secretariat team and I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new buyer board directors. I am confident they will bring fresh ideas and a new perspective to the association, which will help us shape and develop further value to our members.”
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