David Radcliffe, ceo of Hogg Robinson, has denied there is a battle for control of BTI, one of the world's largest travel management companies.
Hogg Robinson owns 50% of the brand with its Dutch partner BCD owning the other half. But in an interview with the US magazine Business Travel News Mr Radcliffe, when asked if any agreement had been reached on the ownership of BTI, declined to comment on what he called “private talks.”
He dismissed talk of either side attempting to gain control of BTI as a focus by “people outside.” He said it might just be BTI's turn to be the focus of speculation.
Mr Radcliffe said he had not heard of “too much concern” among clients of WorldTravel BTI, the BCD-owned arm which operates in the US, about the TMC's future.
“The fact is no client needs to be concerned because whatever BTI's future is or isn't, the relationships are as strong as the client contracts - and the contracts are very strong.
“We are committed to work within those contracts, regardless of whether talks bring the shareholders together,” he told BTN.
Hogg Robinson bought the New York-based corporate travel agency the Sea Gate Travel Group in April which fuelled speculation about the future ownership of the BTI brand.
But Mr Radcliffe again stressed that all BTI's transatlantic contracts would be with WorldTravel BTI and that Sea Gate would operate through Hogg for any international tenders and not BTI.
He rejected the idea that his would be an “interim” arrangement and said that Sea Gate was a “very useful add-on to other businesses that we are in.”
He added: “We bought Sea Gate primarily for the sports and event business. It happens to have a large business travel capability.
“But if there are other acquisitions we can bolt on to the sports and event business particularly, then we will do that. We are also involved in acquisitions in Europe and in dialogue about making further acquisitions in the Far East.”
Mr Radcliffe said the Hogg was also considering re-flotation on the Stock Market. It left the London Stock Exchange four years ago but Mr Radcliffe said it was now an option, although not the only one to return.
But he said this was not a hint that Hogg planned to buy up the BTI network. “It is a fact that the partner contracts we have within BTI do include pre-emption rights, but the joy and strength of BTI is that we can choose not to own,” he said.
“Sometimes, in some parts of the world, you can have a much stronger relationship with a local player that understands the culture rather than assume you have all the answers and go in with 100 percent ownership.”