THE US-BASED National Business Travel Association (NBTA) has partnered the Institute of Travel and Meetings (ITM) and others to create NBTA Europe.
ITM chief executive Paul Tilstone has been appointed managing director of NBTA Europe, while AstraZeneca's business travel boss and immediate past chairman of ITM, Caroline Strachan (left) , has started a two-year tenure as chairman. Other European travel buyer organisations from Scandinavia, Holland, Spain and Portugal have received automatic membership for the first year.
Tilstone said the new network had "great plans" for the next 12 months. A virtual conference for members will take place on March 30, while the date for an autumn conference will be announced soon. Strachan will head an advisory board that includes Ikea's Torbjorn Erling, Yann Le Goff from French business Sidel and Floyd Widener of Carlson Wagonlit Travel.
More advisory board members are to be appointed in the coming months.