Maurice Veronique, in his first speech as the new chairman of the UK Guild of Travel Management Companies (GTMC), said he planned to make the organisation "challenging, innovative and ready to change."
He said there was a feeling the Guild had been "a little cosseted in the past."
But, speaking at the GTMC's annual lunch in London, Mr Veronique said he wanted it to be "open to the new suggestions and to other people's opinions."
Mr Veronique, chairman and ceo of the Appointment Group TMC, outlined a four point plan to update the Guild during his two year tenure.
He said he had appointed Cavendish Place Communications to shape the Guild's lobbying policy and help with contacting legislators.
He told Guild members: "The Guild needs to be lobbying the powers that be, discussing the key issues facing the industry with the regulators and legislators and doing so at the formative stages of their thinking.
"We need to be forceful and assertive, putting our arguments forward powerfully at every level, to be in the corridors of power or the debating chambers of lawmakers.
"We need to be the kind of body that is beyond being a talking shop. We must have sharp policies which impact upon the business traveller.”
To assist the lobbying, Mr Veronique named the new chairs of five working parties: Air: Mike Hare; Technology: Richard Boardman; Hotels: Graham Ramsey; Surface Transport: Derek Barlow; and Public Relations: Graham Flack
His second proposal was quarterly meetings with the UK and Ireland Institute of Travel Management and corporate buyers.
"I want us to have more dialogue with corporate buyers, listening to their needs and concerns," he said.
Mr Veronique said he also wanted to re-mould the future of the Guild by an “infusion of young blood and more players who will bring in a new perspective."
He called on members to "put a candidate up from their up and coming middle management who will shadow senior Guild members."
He said he wanted these "leaders of tomorrow" to have their own working parties and be charged with "creating innovation in every facet of the TMCs."
His last aim was to improve the Guild's communications with the media by holding quarterly briefing sessions.
"My view is that the Guild has been too closed in the past. Relations with the media have left a lot to be desired. We need to be open to the media," he said.
"I want the Guild to be more transparent and to move with the times – doing away with the perception of Fortress GTMC."
At the meeting, Mr Michael Hare, managing director of Fleet Street Travel, was named as deputy chairman of the GTMC.