The Life of a CEO
- What drives the CEO of a travel management company?
- How can you have a successful career in business travel?
- What might the future of the travel industry look like?
Our CEO Suzanne Horner recently chatted to Paul Richer on the ‘Parlez with Paul’ webinar series from the Travel Technology Initiative (TTI). The candid interview took viewers on a journey through Suzanne’s remarkable career, focusing on her rise through the travel industry ranks and the philosophies for success she defined along the way.
Suzanne spoke openly about her formative roles in travel at Airtours and British Airways and how, in 2011, she joined Gray Dawes with the promise of generating a turnover of £100m in five years. It was a bold statement, but not without conviction. After just four years, Gray Dawes’ turnover increased from £28m to hit the £100m target.
But her ambition didn’t stop there. As a self-confessed straight-talking businesswoman who likes to set tough goals and achieve them, Suzanne has steered Gray Dawes to an annual turnover of £250m and overseen the development of a new, global strategy which focuses on offering a service that ‘follows the sun’.
Watch Now
Watch the interview to hear Suzanne’s advice for aspiring leaders, her take on the future of AI-driven travel technology, and her insights into company growth after acquiring offices in Sydney, Melbourne, and Miami.
TRAVEL TALKS
If you like webinars, then be sure to check out Travel Talks. It’s our very own webinar series in which we discuss all the latest business travel trends and topics.
Each episode offers insight, how-to’s and top tips on subjects such as building traveller confidence, implementing a sustainable travel policy, creating successful corporate travel programmes and more! It’s even available as podcast to listen to on the move.
Related Articles
Travel Talks – LGBT+
In this episode of our award-winning webinar series, Brit Clayton, Gray Dawes Travel’s Diversity and Inclusion Manager, and Sophie Taylor, Chief Technical Officer, discuss their own business travel experiences and share 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗚𝗕𝗧+ 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀, helping you navigate the world with confidence.
Beyond the Boardroom
Unlocking the Future of Business Travel For too long, business travel has been misrepresented as the exclusive domain of C-Suite executives and international flights. But the Business Travel Association (BTA) saw a different picture emerging - one rooted in everyday...
How Do Gen Z Travel for Business?
As more and more members of Gen Z enter the workforce, businesses want to understand what makes them tick and tap into their potential as new employees and customers. For Gen Z, business travel isn’t just about meetings and clocking miles – it’s about purpose. In this blog, we explore how Gen Z might approach business travel differently from previous generations, what values influence their travel behaviours, and the key takeaways for travel managers and bookers looking to serve them better.