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
Elevate Your Corporate Travel with Qatar Airways
We recently caught up with our friends at Qatar Airways to talk about their Qsuite space, their exclusive benefits & rewards, and the unique experience they offer business travellers. We also take a look at its award-winning Business Class, luxurious lounges, and expansive global network of over 170 destinations, Qatar Airways redefines the air travel experience.
6 Business Travel Problems That Can Be Solved by Data
In business travel, as in other industries, data is more than a synonym for spools of numbers and stuffy graphs. It is a force that can be channelled to identify trends to save you money on fares, pinpoint travel preferences, or help you make more sustainable choices. In this article, we take a look at 6 problems that can be solved by having access to accurate travel data and how you can start using it to optimise your travel programmes.
A Day in the Life of a Diversity & Inclusion Manager
With a career in Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) that began as a police investigator, Brit Clayton has plenty of stories to tell. From guiding EDI research for the British Psychological Society to raising awareness of conversion therapy at Pride, Brit has a genuine passion for her work and a love for helping people reach their full potential, regardless of age, ability, or way of working. In this article, we chat with Brit about her day-to-day responsibilities as a Diversity & Inclusion Manager at Gray Dawes, her ultimate career highlights, and what it takes to work in the EDI industry.