Director of Account Management at Agiito and winner of the ITM Mentor of the Year Award 2023

How does it feel to win this award?

To be recognised for supporting individuals with their personal development in an industry I’ve been part of for over 20 years was special. Picking up Mentor of the Year brought back fond memories of mentors who have supported me during my career and a total honour to be recognised for making a difference to others.  

How did you get into business travel?

As a student, I worked for Hilton Hotels in York. I worked around my studies and my earnings went towards nights out and holidays (I was a teenager!). My first role post-studies was front of house on reception and I guess I fell into the industry from here. I then had the opportunity to work in many departments and roles across the hotel, and later within travel management companies.

What do you enjoy most about your role?
Creating a team environment for individuals to thrive and building relationships and trust with customers. It’s a rewarding combination of balancing strategy, people management and mentoring.  What’s not to love about celebrating the successes of others?

What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue a career in business travel?

Use your network. If you are new to business travel, many associations have entry-level membership to find out a little more about what the sector has to offer. There are initiatives to attract and support new talent as there are so many transferrable skills that could be utilised in business travel roles from other industries. And for those who took the leap – ask yourself “What do you love about your role today?”.  
Schemes like the ITM mentoring program are super in supporting personal development, expanding your network and guidance from a leader in the industry. 

What are you seeing as the biggest challenge in business travel over the next 12 months?

Fragmented content distribution.

If you could change one single thing in business travel, what would it be?

Better collaboration.

What’s the favourite place you’ve travelled to and why?

Before I had my daughter, my favourite place was definitely Bali – gorgeous food and a beautiful destination.