The Institute of Travel Management’s former CEO, Paul Tilstone, has been elected Allied Director at Large to the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) board by its members.

Paul’s term on the board will run from 2017 to 2019, and he will work with the other directors to “heighten the engagement between leadership and members, and evolve the association to elevate the buyer/supplier relationship beyond price/volume transactions”.

“I feel very proud to have been elected as the first ever international board director of GBTA, and I know that it was only possible because of the amazing support from passionate people at home, in Europe, and around the world.”

“I also do not believe I could have been elected without the overwhelming support of US Members. The fact they voted for an international candidate is a really positive statement that they wish to see the board become more global,” Paul commented.

GBTA, established in 1997 by ITM and NATM, is a voluntary association composed of numerous business travel professionals from around the world. Collectively, GBTA's 9,000-plus members manage more than $345 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually.