Gray Dawes Travel has launched operations in North America with two key appointments.
Michel Botbol joins as Chairman of the Board (North America) and is joined by Carolann Martini in the role of Chief Customer Officer.
It follows the TMC’s expansion into Australia last month with the acquisition of MP Travel in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.
Michel Botbol joins from Frosch. Before that he was with Ultramar Travel Management as President Travel and Transport Ultramar and International.
Martini joins from TakeTwo Travel Solutions where she was Executive Vice President for Global Solutions. Before that, Martini was part of the senior executive team at CTM and Ultramar Travel Management.
“I am thrilled to be joining such a forward thinking, client and employee focused organisation. Despite being almost 100 years old, Gray Dawes Travel’s drive and ambition makes it feel like a start-up and that energy is infectious,” said Botbol.
“With so much corporate consolidation happening in the US, there’s a fantastic opportunity for us to fill the void of delivering a genuine high-touch service on a global scale.”
Martini added: “Gray Dawes Travel’s success in the UK is such a great foundation to launch the brand in the USA. I’m thrilled to be looking after our global customers and excited to reconnect with contacts in New York as I introduce them to what Gray Dawes has to offer, which I believe is truly unique thinking within the corporate travel space.
“My goal is to leverage my expertise in the USA and Gray Dawes’ established service delivery model to build outstanding and fully customised global managed travel programmes.”
Suzanne Horner, Gray Dawes Group CEO, said the expansion “represents the next step in our global growth plan and closes the circle on our unique service delivery strategy”.
“Out of hours, for example, is simply no longer a thing for Gray Dawes; we are now always on – there for our clients, where they need us, when they need us,” she said.
“And with a shared technology platform across the entire Gray Dawes operation, our clients will enjoy a seamless personal service as we follow the sun from the UK to Australia to America.
“I have long been an admirer of both Michel and Carolann; what they achieved in their respective careers, at Ultramar and beyond, has been extraordinary and their knowledge of the North American market, New York especially, is unrivalled.
“Michel and Carolann’s appointments are just the beginning of our expansion into the Americas; we have even more exciting news to share very soon!”
