November 30, 2023

2023 Business Travel People Awards

The shortlist has now been confirmed for the Business Travel People Awards 2023, recognising individuals and teams whose professionalism and business excellence make them stand out from their industry peers.

For 2023 there are 14 categories, designed to recognise the achievements of people across a wider range of industry roles and sectors. There will also be a Chair’s Award, a special award chosen across all categories.

“The categories have also been created to ensure the focus remains on the achievements of individuals and teams in the industry, rather than brands,” says Kirsty Hicks, Publisher of The Business Travel Magazine, which organises the awards.

“These awards are all about the talented people that are the back bone of our industry. Our judges look forward to seeing this year’s submissions and to choose the worthy winners.”

A brand new award for Business Travel Team of the Year will recognise a team from any part of a business – IT, reservations, HR, marketing, finance etc – and from any sector within business travel that has worked diligently and collaboratively to make a significant, positive impact on the overall business and/or the wider industry.

Another new category, People Manager of the Year, will honour an individual from any sector of the industry, working in any role, whose excellent people management skills have made a significant, positive impact on their organisation.

The new TMC Above and Beyond award acknowledges the key role of travel management companies and will be presented to an individual or team in any role or department within a TMC that has gone above and beyond and has made a significant, positive impact on their organisation, colleagues, clients, partners and/or the wider industry.

This year, more emphasis was put on supporting evidence for each submission. Guidance and tips were provided to assist with the entry process.

The awards, now in their 12th year, have also been given a design refresh with a sophisticated new logo in black and gold.

The presentation ceremony will take place on September 25 at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, London.

Tickets are now on sale for the ceremony, with Early Bird tickets available until June 23 for £150. After that date, the price will rise to £175.

Tables for up to nine people are available from £1350 (Early Bird) and then from £1575.

The ceremony will start with a drinks reception, sponsored by Direct ATPI, followed by a three-course dinner in the Grand Hall, during which the winners will be announced.

Afterwards there will be time for more networking and celebrating.

It is the first time the awards will be held at the venue, which underwent a £700,000 refurbishment just before the pandemic.

For ticket and sponsorship opportunities and more information, contact Kirsty on kirsty.hicks@bmipublishing.co.uk.

Seven new judges join the panel for this year’s awards.

These include Merv Moonien, Cross Border Support Manager Assistant Director for EY, Paul Bowden, Commercial Director at RDG (Rail Delivery Group), Lynne Griffiths, CEO and Founder Sirius Talent Solutions, who was voted Shining Star last year, and Carolyn Pearson, CEO of Maiden Voyage and winner of the 2022 Chair’s Award.

Following tradition, the winner of the Rising Star award will also help with the judging. In 2022, there were three joint winners of this award – Sinéad Ryan, Head of Account Management UK, ALTOUR, Georgia Suttie, Venue Find Operations Manager, Agiito, and Laura Garton, Sales and Marketing Executive, Synergy Global Housing.

These new judges join the existing industry experts on the panel, which include Lee Whiteing, Commercial Director at Global Secure Accreditation, Clive Wratten, BTA CEO, Emma Lamb, Global Travel Safety & Security Specialist Milestone Tech Facebook, Dani Ives, Partnership Project Manager, Focus Travel Partnership, Carol Fergus, Director of Global Travel, Events and Ground Transportation, Fidelity, Juliet Price, Consultant Executive Director, beam, and Guy Snelgar, Global Business Travel Director, The Advantage Travel Partnership.

For the third consecutive year, the panel will be chaired by Leigh Cowlishaw, Managing Partner, Black Box Partnerships.

Sponsors for the 2023 Business Travel People Awards include JetBlue, Best Workplaces, Agiito, Direct ATPI, TripStax, Sirius Talent Solutions, Virgin Atlantic and Delta Airlines.

Companies interested in sponsorship and partnership opportunities can find more information in this media kit or should contact Kirsty Hicks at kirsty.hicks@thebusinesstravelmag.com.

Related links:

Photos from the 2022 Business Travel People Awards

2022 Business Travel People Awards winners

Submissions guidance for the 2023 Business Travel People Awards

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