Take2Eton Group has appointed industry stalwart and former long-serving Reed & Mackay senior executive Julie Oliver as CEO. She will also become a partner and shareholder in the business.
She will take up the role on August 3 and will work closely with Chris Thelen, the current CEO, who will take the title of Founder and Chairman. The two have known each other professionally for more than 30 years.
The appointment comes after James Parkhouse, who joined as CEO of Take2Eton Group in October 24, left to take up a CEO role at DGI (Diversity Group International), formerly known as Diversity Travel.
Oliver has had a long-standing career in corporate travel, serving as Managing Director at Business Travel Direct (BTD) for 24 years until its acquisition by Reed & Mackay in 2019.
At Reed & Mackay she held high profile senior positions including Global COO, European CEO and most recently CEO – Global Events.
As CEO Global Events at Reed & Mackay she was responsible for overseeing the strategic direction, growth, and delivery of the international events division, growing the business from a team of six to a multinational leading events division.
Thelen said: “I am thrilled to welcome Julie to Take2Eton and am excited about the acumen and leadership expertise she brings to our business. Julie’s reputation within premium travel management and events speaks for itself, but what excites me most is our shared belief in the future of this industry – one where relationships, responsiveness and executive-level service matter more than ever.
“As CEO she will work very much in partnership with me, combining our strengths and vision to ensure Take2Eton’s continued success. It was essential to find someone with the right experience and a strong cultural fit for our business, and Julie is the ideal choice. With Julie on board, I look forward to focusing on growing our business.”
Oliver added: “Chris and I have spent many years discussing what exceptional client service should look like in modern corporate travel. Take2Eton has built something genuinely differentiated, combining agility, personal service and global capability in a way that strongly reflects where I believe the market is heading.
“I am very excited to join Take2Eton as CEO and I’m looking forward to working closely with Chris as we embark on a new chapter of leadership, growth and investment for the business.
“Our focus will remain on strengthening our high-touch travel management services, developing the events division, and continuing to invest in AI, technology, and data to enhance our client offering. I am also looking forward to building on the close partnership that Take2Eton enjoys with SAP Concur, as this echoes the strong relationship I developed with SAP Concur during my time at BTD.”
