The winners of the Business Travel People Awards 2025 were announced at a glittering ceremony in London last night.
The awards, now in their 14th year, recognise outstanding individuals and teams in business travel, covering all corners of the corporate travel industry.
They are judged by an independent panel of industry experts, many of whom joined the celebrations at the Grand Connaught Rooms in Covent Garden.
Winners and highly commended in the 22 categories were presented their awards in front of a lively crowd of nearly 300 guests, who enjoyed networking drinks sponsored by Direct ATPI following by a three-course dinner.
A special Industry Contribution Award went to James Foice, CEO of the Association of Serviced Apartment Providers.
His team described him as “an inspiration, a mentor, a true friend – and, of course, a fashion icon. If we’re worried about something, he always has our back. If we’re worried about him, he lightens the mood by laughing at himself. He’s unflappable, unshockable, unsinkable. We are all so glad he’s here.”
Mel Phaure, Director at Blue Cube Travel, was presented the Chair’s Award for her mentoring work, helping to bring new talent into the sector.
“Mel has made it her businesses ethos to champion young people through their own apprenticeship scheme, nurturing talent and helping train and support what will no doubt be the business leaders of the future and some of whom will be sitting in the room tonight,” said Leigh Cowlishaw, Chair of the Judges.
“Thank you, Mel, for everything you are doing for being a shining example of the good in our industry.”
Access Bookings walked away with three awards. Its DEI Taskforce was voted Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Champion and its Sustainable Taskforce was named Sustainability Champion – Team. Its TV Project Team, Access Bookings was named TMC Above and Beyond – Team.
Inntel won two awards. Account Management Team of the Year went to Inntel’s Relationship Management Team and its LOGiC Development Team was named Travel Travel Technology Innovator – Team. Its ESG Team also got Highly Commended in the Sustainability Team category.
ATPI celebrated two individual award wins. Phoebe Buchan, Global Service Delivery Manager, was named this year’s Shining Star and Katie Skitterall, Group Commercial Director, was named the winner of the TMC Above and Beyond – Individual award.
In a new category, Industry Newcomer of the Year was awarded to Zoe Lau, Event Marketing Manager at BCD Travel.
Many of the judges for this year’s award were among the guests, along with teams from the category sponsors – Direct ATPI, Sirius Talent Solutions, Clarity, Blacklane, Best Workplaces in Travel, United Airlines, TripStax, Focus Travel Partnership, Visas2, Front, Beyond Business Travel, SAP Concur and ALTOUR.
Welcoming guests, Kirsty Hicks, Publisher of The Business Travel Magazine and the organiser of the awards, thanked the 13 sponsors.
“This event is over a year in the making with lots and lots of meetings, calls and emails, and without our partners supporting the event we would not be sitting in this wonderful ballroom making this evening as special as possible for our finalists,” she said.
The date for the 2026 awards ceremony was confirmed as September 15 at the same venue. Entries will open in January.
Here’s a full list of the 2025 winners:
Account Manager of the Year
Liz Chapman, Diversity Travel
Account Management Team of the Year
Client Relationship Management Team, Inntel
Meetings and Events Team of the Year
Lemon Lane Events Team, Lemon Lane
Sales and Marketing Manager of the Year
Maris Kuklis, JetBlue
(Highly Commended Nikki Banks, TripStax)
Sales and Marketing Team of the Year
The Sales and Marketing Team, Wings Global Travel
Business Travel Team of the Year
Global Travel Management Business Travel Team
(Highly Commended Internova Finance Team, Internova Group)
Duty of Care Champion
Ingrid Sanderson, Principal Travel
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Champion
Access Bookings DEI Taskforce
Sustainability Champion
Access Bookings Sustainable Taskforce
Sustainability Team of the Year
The Advisory Team, Thrust Carbon
(Highly Commended ESG Team, Inntel)
Travel Technology Innovator – Individual
Robyn Joliat, 3Sixty
(Highly Commended Sarosh Waghmar, Spotnana)
Travel Technology Innovator – Team
LOGiC Development Team, Inntel
Mentor of the Year
Anam Hussain, Internova Group
(Highly Commended Shauna Burns, Beyond Business Travel)
People Manager of the Year
Kevin Trill, Blue Cube Travel
(Highly Commended Anam Hussain, Internova Group)
Industry Newcomer of the Year
Zoe Lau, BCD Travel
Rising Star
Zander Gregor, TBR Global
Shining Star
Phoebe Buchan, ATPI
TMC Above and Beyond – Individual
Katie Skitterall, ATPI
TMC Above and Beyond – Team
TV Project Team, Access Bookings
Industry Contribution Award
James Foice, CEO, ASAP
Chair’s Award
Mel Phaure, Blue Cube Travel
