The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is expanding its commitment to the Australian business travel market with the formation of a new country-level Advisory Board and the appointment of a dedicated country manager for Australia and New Zealand.
These initiatives aim to support Australia’s thriving US$26.7 billion business travel market and further growth across the Asia Pacific region.
“Australia is a vital market for business travel, and the new Board brings together diverse expertise from across the region,” said Catherine Logan, GBTA regional senior vice president for EMEA and APAC. “Their insights will help GBTA deliver tailored programmes and offerings in our mission to shape the future together for business travel and across the industry community.”
According to the latest GBTA Business Travel Index (BTI) report, Australia ranked 11th globally in 2024 for business travel spending, representing 12 per cent of the total US$1.5 trillion global spend.
Andy O’Mara, head of travel & expense for Canva, will chair the 18-member GBTA Australia Advisory Board, comprised of leaders from prominent companies and travel organisations. The board members represent a cross-section of the industry, bringing diverse perspectives to the table.
To further strengthen its regional presence, GBTA has appointed business travel industry veteran, Derek Sadubin, as country manager for Australia and New Zealand. Based in Sydney, Sadubin will provide strategic support to members and partners, reporting to Elle Ng-Darmawan, GBTA regional director for APAC.
GBTA also announced the continuation of its event partnership with the Festival of Aviation and Corporate Travel Summits, scheduled for November 25-26. The summit will feature airline and travel management executives discussing key strategic issues in corporate travel.
Additionally, GBTA will host its APAC Conference in Singapore from May 27-28. Co-located with the Worldwide ERC Global Mobility Summit for the third year, the conference will offer networking and educational opportunities for the APAC business travel community.
