The GTMC, the UK’s leading professional industry body representing travel management companies, has released details of the programme for its conference entitled ‘Are We Ready’, being held at the Arts Hotel in Barcelona 26 – 28 April, 2013.  The impressive line-up of speakers is drawn almost entirely from outside the travel industry.

Day one the business talk will be headlined by John Rosling, UK CEO of Shirlaws, the international business coaching organisation.  Rosling typically advises CEOs, boards and partner groups on achieving the strategic clarity, vision and focus that allows for rapid business growth and maximum equity valuation.  Shirlaws predicted the recession in 2007 advising companies to ‘cash up’ or ‘rein in’ and more recently the company was saying ‘The bad phase is done. It’s time to start investing again.’

Following on from the success of conservativehome.com’s Tim Montgomerie’s presentation at the GTMC 2012 conference, this year it’s the labour party activist and writer Paul Richards who will take the stage with a presentation ‘Is Ed Ready?’

On day two delegates will hear from Chris Smit- author, entrepreneur, international public speaker, consultant, and interculturalist and managing director of Culture Matters.

Also on day two the founder of Audiencenet, David Lewis, will address the distinguished audience on the subject ‘The Voice of the Business Traveller’.  David Lewis has more than 20 years experience of providing full-service consumer research, his specialism being in the music and entertainment industry and he has been involved in research projects on literally hundreds of recording artists including the Beatles, Madonna, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Robbie Williams and Kylie. David has been closely involved with the application of online research methodologies, across three continents, since their earliest inception.

A panel titled ‘What do you owe to UK PLC?’ features JP Morgan’s Richard Kaye; SLA Pharma’s Justin Slagel; the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Colin Stanbridge and one of only two conference travel industry contributors – British Airways’ inimitable Richard Tams.

The other travel industry speaker is Travelport’s Simon Ferguson who will speak on ‘The Consumerisation of the Business Traveller’.

GTMC chief executive Paul Wait said: “ It must be a first to have a travel conference with virtually no speakers from the travel industry!  The content though can all relate back to the business of travel with sessions that include politics, economics, business risk, culture and brand.  Plus there will be two very special, inspirational guest speakers.”