Aviation and business travel professional Adrian Parkes has been appointed as the new chief executive of the GTMC.

Parkes takes over the leadership of the organisation later this year, when current chief executive Paul Wait leaves to take up another role in the travel industry.

Parkes joins from the travel management company Clarity, where he has worked for the last seven years in roles including chief commercial officer for Portman (now a part of Clarity) and director – product and marketing for Clarity.

During this time Parkes was instrumental in technology development, significant sales growth and high client retention.

Prior to this Parkes worked as the vice president global sales for Etihad Airways for three years, and held numerous senior roles including sales director and commercial director at bmi for nine years.

In his new role Parkes is charged with continuing to boost member and industry partner numbers, raising awareness of the issues that impact the business travel sector, and ensuring that the GTMC has a high profile amongst policy makers.

Paul Allan, chairman of the GTMC, explained: “I have been lucky enough to cross career paths with Adrian Parkes in the past and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work him again.

“Paul’s entrepreneurial approach to leadership and driving change in the business travel sector has been visionary and he leaves the GTMC in the best possible position to tackle the next raft of sector challenges.

“The board and I are looking forward to the future success and growth of the GTMC under Adrian’s expert guidance.”

The GTMC has over 40 travel management companies as members and over 40 industry partners such as airlines, train operators, accommodation providers, technology providers and more.

Working with its members and partners, the organisation raises the profile of the vital role of business travel to the broader economy and lobbies those who have an impact on the business travel of its members’ clients.