Kate Davey, operations centre area leader for FCm Travel Solutions and joint winner of the Young Manager of the Year Award at the British Travel and Hospitality Industry Hall of Fame last month.
Kate started at Britannic Travel (now FCm Travel Solutions) on a one-day-a-week work experience placement for six months in May 1997 and after only three weeks was offered a permanent job.
In 2001 she was asked to manage Britannic Travel’s Bristol office. When she took up the post, the branch transacted £1.5m expenditure, with three staff members. By the time she moved on three years later branch transactions were around £9.7m with 16 members of staff.
In 2005, Britannic Travel started trading as FCm Travel Solutions and Kate was offered the opportunity to manage its online department at the company’s head office in New Malden.
She was appointed operations centre area leader in July 2008.
Describe what your business does:
FCm Travel Solutions, owned by Australian-listed Flight Centre Ltd, is a global corporate travel management company with a presence in 70 countries worldwide. In the UK we have 24 business travel centres, with a further 15 implant/outplant operations. FCm’s UK business travel transactions are around 1.46m per annum.
Describe what you do:
The position of operations centre area leader requires the management of the following FCm departments: Business Improvement, Creative Fares Unit, Online Department, Ops Assist, Out of Hours Service and Administration.
Who reports to you?
44 members of staff with five direct reports
Who do you report to?
Ray Ollivere, business operations development director
How would your staff describe you?
I think they would say that I’m driven, determined and welcome a challenge, that I also recognise the need for the team to be motivated, while having fun. I’m positive and enjoy being in the workplace. I hope they would also say that I am supportive offering my time and encouragement at all times.
What’s the biggest challenge facing your sector at the moment?
The biggest challenge is constantly to adapt and stay ahead in an industry that is continually changing and evolving, particularly in terms of technology and online solutions; for example when Ryanair suddenly decided not to sell via agents, or when easyJet become bookable via the GDS.
We are also constantly re-evaluating the way we do business in order to meet the changing needs of clients, especially in today’s economic climate.
Who are your main competitors?
Our client portfolio is so diverse in terms of TMS and SME business that we view most other TMCs as serious competitors, not just the major global players like Carlson Wagonlit or American Express, but also smaller UK-based TMCs who handle SME accounts.
Why are they such a threat?
This is a very competitive industry, particularly in the current economic conditions where a lot of TMCs will try to compete on price. However, we believe FCm differs from the competition because of our flexible business model. We recognise the value of the SME market and view this size of company more strategically within our client portfolio.
We are more flexible than other TMCs in terms of offering technology solutions to the SME market, rather than making this the preserve of TMS clients.
Who do you most admire in the industry and why?
The obvious names that spring to mind are true entrepreneurial individuals such as Richard Branson and Stelios Haji-Ioannou, however, after further thought, I would have to say Alan Spence.
Having had the good fortune to be mentored by Alan since my career began, I have seen first hand the way he shaped and drove the business forward to such a successful company.
Where do you see yourself in ten years’ time?
I’m not sure I can think that far ahead, but I’m passionate about business travel and can never see myself leaving the industry. I would like to think that in five years’ time I will still be playing a strategic role in progressing FCm’s business, albeit perhaps in a more senior role.
Progression onto the senior management team would allow me to drive and introduce new initiatives for the prosperity of both FCm and our clients.
Who, apart from friends and family, would you most like to sit next to on a long-haul flight, and why?
Hmm…that’s a difficult one! I would have to say I’m torn between Robbie Williams and Brad Pitt, but in a way I think Brad wins. Purely so I could find out about his life, family and Angelina…of course nothing to do with being able to look at him for a very long time!
And finally, the quick fire round:
Fat Boy Slim or Jools Holland? Fat Boy Slim
easyJet or Ryanair? easyJet
Gatwick or Heathrow? Both, Heathrow for shopping and Gatwick because it’s closer to home
Sydney or Surrey? Sydney
Red wine or white wine? Both, white for starter and red for main!
Top Shop or Zara? Zara
Carla Bruni or Michelle Obama? Michelle Obama
The British Travel and Hospitality Industry Hall of Fame awards dinner was held in London on 28 April honouring exceptional people and achievement throughout the industry. To see a short film of the evening click here