August 7-8, 2025 | Royal Randwick Racecourse
The 25th Annual btTB Travel Conference, GALA Dinner & Awards
Australasia’s largest and most established business travel conference returns for its 25th year
Count every second until the event.
Hear from thought leaders in business travel.
Our 25th Annual btTB Travel Conference will be our best yet. And to celebrate this Quarter Century milestone, we invite you to join us at this special event which this year will include a GALA Dinner and Awards ceremony.
With the many changes occurring around us, travel management is becoming a focal point of corporate good practice. Nowhere else do we see such an intersection of palpable risk, sustainability impact and fragility in the supply chain. There has never been a time of greater need to know and apply best practice in this complex and ever-changing area of supply.
At this year’s btTB Conference, we will provide our usual great coverage of the key areas of managing business travel, with practical and useful take-aways for buyers and suppliers alike. The keynote sessions will feature expert speakers addressing the issues that we need to consider.
Where
Royal Randwick Racecourse, Sydney
When
August 7-8, 2025
The Wisdom of the Elders.
We will also take a trip down memory lane. Travel management stars of the past will join us. We’ll look at what we were discussing ten and twenty years ago. Some issues are forever with us it seems.
The Business Travel Legends Awards.
At the quarter century mark, it’s time to recognise some individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the business travel industry and to travel procurement. Based on your recommendations, we will be awarding a Travel Buyer Legend and a Travel Supplier Legend award at the GALA Dinner on August 7th.
The btTB Gala Dinner.
To commemorate our special anniversary, we will be hosting a Gala Dinner & Awards Ceremony immediately following networking cocktails and canapés on Day One of the conference (August 7th). This Gala Dinner will be held at The Stables (located on the floor above the conference) as the opportunity to sit back, relax and mingle with your fellow business travel colleagues.
A Great Place to Meet.
As always, btTB will be the premier event and forum for travel buyers and suppliers to connect, with ample opportunities over the two days to meet up. This year, we will be providing structured assistance for suppliers to target their message, and for buyers to find solutions to their needs.
Don’t miss the chance to join us in this celebration of the travel management profession.
Call for Nominations: Travel Legends Awards 2025.
Do you know a true legend of the travel industry?
We’re proud to announce the Travel Legends Awards, celebrating outstanding individuals who have made a lasting impact on business travel and travel procurement.
There are two categories:
🏆 Legendary Travel Buyer
🏆 Legendary Travel Supplier
We’re calling on you to nominate someone who has significantly contributed to travel management—through innovation, leadership, dedication, or long-standing service to the industry. Whether they’re a visionary travel buyer or an exceptional travel supplier, we want to hear their story.
Tell us why your nominee is a Legend.
How have they shaped travel procurement or improved the way our industry works? What makes them stand out after all these years?
📨 Send your nomination to: lesley@pasa.net.au
The winners will be honoured at the Gala Dinner at the btTB Conference in Sydney on August 7th, 2025.
Let’s celebrate the people who make travel work.
Nominate Here:
The Programme.
Day 1
8.00am
Registration
9.00am
Welcome and Housekeeping
Lesley Wardropper, MD, PASA & BTTB
9.15am
Description of the Awards: the btTB Quarter Century Travel Management Legends Awards – Buyer and Supplier
9.30am
What is the economic outlook regionally and globally? What are the top 3 risks and opportunities facing travel and tourism? How are supply chains navigating the ructions, and how should supply-chain management evolve?
Katrina Ell, Vice President, Lead Economist ANZ, Mastercard
10.30am
Morning Tea Break - Trade Floor
11.00am
Three TMCs compete for the favours of our experienced travel buyer, as she tests them with questions that shine a light onto the issues of travel management.
Elizabeth Newberry, Travel Manager, Campus Services, QUT – Queensland University of Technology
Tim Lane, CEO, Travel Beyond Group
Simon Halpin, General Manager, BCD Australia
Brad Jukes, Managing Director, Acland Travel
Tony O'Connor, Moderator
11.50am
Break
12.00pm
Two of Australia’s most senior and experienced business travel executives take stock of these turbulent times, look ahead, and take your questions.
Renos Rologas, General Manager ANZ, FCM Travel
Jo Sully, Chief Executive Officer, ANZ, CTM
Joanne Barlow, Vice President Business Transformation & Change, Cochlear
Allan Leibowitz, Moderator
12.50pm
Lunch Network - Trade Floor
2.00pm
- Breakout Room
Led by a panel of experienced travel buyers and TMC sales managers, we will explore the issues and frustrations on both sides of the table and see if we can come up with a better process that delivers mutually better outcomes.
Elizabeth Georgopoulos, Director of Sales, Asia Pacific, American Express GBT
Sue McEvoy, Head of Sales, FCM
- Main Theatre
Trips that combine business and bleisure travel are becoming more common. What are the challenges. What processes do we need. What does a Bleisure travel policy look like? How do we manage FBT?
Elizabeth Newberry, Travel Manager, Campus Services, QUT – Queensland University of Technology
David Newington, Chief Operating Officer, APG Pay
Craig Southee, Regional General Manager, CT Connections
2.50pm
Break
3.00pm
Gus Balbontin, Investor, Advisor, Adventurer
3.50pm
Afternoon Tea Break - Trade Floor
4.10pm
A curated then open Q&A with three AI leaders. Behind the marketing, what is being developed? What issues and improvements are being addressed? How can we apply AI to our travel program?
Mennan Yelkenci, CEO, Booked AI, Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2024
Apurva Goswami, Chief Technology Officer, CTM
Tony O'Connor, Moderator
5.00pm
Day One Wrap-Up
5.00pm - 6.00pm
Networking drinks and canapes for all
6.00pm - 9.00pm
GALA Dinner at The Stables (upstairs from the main conference)
Day 2
8.00am
Registration
9.05am
About Today
9.15am
Qantas has just unfurled its major new NDC based distribution model. How does it operate? How does it work with TMCs and OBTs? What do travel buyers and travel bookers need to know? And, more generally, how do travel managers best function in the new environment?
Oronzo Miccoli, Head of Corporate and Government Sales, Qantas,
Andre Moten, Chief Commercial Officer, CT Connections
Cherie Drummond, Chief Product Officer AU/NZ, CTM
Tony O'Connor, Moderator
10.00am
Post-Covid, the industry and the supply chain are being buffeted by strong crosswinds; notably AI and geoplitics. How are the major players managing? What are the trends, innovations and likely changes in the coming year?
John O'Shea, Ord Minnett
10.40am
Morning Tea Break - Trade Floor
11.00am
After a quick trip down memory lane, we hear from travel industry veterans and their words of wisdom after their many years of experience and decades of involvement with btTB.
10 minute Video/Photo-roll, then our guest panel of Travel Management Perennials. Moderated by Tony O'Connor, Allan Leibowitz, Jakki Govan, Bob Shaw
11.30am
Event budgets are one of the most overlooked areas of indirect spend – and one of the hardest to track. This session explores how procurement teams can bring more structure and strategy to event planning, helping the business grow while keeping costs in check. Learn how to connect sourcing, policy, and vendor management with event outcomes like pipeline, brand reach, and internal alignment.
Key takeaways:
- Learn how to bring visibility and control to event-related spend
- See how strategic sourcing and vendor consolidation can improve both efficiency and impact
- Understand how events contribute to growth – and how to measure that value.
Leighton Stephens, Cvent
11.50am
Break
12.00pm
We hear from the world’s leading travel technologist and futurist about the horizon, big shifts and beyond.
Johnny Thorsen, VP Strategic Business Development, Serko
12.50pm
Lunch Network Trade Floor
2.00pm
A pictorial presentation of the events and highlights over the past 25 years of business travel in Australia and New Zealand, with perhaps a prediction or two about the next quarter century.
Hosted by Lesley Wardropper, Tony O'Connor, Allan Leibowitz
2.10pm
David Newington, Chief Operating Officer, APG Pay
Mary Reale, Head of Account Management, Travel Beyond Group
Alex Stewart, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Paygle
Allan Leibowitz, Moderator
3.00pm
Australia is about to get its first new major airport in decades. It will change travel to Sydney and the domestic network. Whatbest and latest facilities can we look forward to? Which airlines will fly there? What about transport, transit and connections? Hear all about it.
Catherine Payne, General Manager External Affairs & Communication, Western Sydney Airport
Nina Younes, Executive Manager Procurement, Western Sydney Airport
3.45pm
Wrap-Up and Thanks
Speakers.
Lesley Wardropper
An experienced business professional with over a decade of management roles in the regional brewing industry in the UK. With a passion for promoting regional business development, Lesley has worked with several Government initiatives encouraging self-employment.
Lesley moved to Australia with her husband, Nigel Wardropper, the founder and Managing Director of btTB/PASA.
Nigel established BTTB in 1999 to provide information, education and networking opportunities for travel category managers. Its reach was expanded to the region’s procurement community and PASA was created.
Following Nigel’s sudden passing in October 2020, Lesley took over as Managing Director/Owner of BTTB/PASA. She is focused on the goal of building upon the great legacy that Nigel left for the procurement community.
Lesley leads the business in providing a range of services, including running conferences, online publishing, and virtual events.
Tony O’Connor
Tony is the MD of Butler Caroye, the region’s leading independent management consultancy specialising in the corporate travel supply chain. Established in 1998 Butler Caroye has assisted over 120 corporate and government travel buyers, and has managed over 75 travel tenders.
Allan Leibowitz
Business journalist and conference professional Allan Leibowitz was editor of Business Travel Monthly from 2001 until its closure in 2014. Over that period, he also produced and facilitated btTB shows, briefings and roadshows in Australia and New Zealand. Allan also edited Procurement Professionalwhen it was published by PASA. He has reported on corporate travel, aviation and the meetings industry for the Centre of Aviation (CAPA) and publications including Skift, and was recognised as Australian Travel Writer of the Year in 2016.
Allan’s current activities include publishing the business travel BUZZZ blog on LinkedIn.
Elizabeth Newberry
Liz has had an interesting career in the Travel Industry as both a Supplier and as a Buyer. Starting in the Industry with Ansett Airlines as Flight Attendant then moving to various management positions which included being appointed first female Port Manager overseeing Airport Operations, large Travel Centres, and Major Account Management in the Northern Territory and Western Australia. After 10 years in this role Liz returned to Brisbane and Ansett Corporate Travel until the Ansett Collapse in 2001.
Liz joined Fisher & Paykel to re-engineer their Customer Service worldwide, before returning to the Travel industry at the University Southern QLD where Liz Managed and reengineered the travel program. Liz won several industry awards.
In 2011 Liz I joined the Kellogg Joint Venture Gorgon LNG project in Perth to run a worldwide Travel program, accommodation services and charter flight services for the work force at the Chevron’s Barrow Island near Karratha. The Gorgon project was the largest engineering project in Australia since the Snowy Mountains scheme costing $54b and at the peak employing 18,000 staff from in Australia and overseas locations.
Returning to Brisbane in 2015 Liz joined BHP BMA – Coal as Superintendent of Airports, Accommodation, Workers Villages and FIFO operations. After completing the project with BHP in 2016 Liz returned to manage University Travel with QUT to re develop the Travel Program.
Cherie Drummond
Cherie brings more than 20 years of experience to her role as CTM’s Chief Product Officer ANZ. Throughout her career, she has cultivated her expertise in various roles, including Travel Consultant, Team Leader, Branch and Operations Manager, Account Manager, and General Manager for Show Group Pty Ltd.
With demonstrated success across Account Management, Operations, and Sales, Cherie deeply understands how to drive business and customer benefits within complex travel programs. This extensive background uniquely positions her to apply her adaptive management style, marked by inclusiveness and trust-building, to her current role.
She empowers teams to make informed decisions in this capacity, fostering a supportive environment that fuels collaborative success. Cherie‘s strength in building professional connections, combined with her industry expertise, empowers her efforts to enhance and expand CTM’s product offerings effectively.
John O’Shea
John is a Travel & Tourism Industry Specialist with a focus on deep dive research into the future direction of the industry across all verticals (Online & Offline, Corporate & Leisure and the many service providers that encompass the food chain – Travel Tech, Hotels, TMC’s, Tourism Providers, Airlines, Airports, Retail Travel Agents etc)). Recent work has included assisting various Australian and New Zealand Companies raise equity capital during the pandemic including Webjet, SiteMinder, Serko, Experience Co, Helloworld Travel, Alliance Aviation etc. One of the few truly independent researchers to conduct analysis on the move to airline retailing including NDC, One Order and NextGen ISS globally. John is a regular presenter at key industry forums and conferences in Australia/NZ and offshore
Andre Moten
With over 30 years of leadership experience in the travel and tourism industries across both public and private sectors, Andre is MBA qualified and has a proven track record of accelerating business growth. He is passionate about building high-performing teams and fostering innovation in travel. Andre is currently Chief Commercial Officer at the Connections Travel Group.
Andre’s career spans senior executive roles, including Group General Manager and Chief Commercial Officer – Corporate at Helloworld. Prior to that, he was Chief Operating Officer at Corporate Travel Management, where he led operations and growth across Australia and New Zealand. Andre is an effective transformational leader with a record of accomplishment in acquisitions, culture change and innovation.
Mary Reale
Mary Reale is a seasoned travel industry professional with over 25 years of experience spanning leisure, wholesale, and corporate travel. Over the past decade, she has specialised in corporate travel management, partnering with multinational clients across industries including finance, pharmaceutical, engineering, and not-for-profit. Mary is passionate about delivering strategic outcomes and seamless travel solutions and currently leads account management at Travel Beyond. Passionate about client success, she works closely with partners as an extension of their teams to optimise programs and deliver value. Mary has a strong interest in form of payment solutions, consolidating travel programs, and taking a consultative approach to Travel Management that ensures tailored, future-focused outcomes.
Craig Southee
With 25 years in corporate travel, Craig brings a wealth of experience and a passion for delivering exceptional results. MBA qualified, he has built a reputation as a strategic thinker and hands-on leader, driving success through smart planning, operational excellence, and seamless project delivery.
Craig spent over a decade as General Manager (QLD) at Corporate Travel Management (CTM) and 11 years at HRG holding key strategic roles including Head of Consulting for APAC where he helped shape business performance across the region. As Regional GM for CT Connections, he continues to inspire teams and strengthen partnerships, always with a focus on client success and company growth.
First 150 buyers attend free
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What people say about our events.
The PASA conference was the best conference I had attended in many years – many practical advice and applications that my team and I can put to use straight away, a great investment of our time.
Procurement Professional
It was great to hear a wide range of presentations from a diverse mix of speakers, especially in person.
Procurement Professional
I very much enjoyed the depth and variety of skills experience of the presenters.
Procurement Professional
First 150 buyers attend free
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