Question Time - Meet your panel #2 - Mr Cooke

With a month to go until the latest Travolution Question Time on the 23 September, brought to you in association with Fortune Cookie, it's time to introduce another member of the panel in more detail.

So, similar to Mr Tanzer, appearing at a Travolution event for the first time is Justin Cooke, managing director of leading digital agency and sponsor of the event, Fortune Cookie.

So here is the official biography:

Justin graduated from the University of Manchester with a degree in Computers in Theatre.

His first job was at BBC Films, which led to a role as a creative director for Rondor Music (part of Universal Music).

Justin joined the travel division of Miller Freeman (part of United News & Media) in 1995 and developed its first online strategy.

Justin founded Fortune Cookie in 1997 with the aim of making it one of the most respected interactive design agencies in the world.

Management Today once called Justin the ‘Internet in Human Form’ - something that he is both extremely embarrassed about and secretly proud of.

He is an Executive Member of the British Interactive Media Association.

And some unofficial stuff from us:

London-based Fortune Cookie has grown massively in recent years and become a significant player in web design for the travel industry.

Its work with Kuoni has been praised for transforming the operator's online presence and the agency won a Travolution Award in 2007 for its work with Kuoni-brand Voyages Jules Verne.

It also won a Travolution Award this year for design work on Small Luxury Hotels on the World. The agency's work in the field of accessibility is also widely regarded as industry leading.

Tickets and more information.

Kevin May, editor, Travolution

Question Time - Meet your panel #1 - Mr Tanzer

With a month to go until the latest Travolution Question Time on the 23 September, brought to you in association with Fortune Cookie, it's time to introduce the panel in a little bit more detail.

Appearing at a Travolution event for the first time is Mark Tanzer, chief executive of industry body Abta.

So here is the official biography:

Mark took over as chief executive of Abta on 1 September 2005. His background is in the private sector, where he has held senior positions in strategy and corporate finance in a number of industry sectors.

Immediately prior to joining Abta, Mark was group strategy director of Centrica, the parent company of British Gas.

Before that he was strategy director of the Automobile Association, which was acquired by Centrica in 2000.

While with Centrica, Mark spent 18 months on secondment to the Home Office as senior director of the Immigration & Nationality Directorate, where he was responsible for a wide-ranging programme of change and reform.

Mark is 47 years old and lives in Kent. His interests include sport and opera.

The unofficial biography would go something like this:

Abta was always synonymous with the world of travel agents (it's former title was the Association of British Travel Agents), but with the distribution of travel products shifting online, the organisation has been forced to evaluate where it figures in the minds of consumers and the industry alike.

Tanzer arrived with a fantastic pedigree but he has needed all his experience and management skills to instigate a programme of huge change - from the top-down.

[This is how he saw his first year in charge]

The industry has warmed to some of Abta's changes, such as the merger with the Federation of Tour Operators, but there is still a reasonable amount of scepticism as to its role in the future.

You will need to be at our Question Time to get answers to some of these questions. He isn't appearing in this unique and intimate type of event at any other point this year.

Tickets and more information.

Kevin May, editor, Travolution

Just a few tickets left - Question Time - TONIGHT

Not everybody wants to see England cave in to France in the international football friendly this evening, so if you're London-based you might just fancy attending the third Travolution Question Time.

The venue and time:

• Soho Hotel, Richmond Mews, London W1F 0BB
• 6pm-8pm

The panel:

• Andrew Botterill, chief executive Global Travel Group
• Ed Kamm, chief operating officer Lastminute.com
• Kenny Picken, managing director Traveltek
• Peter Ward, co-founder and co-chief executive WAYN.com
• Stephane Durand, UK & Ireland managing director Amadeus

The practicalities:

Ring Angela Hamilton-Jones on 020 8652 3803 or email to obtain a ticket (just £55+VAT).

Kevin May, editor, Travolution

Silly Season/Slow News Day at TourCMS

I've actually been a bit unnerved by a post from a fellow blogger today.

Alex Bainbridge, who usually writes the well thought-out and informative Musings blog, is clearly losing the plot over at TourCMS Towers. Either that or he wants free tickets to our Autumn Conference or Question Time event. No...

Anyway, not sure what to say about all this, but hopefully readers can help out.

[Read the full post]

For real revolutionaries, of course, readers can discover how the industry voted when we put together our Influential Ten list last year, created to celebrate the pioneers over the past ten years in online travel.

Kevin May, editor, Travolution

Technorati tags: awards conference

Burge, Donoghue, Martos, Ghosh, Steckler and Dimbleby

Well, not THE David Dimbleby (he of the BBC), but his presence will be felt during the inaugural Travolution Question Time on Tuesday 25 September.

Joining me, as chair for the evening, on the panel will be:

• Graham Donoghue, new media director of Thomson UK
• Ignacio Martos, chief executive of Opodo
• Hugo Burge, vice chairman of Cheapflights
• Michael Steckler, managing director of AOL UK
• Arjo Ghosh, chief executive of Spannerworks

A fantastic line-up of the great and the good from across the travel and new media industries.

The format for the evening will follow very closely that of the BBC political discussion programme:

• Each member of the audience will be asked to submit a question prior to the event
• The panel members will not see the questions beforehand

It all takes place at the Charlotte Street Hotel, London, from 6pm.

Tickets are limited and cost just £45 + VAT, available by calling Charlotte Davies on 020 8652 3860 or by emailing charlotte.davies@rbi.co.uk.

Kevin May, editor, Travolution