Member Article

Diversity Travel marks academic growth with new Finance Director

Specialist travel management firm Diversity Travel has achieved multi-million pound growth in its key academic sector through recent contract wins, and announced the appointment of a new Finance Director.

Specialising in UK and international travel management for the academic sector, the business has added Southampton Solent University and Nottingham Trent University to its portfolio, totalling more than £4million in value.

The wins add to Diversity Travel’s roster of leading UK academic institutions, including the London School of Economics, the Victoria & Albert Museum and the University of Warwick.

The firm has appointed Eddie Shaw as its new Finance Director to lead and develop the finance team at the growing company. Eddie joins Diversity Travel with a wealth of senior financial experience, including roles in commercial banking and mobile phone recycling.

Christopher Airey, managing director of Diversity Travel, said: “We have experienced growth across the board over the last 12 months, but it is particularly encouraging to see such substantial development in the academic sector. Our team are extremely passionate about understanding the intricate nature of our academic clients’ requirements and delivering a high quality, bespoke service. This consistent growth is testament to their hard work.”

“We recently conducted our own research with UK academic institutions and found nearly three quarters of employees in the educational sector prefer to use a travel partner or supplier for their travel management requirements. There is real value for these institutions in mandating their travel to an established service provider to reduce the burden and save time and money. We anticipate significant growth in this sector in the next few years.”

Eddie Shaw, Finance Director at Diversity Travel said: “It’s a privilege to join Diversity Travel, particularly at this point in time. The business has experienced significant growth in recent years, and I will be working with the team to ensure we’re working smarter, boosting our efficiency even further and future-proofing the business for continued expansion.”

“I have tried to steer my career towards industries and businesses that seek to make the world a better place, and I strongly believe both the role and working with the hungry and enthusiastic team at Diversity Travel ticks all the boxes for me.”

Christopher Airey added: “Eddie’s appointment demonstrates our ongoing commitment to hiring and investing in the very best specialist talent to support our ambitious plans for growth. He brings a great deal of experience and some unique perspectives to the role, and we’re looking forward to his important contributions as we enter the next stage of Diversity Travel’s exciting journey.”

In 2017 Diversity Travel reported overall revenue increases to £63.2 million (up 12% on the previous year) having brought in £12.9m worth of new business following a number of key client wins, contract renewals and strategic appointments.

The business serves over 2,000 clients including the London School of Economics, The Salvation Army, ActionAid, Wellcome Trust and Save the Children International.

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