AMEX Forms Global Business Travel Consultancy

American Express has formed a global advisory services unit within the company's Business Travel division. The new Advisory Services organization will span Business Travel's four operating regions and align nearly 200 professionals to strengthen the division's client management servicing capabilities. Functionally, Advisory Services will provide an end-to-end solution – from assessment through implementation – to help companies of all sizes to optimize their investment in air, car, hotel and meetings spend. Through its holistic, interdisciplinary approach, Advisory Services will globalize and integrate three travel specialty practice-lines – policy management, strategic sourcing and process management – that had previously operated individually within defined geographies. Broadly, the practice-lines function as follows: Advisory Services is managed by 12-year American Express veteran and business builder Mike Streit, Vice President, Advisory Services, American Express Business Travel. During his tenure at American Express, Streit similarly led the successful transformation of several American Express business functions including Tax and Business Services, Global Procurement Office, and Global Real Estate. Streit is a two-time recipient of the prestigious American Express Chairman's Quality Award. Advisory Services' recognized subject matter experts will leverage the world's largest corporate travel data repository, representing more than 10,000 clients and $20 billion in total travel spend, and take full advantage of American Express's unique position as the world's only fully integrated travel, purchasing and payment program provider. The strategic move integrates Business Travel's existing Policy and Online Adoption consulting groups, as well as the eCLIPSE and Corporate Meetings Solutions brands, industry experts and technology innovations into the new Advisory Services organization. eCLIPSE was acquired through the acquisition of Rosenbluth International in 2003, and served as the travel procurement specialists for American Express Business Travel. The new Advisory Services unit will perform all eCLIPSE agreements going forward.