American Express has created 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. Advisory
Services will provide an end-to-end solution to help companies of all sizes
optimize their investment in air, car, hotel and meetings spend. Andy McGraw,
senior vice president, general manager, of North America
for American Express Business Travel, says, "The new Advisory Services
unit will be laser focused on providing the insights and capabilities required
to deliver tangible ROI in the form of purchase and process savings, as well as
heightened program controls." Advisory Services will globalize and
integrate policy management, strategic sourcing and process management-areas
that had previously operated individually within defined geographies. American
Express has tapped Mike Streit, vice president, Advisory Services, American
Express Business Travel, to manage Advisory Services. Streit says, "Early
sales for the newly unified operations reflect a 23 percent increase for the
annual quarterly period ended March 31." The 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.