60 Second Interview: Alice Linley-Munro
Welcome to 60 Second Interviews. Here you can find out all you need to know about some of the business travel industry’s most successful buyers, suppliers, and practitioners in just one minute.
Alice has worked in the buyer side of the travel industry for 5 years at Oil Spill Response Limited. In that time, she has gone from Travel Coordinator to Global Travel Analyst having led the company through their first global TMC tender. She was winner of ITM's Rising Star award in 2016, and recently became GTP certified.
Name: Alice Linley-Munro
Firm: Oil Spill Response Limited
Position: Global Travel Analyst
Member of ITM Board: I'm the new kid on the block and don't officially start until July!
Hobbies: I'm working on my first novel and I also love to read - I have over 250 books crammed into my tiny flat. I like weekends away with friends that usually involves G&T's, and although I loathe it, I've just started running again.
One Interesting fact about yourself: I asked Greg James from Radio One on a date, even though we'd never met before. We spent the day on the set of Midsomer Murders.
Firm: Oil Spill Response Limited
Position: Global Travel Analyst
Member of ITM Board: I'm the new kid on the block and don't officially start until July!
Hobbies: I'm working on my first novel and I also love to read - I have over 250 books crammed into my tiny flat. I like weekends away with friends that usually involves G&T's, and although I loathe it, I've just started running again.
One Interesting fact about yourself: I asked Greg James from Radio One on a date, even though we'd never met before. We spent the day on the set of Midsomer Murders.
How did you get into the business travel industry?
Like most people I just fell into the travel industry. I was temping on reception at Oil Spill when I was asked to cover the role of UK Travel Coordinator whilst they advertised for a replacement. I became that replacement...
What does your role involve?
I oversee our global programme including compliance, spend, and reporting and policy.
What are you working on at the moment?
Currently we are overhauling our programme by implementing a new traveller tracking system, a new visa provider, and a new HR system for storing traveller data. We have just recently implemented an online booking tool and global car service.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue a career in business travel?
I'm lucky enough to be working with a brand new entrant to the business travel industry, and the key advice I have given her is to make the most of the educational activities available to her through ITM as they were invaluable to me.
Quick Fire Questions
1. What do you enjoy most about your role?
Making my company realise how important business travel is, and how much it can change the company when someone takes control of it.
2. What frustrates you about the business travel industry?
The perception amongst people not in the industry (such as my travellers), who think business travel is just like leisure and they can do my job easily.
3. Where’s your favourite holiday destination?
I spent a month touring New England a few years ago and totally fell in love with the region, especially as it was leaf peeping season.
4. If you were stranded on a desert island, what 3 things would you take with you?
Writing implements (It's not cheating if the notebook and pen count as one thing!), a hammock, and I'm going to have to steal an answer from a good friend of mine and say a survival expert like Ray Mears.
5. If I had that magic wand and could change one single thing, what would it be?
I'd ensure that the emergency services and the NHS were properly funded and resourced.
