GBTA Unveils 'Practically Radical CEO Panel' for 2012 Convention in Boston

ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the voice of the business travel industry, today announced the 'Practically Radical CEO Panel,' to be held on July 25th during the 2012 GBTA Convention in Boston, MA. This notable panel will feature pioneers in business who have transformed their organizations and the way business is done. The panel will include Bill Taylor, co-founder of Fast Company, Paul English, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Kayak.com, Ted Teng, President and CEO of Leading Hotels of the World, LTD, and Linda Verba, Executive VP and Head of Retail Banking for TD Bank. The roundtable discussion will explore lessons on strategy, innovation and leadership behind the radical ideas that revolutionize business.

"Leaders today are expected to bring solutions and groundbreaking ideas to the table. They have to find the right balance between playing it safe and making the bold decisions that move things forward," said Michael W. McCormick, Executive Director and COO of GBTA. "With some of the most successful innovators and entrepreneurs leading this discussion, this panel promises to be a stimulating conversation. Those who attend will walk away with a better understanding of how to spark innovation in their own business."

Bill Taylor is an agenda-setting writer, speaker and entrepreneur who has shaped the global conversation about the best ways to compete, innovate and succeed. As a co-founder and founding editor of Fast Company, Bill launched a magazine that earned a following among executives and entrepreneurs around the world. He is the author of critically acclaimed bestsellers, Practically Radical: Not-So-Crazy Ways to Transform Your Company, Shake Up Your Industry, and Challenge Yourself and the award winning Mavericks at Work: Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win. In addition to his books, Taylor also writes a popular management blog for Harvard Business Review and is an adjunct lecturer at Babson College.

Paul English is Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder of Kayak.com. Paul is involved in nearly every aspect of the company, but he spends most of his time leading product strategy and design, customer support and recruiting. Before starting Kayak.com, Paul was a lifelong technology entrepreneur. He also did contract programming for the US Air Force, video game software and sound-effect development. Paul regularly lectures on entrepreneurship topics at Boston-area universities, and was named Chief Technology Officer of the year by Mass Technology Leadership Council in 2009.

Linda Verba, Executive VP and Head of Retail Banking for TD Bank, leads store operations and service programs at TD Bank. Her expertise, dedication and approach have guided a unique corporate culture of innovation and service excellence.  In 2010, Linda was named one of the 'Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking' by U.S. Banker, and '2010 Woman of the Year', by The National Association of Professional Women, New Jersey chapter. She is also an advocate for the advancement for women, serving on the Board of Women's Refugee Commission (WRC) and as a member of the Senior Women Leaders Advisory Board of VisionSpring.

Ted Teng, President and CEO of Leading Hotels of the World, LTD, is responsible for overseeing the activities and operations of the company's 22 worldwide offices. Ted manages the development of the strategic business plan of the brand, as well as the direction and administration of the programs and services it provides to its more than 450 hotel members. Throughout his 30-year career in the hospitality industry, Ted has been responsible for the growth of some of the most prominent brands in the world.

About the Global Business Travel Association Convention

The GBTA Convention, with more than 6,000 attendees, is the largest, most comprehensive annual gathering of business travel and meetings managers, meeting planners, procurement professionals and suppliers anywhere in the world. The Business Travel Event of the Year® features: more than 65 industry-leading education sessions organized into 15+ specialized tracks geared to specific levels of experience and a variety of disciplines; a 400+ company Exposition showcasing market choices not available at other industry gatherings; sessions featuring world-renowned speakers and industry leaders; a wide selection of professional development opportunities; and, much more. For more information on the GBTA Convention, visit gbta.org/convention.

About the Global Business Travel Association

The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is the world's premier business travel and meetings organization.  Collectively, GBTA's 5,000-plus members manage over $340 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually.  GBTA provides its network of 17,000 business and government travel and meetings managers, as well as travel service providers, with networking events, news, education & professional development, research, and advocacy. For more information, visit gbta.org

SOURCE Global Business Travel Association