About

A global energy leader, focused on ecological transformation, acquired a longtime competitor and immediately set out to consolidate headquarters functions to unify employee support.

The company’s top priority was integrating headquarters functions before the transition service agreement (TSA) deadline. The travel teams needed to move quickly to unify travel management services and infrastructure under a shared vision aligned with the global travel policy.

Despite both companies using the same TMC, their travel programs were vastly different:

• The parent company had a mature, well-supported travel program managed through procurement.
• The acquired entity, reporting through finance, was less focused on travel operations and felt under-supported by its TMC account team.

This disconnect led to resistance in adopting the parent company’s global contracts, services, and technology—especially since the newcomers viewed the TMC as underperforming.

Ambition

Areka was brought in to support decision-making, project planning, implementation, and change management to successfully expand the program. Successfully executed, the project would double spend from $35M to $70M across 50 countries, 40 points of sale, 10 online booking tools, and multiple offline markets—all within 12 months.

Approach

Areka began with a deep discovery phase, engaging key stakeholders to understand existing programs, unmet needs, and operational challenges. Trust-building was paramount, particularly with the acquired entity, to ensure alignment and a smooth transition.

With a clear understanding of priorities, risks, and goals, Areka moved forward with:

• Implementing global policies and procedures
• Identifying procurement and traveler behavior improvements
• Rebuilding trust in the TMC by designing an improvement plan with the newcomers’ stakeholders
• Developing a strategic communications and training plan to strengthen internal relationships, introduce new tools and operational enhancements, drive compliance and engagement
• Managing the TMC and OBT transition on time and within budget

Achievement

• Successfully integrated the acquired entity into the parent company’s global travel program.
• Expanded coverage from 10 to 50 markets.
• Migrated 6 markets to the global OBT.
• Increased spend under management from $35M to $70M.
• Transformed TMC perception from an underperforming vendor to a key strategic partner.
• Fostered strong stakeholder relationships, enabling successful project completion within 12 months.