Karen Hutchings

Karen is known as a Global Leader learning the nuances of business by living and working in all areas of the globe. Recognized as having an innovative mindset and known for challenging the status quo and driving change across the travel, meetings & events industry. She has never been afraid to take chances and try new ideas and initiatives, an intrapreneur by choice with a desire to always be part of a diverse and high performing team. · As the EY Global Head of Travel, Meetings & Events Pre COVID managed US$2.1 billion travel spend and approximately $400M in Meetings & Events spend. Karen was regularly engaged by the client serving team to support EY client engagements acting as a subject matter expert and became renowned for the adoption of alternative technologies to support the EY Travel Meetings & Events program which was unique in the industry. EY STAT was her brainchild which was implemented initially within EY and now being sold to clients. · The Merrill Lynch team that Karen lead won travel team of the year in 2007 and the EY Travel, Meetings & Events team were named Team of the Year 2015 by Buying Business Travel Magazine, and ITM in 2017. Karen herself was recognized as the BTN Multinational Travel Manager of the Year in 2015 and 2018 and one of the top 25 most influential in the travel industry in 2015, 2018 and again in 2023. 2022 saw Karen inducted into the Business Travel News Hall of Fame in recognition of her innovative approach and driving change across the travel industry and was awarded a life time achievement award in 2023 by GBTA Winit · Previously Karen lead the travel meetings & events team at AIG, was ASPAC and EMEIA Regional Travel Head at Citi and Global Head of Travel at Merrill Lynch On a personal note … While running was always a passion, having run 26 marathons around the world, Karen now spends her spare time with her horses, sheep, cats, rescue dogs Buddy& Bubbles and Brian the goat as well as supporting her husband in his downhill mountain bike adventures and support a dog sanctuary in Goa India to retain her connectivity with the country she has become to love