CTM opens Manchester office to drive regional growth and showcase tech

The travel management company hopes to tap unto local university talent and entrepreneurial spirit

by Aidan Poole

Corporate Travel Management (CTM) has opened an office in Manchester’s city centre to support a growing number of clients in the midlands, north of England and Scotland.

The expansion follows growth in regionally based business interest, including many of CTM Sport’s clients.

The Manchester opening has led to CTM making double digit appointments across the CTM Sport and sales teams recently, with the firm continuing to staff the sales and business development teams.

The office will operate as a technology showcase for clients, while housing CTM’s Tech Hub, CTM Sport, corporate operations and Masterfare. 

Debbie Carling, chief executive of EMEA at CTM, said: “Manchester is a brilliant location for us because it’s so central to the whole of the UK and within easy reach of the other CTM offices in London, Bradford and Glasgow.

“Our sales, business development and bids teams have never been busier, with many RFPs originating from organisations based outside London.

“Opening the Manchester office means we can continue to grow the business as we pitch and bid for more regional accounts, and it gives our clients more choice about where they are serviced from.

“The northwest of England is famous for its feeder universities and entrepreneurial and innovative spirit, so we’ll be able to tap into a very rich pool of world class tech talent.”

Since CTM Sport was launched a few years, it has become a source of success for the global firm.

Carling added: “CTM Sport has grown significantly over the last two years and there is huge appetite in the business to keep expanding.

“We work across major sporting events, business travel, athlete concierge travel, and team and supporter travel. 

“We also have big plans to grow all the sport verticals and that means working with more individual professional athletes (we already partner with Dawid Malan and Jamie Carr), local community charities, and partnering with academies and UCFB (University Campus of Football) on student enrichment programmes, where we encourage students to come and do work experience with us.

“It’s a really holistic approach.”