Interview : Bertrand Mabille, Executive Vice President, France and Mediterranean, Carlson Wagonlit (CWT)

Why did you decide to acquire Ormès?

Bertrand Mabille - Carlson Wagonlit intends to participate in the consolidation of the Meetings & Events market. We've been thinking about this for at least three years. One of our competitors has opted for a partnership approach. We preferred a more structured format to meet the demands of the sector in terms of responsiveness. Ormès was one of the last large independent groups in the market. Our customer portfolios are complementary; our organisation and DNA are similar.

What do you expect from this takeover?

B. M. - Our new dimension means that we can invest in new skills and new technologies, which are very much present in this sector, contrary to what you might think. Until now, we couldn't envisage investing in the recruitment of highly specialised skills. By doubling in size, we can do just that.

Have your customers already brought travel management and MICE closer together?

B. M. - It's extremely variable, but for the majority of customers it's still far from being the case. We need to keep an eye on everything that develops around the concept of mobility management. The market is still looking for the right structure.

And what about suppliers?

B. M. - Things are changing in very concrete ways. When I arrived at CWT, the subject of MICE was not raised. Now it's systematically included in discussions with carriers and hoteliers. Suppliers are getting organised. For many carriers, MICE is a terra incognita offering very important strategic opportunities. There are a lot of synergies to be exploited, so our reinforcement in this sector is very welcome.

With these investments, CWT is clearly committed to bringing business travel and MICE closer together...

B. M. - It's not an absolutely necessary condition. If it doesn't happen, it won't detract from the value of our approach. In the future, some sectors will be totally globalised and will consider the business travel value chain as a whole, including events. Other areas will remain more fragmented. We're trying to move the market forward, but we don't claim to be the only player. So it's also up to customers to dictate how the market evolves, and we will adapt. The pace of change varies from one industry to another. So it would be foolish to follow the fastest.