Pictured above: BCD’s President and CEO John Snyder (left) and Gregory L. O’Neil, president for Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa & Global Network (right), at the BCD ASC opening ceremony in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lanka-based ASC will help support sustainable growth for clients and communities in the Asia Pacific region. It’s pivotal to making sure we can meet growing travel demands from our clients there. Additional employees will be hired this year, and the location is projected to grow into our largest APAC operation by the end of the year. The ASC is led by a local management team, with Pradeep Kumar as the executive director. Kumar, who reports to Greg O’Neil, BCD’s president for Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa & Global Network, oversees talent recruitment and operational efficiency for the service center.
“Coming out of the pandemic, our laser focus was on ‘building forward’ through a sustainable operating strategy,” said John Snyder, president and CEO at BCD Travel. “Investing in a country emerging from political and economic instability not only supports our strategy for sustainable growth, but also demonstrates our commitment to care for our communities and feed the future.”
BCD joined the Sri Lanka Board of Investment to make sure our business goals are aligned with the region’s goals, objectives and agenda. Plans are underway for a local Sustainability Committee to expand our community outreach through charitable projects.
The BCD ASC launch is the latest in a multi-year series of investments BCD has made to grow its business. Other significant developments include the expansion of BCD operations in Brazil, China, Colombia, Dubai, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Panama, Peru and Poland; and acquisitions of event production and creative media agency L37 Creative (U.S.), Acendas Travel, Adelman Travel Group and World Travel Services (U.S.), Nordic travel agency Ticket Biz, global Grass Roots Meetings & Events (U.K)., international events agency Zibrant (U.K)., marketing and logistics agency Plan 365 (U.S.), GetGoing asset purchase (U.S), and Universal Meetings Management Inc. (U.S.).
