Latest news with #Navan
Skift
a day ago
- Business
- Skift
Travel Managers Are Fed Up With Their Corporate Booking Tools
Corporate travel managers are done making excuses for legacy booking tools. With low adoption, clunky interfaces, and limited inventory still plaguing the user experience, companies are moving fast to rethink their tech stack. Many travel managers are disenchanted with their corporate booking tools. A recent Global Business Travel Association of Survey of U.S. and Canada-based corporate travel managers found: 57% reported friction with online booking experiences for unprofiled guest travel [contractors, job candidates etc.]. 50% cite issues with meeting and event travel. 64% of buyers said managing exchanges and cancellations is a pain point. 54% said their tools struggled with unused tickets. 46% cited limited access to New Distribution Capability (NDC) fares. Business travelers are definitely feeling that frustration, as well. The survey also found that 81% of travel managers responded that hotel bookings made outside the corporate booking tool grew or stayed the same, and 67% of air bookings did likewise. SAP Concur, Navan, CTM, Egencia, Cytric, GetThere, TravelPerk, and MyCWT are among the bigger corporate booking tools in the market. What Business Travelers Want One global travel manager, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Skift that the company's current booking tool, SAP Concur, feels slow, outdated, and doesn't provide the modern user experience travelers expect. Employees bypass them because the experience is clunky, the inventory is poor, and "they just feel old," the travel manager said. The company's employees, want the types of features they see on supplier sites, including a more fluid search experience with better visuals, and the ability to earn loyalty perks. She is not alone. Sushant Saini, another global travel manager, confirmed that even when these platforms are perceived as user-friendly, they still have critical issues. In his previous role as corporate travel & expense manager at a global financial services firm,Saini said the most common complaint was the limited inventory available on corporate booking tools compared to airline and hotel websites. 'We often had to manually process bookings through our in-house team using GDS because the OBT (Online Booking Tool) didn't show real-time availability,' he said. SAP Concur and Navan's Take SAP Concur, in a statement, acknowledged the weaknesses of legacy systems. However, the company emphasized that it's actively addressing these issues by migrating users to the replatformed Concur Travel. 'Today we can confidently say new Concur Travel provides the broadest, most expansive travel content available in the industry,' said Chris Juneau, head of product marketing at SAP Concur. 'We've expanded NDC content to over 10 global carriers and support major low-cost carriers worldwide, giving travelers more options and coverage across 70 countries.' Juneau said Concur Travel has direct integrations American Express GBT, BCD, CWT RoomIt, FCTG, and HRS, delivering policy compliant hotels. The company noted that customers still experiencing issues are likely those who haven't yet migrated to the new platform. Navan, meanwhile, is positioning itself as a full-stack alternative for companies fed up with fragmented, outdated tools. Rich Liu, CEO of Navan Travel, said the company is hearing from clients who are frustrated with low adoption, poor user experience, and the limitations of legacy platforms. In response, Navan has built a single platform that combines travel, payments, and expenses, designed around automation and employee-first usability, he said Rather than layering features onto legacy infrastructure, the company has focused on rethinking the entire workflow to reduce friction and improve visibility for both travelers and administrators. Liu also emphasized that simply upgrading tools isn't enough. He pointed out that real transformation happens when smarter platforms can be matched with clearer travel policies and better oversight across the organization.
Irish Times
a day ago
- Lifestyle
- Irish Times
Helen McEntee on her Leaving Cert: ‘Let's put it this way - I wasn't aiming for 500 or 600 points'
Helen McEntee sat her Leaving Cert in 2004 at St Joseph's Mercy Secondary School, Navan, Co Meath. What is your most vivid Leaving Cert memory? It was a really sunny day – typical exam weather – and I was studying for my French paper the next day. I say 'studying', but I was lying in the back garden – with my French book over my face. That urge to be out in the sun is so strong in my memory. Who was your most influential teacher and why? READ MORE I really liked all my teachers and got on well with them, but I probably spent most time with Ms Burke – my French teacher. She was very kind and supportive; just a very positive person. Your most difficult subject? Physics. Looking back, I probably shouldn't have chosen it; it wasn't a subject I was particularly good at and it's the subject I did least well in. Your favourite subject? I loved art, music and English. I've always loved drawing, being creative, playing piano and had a really great English teacher. For my music practical, I did a duet with my best friend, Niamh. Can you recall what points you got? I got 400 and something – I'm not 100 per cent sure what. Let's put it this way, I wasn't aiming for 500 or 600 points. I could have worked harder, but I was happy with what I got. How important were the results? Not very – but, because of the results, I ended up in DCU, which I loved. The friends I made shaped my next few years. The degree was a good base for me. What did you do after school? I studied economics, politics and law at DCU and afterward completed a postgrad in journalism and media at Griffith College. What would you change about the Leaving Cert? I would take away some of the pressure at exam time. The fact that I did art and music – which had practicals and coursework – was a great help for me. Having that across the board would take some of the pressure off students. What advice would you give your Leaving Cert self? The same advice I give everyone: just do your best. – In conversation with Carl O'Brien
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
New energy-efficient homes in Navan, Co Meath from €415,000
Address : Robinrath, off Commons Road, Navan, Co Meath Price : €415,000 Agent : Hooke & MacDonald and T&J Gavigan View this property on Cairn Homes will release the first phase of its Robinrath scheme in Navan , Co Meath this Saturday, June 7th. A mix of energy-efficient three-bedroom homes (with two- and three-bedroom duplexes, and four-bedroom homes to launch later this year) will be available through joint selling agents Hooke & MacDonald and T&J Gavigan. Located off Commons Road, a 20-minute walk to Navan town centre, the site layout includes crescents that neatly loop around parks framed by mature native hedgerows. One of Ireland's two publicly listed housebuilders along with Glenveagh Properties, Cairn Homes, which built 2,593 new homes in Ireland last year, says the scheme was designed with a 'commitment to biodiversity' whereby many mature trees were retained coupled with new plantings 'in an effort to protect and restore local wildlife'. With a focus on green spaces, prospective owners will appreciate the rear gardens and planned playgrounds close to the town, where the rivers Boyne and Blackwater converge. Its location close to Robinrath Stream, a tributary of the river Boyne, is named after the ancient Irish term robin's rath or robin's fort, which is a ringfort from the medieval period. Situated about a 45-minute commute from Dublin, 35 minutes from Dublin Airport and a 20-minute trip from the Unesco World Heritage site of Newgrange , Robinrath is also close to the magical group of Neolithic passage tombs at Loughcrew. Spread over four undulating peaks that date back to 3,000 BC, it's a place where people gather at the spring and autumn equinoxes to greet the first rays of the sun. READ MORE The homes at Robinrath qualify for the State's Help to Buy scheme – where buyers can get up to €30,000 towards a deposit – and the First Home scheme , in addition to green mortgages which offer lower interest rates to those buying a more energy-efficient home. The developer's website has downloadable booklets on all three schemes, outlining in detail how and if potential purchasers qualify for these government initiatives. [ Look inside: Superbly designed house and mews with unparalleled views over Killiney Bay for €7.25m Opens in new window ] This first release this weekend will see 20 three-bedroom houses – which will be ready to occupy by September 2025 – launched to the market, with prices starting from €415,000. The A2-rated houses, situated a short walk from Navan Educate Together School, feature air-to-water heat pumps, LED lighting and high levels of insulation coupled with high ceilings and lots of natural light. The three-bedroom midterrace units (106sq m/1,138sq ft) have a separate livingroom to the front, with the kitchen/dining space that opens to the garden located to the rear. Livingroom Upstairs there are three bedrooms; two doubles, one of which is en suite with built-in Shaker-style wardrobes, and a good-sized single bedroom. Main bedroom Double bedroom Single bedroom The end-of-terrace three-bedroom units (105sq m/1,130sq ft) have slightly larger living spaces due to their configuration and a similar layout as the midterrace upstairs, while the semidetached three-bedroom houses, are larger again measuring 114sq m (1,230sq ft). Robinrath All the houses feature separate utility rooms and downstairs loos. In each home large glazed patio doors lead to a private rear garden that is seeded with lawn with paved patios and external taps. Rear garden Launching this weekend, the 20 homes will be available through joint agents Hooke & MacDonald and T&J Gavigan.
Skift
30-05-2025
- Business
- Skift
Summer Travel's Winners: Japan, Live Tourism, and Biz Travel
Despite talk of financial pressure, many are continuing to spend on summer travel. Many people plan to continue spending on travel this summer, even though some say they have concerns about affordability. That's the message from this month's wave of summer travel forecasts from travel brands and data providers – we reviewed 11 forecasts in all. Japan is leading with trending international destinations. Tokyo, followed closely by Osaka, gained the most share of overall international flight bookings versus last year, according to the Mastercard Economics Institute. Paris came in third. Vacationers say they are thinking carefully about their travel spending this summer, but some business travelers are hitting the road more often. More than half of travelers expect to be more price-conscious, with inflation the number one reason affecting travel decisions, according to a Wakefield Research poll of 11,000 consumers in 11 countries that was sponsored by Expedia. Global business travel continues to improve. Navan's data revealed business travel bookings for summer 2025 are strong, with flights booked through its travel management software up 10% year-over-year and up 25% year-over-year. U.S. Inbound Travel Uncertainty The U.S. domestic outlook is relatively strong. But the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) warned that the U.S. could lose $12.5 billion in international visitor spending this year. According to its study, the U.S. is the only country among 184 economies analyzed which is forecast to see international visitor spending decline in 2025. However, it is still too early to have hard data confirming a year-over-year drop in overall inbound international tourism. Skift Research recently wrote that "U.S. tourism would be damaged but continue to expand" if President Trump continued to target allies - and potential international visitors. It estimated that the U.S. travel sector might see a shortfall based on previous projected income in the magnitude of between $30 billion and $90 billion for the year. Some companies predict travel demand will be about the same as last year, yet their surveys also suggest widespread financial anxiety. About 70% of Americans said they planned summer travel in a survey done by Bank of America. Nearly 70% of Americans said they didn't feel confident about vacationing due to money concerns, in a survey by Ipsos sponsored by Allianz Partners, a travel insurance provider. Reality check: Both can't be fully accurate. However, a few emerging trends in types of trips are suggestive of how the summer may unfold. Events and Experiences Prioritized Americans are traveling for ticketed events, with at least one planned for this year among 63% of Americans, Allianz data showed. Mastercard's data also found that sports and meaningful experiences are big drivers. Major events happening this summer include FIFA Club World Cup, a tournament of the top 32 teams around the globe competing in the U.S. starting June 15. Lollapalooza, one of the most popular U.S. music festivals, with 400,000 attendees, is also this summer. In the UK, there is one of Europe's top three music festivals, Glastonbury which about 210,000 people attend. Priceline cited the Red Rocks Summer Concert Series in Denver and San Francisco's festival season – including August's Outside Lands Festival – as two of the top three most-searched events. For context, see Skift's megatrend 2025 Is the Year Live Tourism Becomes Unstoppable. Shifts in the Mix of Trips? Bank of America's research shows income is determining destination choices. Lower-income travelers increasingly stay domestic with road trips preferred, while middle and higher-income travelers are more likely to venture internationally. Trips lasting only one or two nights are a continuing trend. A Deloitte survey found that 41% of vacationers plan to take a trip of three nights or fewer this year, compared with 37% last year. Campspot, a booking platform for campgrounds, said more than 90% of travelers are planning short pop-up escapes (1–3 nights, budget-friendly, within 200 miles) and that about half of them are planning more short trips than in previous years.
Forbes
28-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Amy Butte On Leading With Vision, Precision, And Purpose At Navan
Amy Butte is the CFO of Navan, an all-in-one super app that makes travel and expense reporting easy so that users can focus on being there, not getting there. This travel and expense management platform streamlines travel booking, expense tracking, and financial reporting for businesses. It allows its members to say goodbye to spending hours on the phone trying to change flights or saving stacks of receipts to manually input expenses. Navan empowers people to concentrate on the things that matter most, while providing companies with real-time visibility, savings, and control. Amy and I recently discussed how her upbringing in Detroit influences her worldview, the changing role of CFOs, why she transitioned into her role at Navan after serving on the board, the advice she offers to all aspiring young CFOs, and more. — Amy Butte is more than a CFO—she's a strategist, mentor, and change agent guiding Navan's financial ... More future with vision, discipline, and heart. If someone asked Amy Butte about her upbringing in Detroit, they would be able to summarize it in a few impactful words: loyal, grounded, stable, and rooted in confidence. As someone who is still friends with people with whom she attended nursery school, Butte has always valued the relationships that shaped her. In fact, her long-standing relationships are a big reason why she is where she is today. 'It wasn't without its challenges, but it was a real stable childhood that let me have the confidence to go off and do something different as soon as I had the opportunity to leave and come to the East Coast,' she explained. 'It allowed me to come to New York, which is still one of my favorite places in the whole world. That stable beginning gave me the confidence to do new and challenging things.' A few of those new and challenging things included graduating from Yale with a bachelor's in political science and psychology before getting her MBA from Harvard. Butte's first job was working in change management. Although she discovered that the consulting organization environment wasn't ideal for her, calling herself a 'square peg in a round hole,' it did point her to the next phase of her career. After she was offered the chance to move to Seattle to work for Microsoft, she realized that she didn't want to leave New York and needed to find a company that prioritized meritocracy. Intuition told her that she would find that on Wall Street, and after roles at Merrill Lynch, Bear Sterns, and Credit Suisse First Boston, years later she was working as CFO of the New York Stock Exchange. It wasn't her plan, but it taught her something big, and that was that one can learn by doing. Butte's father was a CPA and passed his acumen for numbers down to her. What Butte brought to the table was more than her aptitude for numbers–it was much broader. 'I solve problems all day long, which I find energizing,' she said. 'There is a difference between being someone who thinks two or three steps ahead versus 10, 15, or 20 steps ahead, so I believe that staying ahead of the curve is important. I also believe in using numbers to tell the story. It's important to question what story the numbers tell out of the financial statements, and how we communicate that company's story to investors. I did that as an equity research analyst, and that's really where that skillset was honed.' Finding her stride as an equity research analyst is largely due to two mentors she had while she was a summer associate at Merrill Lynch. At the time, she knew she did not want to pursue investment banking, but the company encouraged her to pursue other paths. After one equity research sales call, she introduced herself to Mason Reese and found they both were Yale alumni. He encouraged her to sit next to him, and over time, became one of the most influential mentors. While in that setting, Susan Riordan approached Butte and invited her to a research sales call. She found her spark. 'While I was on that research sales call, I had no idea what that was before the day started, but I knew that was what I wanted to do,' she said. 'I wanted to be the expert in the room–a research analyst who knew the subject matter and felt confident talking to investors. I didn't want to communicate with people about what somebody else thought. I wanted to have the conviction from knowing the numbers myself.' Without those two leaders offering their insight and availability, she might have completely missed a part of her career that was a great fit. Those relationships also set the course for the kind of mentor Butte wants to be for others. She believes in the value of relationships that are natural rather than forced, and being willing to allocate time to others. She believes in it so strongly that she started a women's leadership network at Navan. 'It's an opportunity to get to know people throughout the firm, make them smarter on the business, have other people to reach out to and build their mentor-mentee network within the organization,' Butte emphasizes. 'It's about learning from them, and they are learning from me.' The opportunity for reciprocal learning is one she shares with Ariel Cohen, Navan's CEO, and is also one of the reasons why she was chosen for the role–even though she wasn't pursuing it. At the time, she was helping with the search process as a board member. 'When I asked [Ariel] why me, because that wasn't my intention or goal, he said, 'You've helped me think differently on subjects more so than any other finance person that I have worked with,'' she said. 'That was a signal that, as a CEO, he appreciates the opportunity for maturation. That was the moment that I said, 'This could be interesting.'' She decided to take the role as a pre-IPO company for the third time as CFO. As a single mom to her 14-year-old son, her decision centered on how she wanted to live versus what she wanted to do. She considered whether it was the right time and environment. What she found was an ideal combination of qualities that helped to make the decision–and know that she would regret saying no. 'At the end of the day, it's very rare that you find a place that has the characteristics to be a disruptor, can benefit from the capital markets and is ripe for growth. This is an organization that is filled with people who are smart, direct, and passionate. Ariel is a CEO who sets that tone from the top.' Butte had the opportunity to get to know Cohen in her role on the board, an ideal opportunity to develop mutual respect, support, and appreciation for each other's skills. Similarly, Butte notes that as they build a world-class finance team, she seeks to find each person's 'special sauce.' 'We talk all the time about the fact that finance is a team sport,' she says. 'When I arrived, it was important that we remove the silos between FP&A, accounting, tax and treasury so that it was viewed as one team. My finance leadership meetings include my direct reports and their direct reports because that communication is essential. It's also about finding the people that complement each other.' Another priority is elevating–and being an advocate for–female leaders. Although tech can be an industry where women are underrepresented, as Navan is growing exponentially, Butte aims to set an example throughout the organization that there will be more women. She is indeed an example to others through her own extraordinary leadership–she currently sits on three boards of directors and is a founding member of Extraordinary Women on Boards. She's driven by the opportunity to learn as much as she gives. Future financial leadership, according to Butte, will be driven by people who aspire to be seen as advisors and aren't afraid of making decisions to move the organization forward. She also encourages people to embrace the increasingly common roles of motivator and storyteller–key characteristics of strong CFOs. For the younger generation, she urges up-and-coming professionals to find the right company that's the right fit–and the people who will nurture their growth on the rise to the top. 'Make sure that the organization you are joining is the right one for you,' she emphasized. 'If you run fast, you want to find a company where the culture moves fast and is going to reward somebody who goes above and beyond. In addition, find people you connect with. Whether they're officially a mentor or not, add value, ask questions, and be proactive. [If you do those things] your value will show.'
