Ex-Capita staff launch consultancy

Buckley and Murphy behind new venture

Two former staff of Capita Business Travel, a UK travel management company, have set up a new consultancy.

Simone Buckley, former Capita managing director, and Clare Murphy, its ex-commercial director, have named their new business Bouda - Celtic for victorious.

It will be based in Amersham, Buckinghamshire.

Ms Buckley, 37, has 21 years' experience in business travel and worked for Synergi, Rosenbluth International and Carlson Wagonlit Travel as its UK sales director before joining Capita in 2006.

Ms Murphy has 24 years' experience in the industry and worked for 12 years at Travelport before joining Derby-based Capita.

Ms Buckley said there was a gap in the market for a consultancy staffed by former agents as most consultancies were run by former buyers.

(L-R) Simone Buckley and Clare Murphy

She said at the Business Travel Market in London in June, travel buyers at one session were asked to put their hands up if they did not trust their TMCTravel Management Company: An agency which manages business travel for a company.. Every buyer, she said, raised a hand.

"There is this suspicion that TMCs are advising what is best for them and not for the client," Ms Buckley said.

She said there were issues over commission, cash flows and transparency.

"Because we are from inside the industry and there has been no one who has come from that side (the agency's)," Ms Buckley said. "The ore we explored this, the more we felt this would be taken seriously."

Ms Murphy said Bouda would be using three or four industry figures including Barbara Williamson, a former buyer for Roche Pharmaceuticals and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals who has expertise on procurement.

www.bouda.co.uk