Capa Centre for Aviation on June 3 announced a new organization for corporate travel managers and buyers in Asia. On Thursday, the Association of Corporate Travel Executives blasted Capa, one of its partners, for poaching an ACTE leader and installing him as the head of the new entity.

Called Corporate Travel Community, the group’s mission is to “help travel managers progress in their roles and careers by providing them with information, data and networking opportunities,” according to Capa, a market intelligence and events organization. “The Corporate Travel Community meets regularly for training, social events, seminars and summits across Asia’s major business centers.”

“Corporate Travel spend in Asia has been estimated at over $500 billion, and travel buyers across Asia are hungry for information, especially in emerging markets, as technologies and industry standards evolve,” according to a statement from Capa chairman emeritus Peter Harbison.

Membership is free for corporate travel managers and buyers. CTC said it expected to attract “beyond 1,000” members during 2019.

CTC is governed by an advisory council comprised of senior travel executives from “leading local organizations and multinational blue-chip corporations with physical presence in Asia.”

Benson Tang serves as CTC’s executive director. Earlier in his career, he spent a decade managing travel for Goldman Sachs. In 2012 he joined ACTE as regional director in Asia. According to his LinkedIn profile, in April he joined UBM, part of Capa parent Informa, as executive director of corporate travel.

ACTE and Capa for several years have worked together on various events. According to ACTE’s website, the ACTE-Capa Sydney Global Summit will take place in November.

ACTE did not take kindly to its partner naming Tang as executive director. “We are surprised and disheartened to learn of this news, as it is in direct violation of the non-compete agreement with this individual,” according to a Thursday statement issued by new ACTE executive director Leigh Bochicchio. “This move violates the transparency, trust and fairness ACTE has long stood for in the industry. As a result, we have sought legal counsel.”

According to Capa’s website, “We shall be making a measured response shortly. Meanwhile we of course stress we have always acted in complete good faith and in the best interests of the corporate travel industry.”

Capa is part of Aviation Week Network, which is a division of Informa Markets within London-based Informa PLC.

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