Direct—aka buyer—members of the Global Business Travel
Association voted earlier this week to grant allied—aka supplier—members full
voting rights for bylaw changes. Second, direct members voted to redefine ‘indirect’
membership as non-voting ‘affiliate’ members to include press, students and
honorary/retired members. Third, direct members also voted to shorten the number
of days required for candidates to file for office. They also eased the
requirements previously stipulated in the bylaws to qualify for office.

“These
initial changes to the bylaws will allow all GBTA members to be heard and have
a say in the future of the association,” said allied at large director Will
Pinnell, who co-led the bylaw outreach and taskforce with direct at large director
Rita Visser.

Visser
added that the bylaw changes reflected above are just the first step in the
effort. “We will shortly be seeking member votes on a further range of changes
to the GBTA bylaws and to elect a new board of directors this summer.”

The additional bylaws change proposals were put to the
expanded ‘all active member’ voter set, starting today. The voting is open
through May 21 to decide whether to add regional Europe and Canada seats to the
board of directors; add two allied at-large seats, which now will be put to an
empowered group of allied members; remove the chairperson from the board of
directors and add lifetime term limits to all board members. The expanded voter
set also will decide whether to extend to direct members the right to vote for
elected board seats. This is a significant change, especially now, with six
board seats up for grabs—and potentially eight if two allied at-large seats are
added to the mix.

Nominations for those board seats also begins today. Eligible members may nominate
themselves or others for board and officer seats. The deadline for nominations
is May 27, 2021.