‘SELF-BOOKING TOOLS ARE DEAD, LONG LIVE T&E’ – KDS CEO

Yves Weisselberger to speak at ITM Focus Forum in London

Paris, June 15, 2007 – Yves Weisselberger, CEO and co-founder of KDS, will speak about the rise of integrated Travel & Expense (‘T&E’) systems when he takes part in the Institute of Travel Management’s Focus Forum on automated expense management in London on 20th June. As a panelist in a session entitled ‘SBT Utopia – The Battle with Technology’, Weisselberger will explain how companies are increasingly turning to integrated solutions as opposed to single-function legacy systems to deliver much needed cost savings and efficiencies.

In the panel session, Weisselberger will join senior executives from Airbus, Expedia and Amadeus as they consider the opportunities and challenges of adopting the latest T&E technology, as well as effective strategies to encourage high user adoption rates. In his remarks, Weisselberger will confirm the recommendations of a recently published research note from Gartner, which emphasises the vital importance of business process change and cross-organisational best practice in unlocking the full potential of T&E solutions.

KDS, the European market leader in integrated Travel & Expense systems, has been a pioneer of end-to-end solutions that enable companies to manage both their travel bookings and expense management online. End-to-end solutions improve travel policy compliance, increase process efficiency and deliver significant savings in corporate travel budgets.

Yves Weisselberger said: “KDS strongly believes that integrated systems represent the future for travel and expense management. We are delighted that the ITM is hosting this forum, as it will provide a timely platform to discuss the advantages of true end-to-end technologies and the most effective ways to maximise user adoption and benefits across the organisation.”

ENDS

Press Contacts:
Melanie Hanus / Marc Cornelius
KDS / 80:20 PR
+33 1 46 29 58 88 / +44 (0)20 7924 7576
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Notes to Editors

Yves Weisselberger was named one of the 25 Most Influential Executives in business travel in 2006 by top US trade magazine Business Travel News (January 22, 2007). He was recognised alongside leaders including Sir Richard Branson, Chairman of Virgin Atlantic; Hubert Joly, CEO of Carlson Wagonlit Travel; and Doug Parker, CEO of US Airways, based on nominations received from industry professionals. A photo of Yves Weisselberger is available at http://www.kds.com/en/yves (available to any registered user).

KDS on-demand travel & expense offers a completely integrated solution for travel and expense management, addressing essential needs ranging from travel policy definition and enforcement, to online travel self-booking, to automated travel expense processing and beyond. Every critical procedure can be completed through the KDS ASP offering, resulting in greater efficiencies and associated financial benefits. In addition, KDS offers the most extensive back-end connectivity to airline, car, rail and hotel providers in the industry, ensuring optimized pricing and up-to-the-minute inventory control. For more information, visit www.kds.com .

Gartner’s research note, ‘Travel Expense Management: Best Practices Yield Success’, was published on 29 March 2007. www.gartner.com

In its December 2006 research brief, ‘A New Era in Managing T&E Expenses’, Aberdeen Group predicted increased adoption of integrated T&E solutions over the coming two years. www.aberdeen.com.