Stephen Farrant, Director, International Tourism Partnership International Business Leaders Forum

Stephen studied Languages at Oxford University, before joining British Airways on the “Marketing and Operations” graduate programme. He spent five years at the airline, working in a number of front-line roles in cluding Sales and Marketing, Revenue Management, Customer Services and Operations. He also worked as part of the Strategy and Alliances team that lay the ground-work for the “One World” alliance.

He then spent nine years at VisitBritain, progressing from Business Planning Manager to Head of Partnerships to General Manager, Quality. In this latter role he managed the national quality accreditation schemes for the accommodation sector.

In early 2006 he took up a new role as Director of Membership and Marketing at the RSA (www.theRSA.org), where he was closely involved in the development of the RSA’s “Carbon Limited” project, which tested the potential for encouraging behaviour change through the introduction of individual carbon cap and trade schemes.

Steve then developed the sustainable tourism, environment and climate change portfolio for a leading tourism consultancy, before joining the International Business Leaders Forum as Director of the International Tourism Partnership (www.tourismpartnership.org) in March 2009.

Steve is a member of the UK Sustainable Development Commission’s Advisory Panel, and has recently qualified as a Business Coach.