PHOTO: © DELPHINE MILLOT

THE BASICS
Name: Delphine Millot
Title: Senior vice president of sustainability, GBTA, and managing director, GBTA Foundation
Company, city: Global Business Travel Association; Alexandria, Virginia. I am based in New York City.
First job: Public affairs consultant, Grayling in Brussels
Where to next: San Diego for the GBTA annual convention, and then France and Portugal to visit my family

A LITTLE BIT MORE
What actor or actress would play you in a movie of your life?
Emma Stone, for her ability not to take herself too seriously. She’s talented and charismatic, yet I love that she’s remained down to earth despite her success.

What would you be doing professionally if you weren’t in your current industry?
I’d be a travel reviewer. I love discovering new places and sharing my experience and insights about all the places I’ve been.

What is your favorite book, movie or television show?                                                                      As a mother of two young kids, I don’t have much time for reading and movies anymore. But when I have a break, I love to catch up on the sitcom Workin’ Moms — so relatable, in the best way.

What historical figure, dead or alive, would you love to have dinner with?
Many people on that list! But I’d pick Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission president. I’m an EU policy nerd. And I’d love to ask her how she managed to be so successful and a mother of seven kids … respect.

THE BUSINESS
What is your most recent project, and what was the inspiration behind it?
Launching GBTA’s sustainability initiative to build a greener future for global business travel. Getting out from the pandemic, employees want to travel better and smarter. There’s also huge pressure on every corporation to reduce emissions. The business travel sector needs to present concrete solutions to address the climate crisis.

What is your favorite aspect of the job?
I love the fact I’m learning every single day … from the talented and passionate people at GBTA, our members and across the business travel industry worldwide.

What’s the biggest business risk you’ve ever taken?
Moving from Europe to the United States 10 years ago and, recently, leaving the consulting world to join GBTA to build something brand-new.

Who is someone you admire professionally in the travel industry?
I pick someone close to home: GBTA’s CEO Suzanne Neufang. She’s an inspiring leader and innovator and has a real vision for serving GBTA members and where she wants to bring the industry.

AS A TRAVELER
Tell us about a travel nightmare: Trying to cross the border between Argentina and Chile, in Patagonia. We stayed stuck in a mining village at the border because we couldn’t cross by walking or by car. Standing in an alley, we begged a bus driver to let us on his crowded bus to cross the 10 miles of no- man’s-land between the countries. Thankfully, he said yes. Share a comical travel experience: A friend asked me to bring his electric guitar from New York City back to Europe as a carry-on but forgot to give me the case’s key. Airport security would not let me go through if I did not open the case. I honestly thought about abandoning the guitar, but they finally let me go after a long negotiation. I almost missed my flight!

What is your preferred method of travel — planes, trains, automobiles, cruise ships — and why? It depends on the context and purpose. I love the flight experience, especially crossing the Atlantic to go back home. When traveling for business, I enjoy taking the train, especially between New York and Washington, D.C.; Brussels and Paris; or Brussels and London. It’s a more productive and sustainable way to travel.

What has been the best example of customer service you’ve experienced during your travels? I admire flight attendants for their patience and dedication to make the travel experience as smooth as possible. I traveled many times between New York and Paris alone with my son when he was a baby and met so many helpful and kind people. It really made a difference.