Speakers

Sami joined Trust My Group in 2015 as Chief Operating Officer, alongside the group’s founding CEO and CTO, developing the business from its founding brand, Trust My Travel, into a diverse portfolio of businesses specialising in risk management, payments services, technology solutions and financial protection services specifically designed for the travel sector. Before joining TMG, Sami was a corporate trader for CitiBank’s FX brokerage, Paymaster International. Sami launched one of the Group’s newest brands, TMU Management, an insurance managing agency broker, in 2022, where Sami is currently Chief Executive Officer. TMU Management specialises in facilitating insolvency related technology-led insurance products to the travel sector and financial services sectors servicing the travel industry. Sami launched TMU’s financial failure insurance products for travel merchants in 2022 and it’s ground breaking Acquiring Chargeback Insurance product last year.

Paul advises Airlines and OTA’s on their payment strategy and other players in the Travel payment value chain (Schemes, IATA, GDS’s, Acquirers, VCN issuers, Payment gateways, Fraud, FX and other Service providers) on how to reach the next level. This includes defining or fine-tuning their Travel vertical strategy and go to market plan, challenging their product offering & partner strategy, advising on the impact of regulation changes and performing a gap & competitor analysis.

Roberto Da Re, a seasoned figure in the Travel Technology space with over 25 years of experience, kickstarted his career at SABRE in Europe and the US. He then founded Dolphin Dynamics in the late nineties, showcasing his knack for blending booking engine technology and travel supply chain knowledge.
In 2016, Roberto's fascination with Fintech, Blockchain, and the rapidly transforming payment industry led him to envision Travel Ledger, a revolutionary B2B settlement platform for the Travel Industry. By 2018, he dedicated himself entirely to this venture, turning it into a thriving platform with over 2,000 users in the UK and expanding globally.
Beyond his tech prowess, Roberto is a sought-after speaker at travel industry events and finds balance in family life, golfing, and his love for Formula One.

Greg Toussaint is a Director in Edgar, Dunn & Company (EDC) Paris office with over 15 years of consulting experience with EDC in business strategy for clients in Asia, Europe, North and South America. Greg has worked in EDC London's, Sydney's and Paris' offices and developed global perspectives on payments. Within EDC, Greg co-leads EDC’s Travel Payments Practice globally, working on strategy topics for all actors in the travel value chain (e.g. travel agents, airlines, hotels, car rental operators, corporates, issuers, acquirers and payment schemes). Greg recently published a white paper on 7 best practices for corporate to improve corporate payments. Outside of work, Grégoire plays the saxophone and loves baking cakes.

Heli Mäki-Fränti has been working in the travel industry since the mid-1990s. She is the Managing Director of the Association of Finnish Travel Industry (SMAL) since 2007. Heli is the the Vice President of the European Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators, ECTAA.
A long career in the travel industry has involved both advocacy work on the preparation and application of legislation and close cooperation with the media, public authorities, policy makers and, of course, national and international partners in the travel and tourism sector. Heli is widely networked and active in many travel-related national, Nordic&Baltic and international working groups and forums, including ECTAA Executive Board and Air Matters’ Committee, the APJC Finland, the national Advisory Group for Package Travel, the Ministerial Travel Forum and Matka Nordic Travel Fair Advisory Group.
Heli encourages good cooperation but also calls for a level playing field within travel industry . She hopes that the great importance of the travel industry is recognised both in the EU Member States and in the EU institutions.

Eric Drésin has been serving as the Secretary General of the European Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators since September 2019. With a dedicated team and the invaluable expertise of member organizations, his mission is to amplify the voice of travel agents and tour operators in their interactions with European institutions, international organizations, and foster productive collaborations with stakeholders and partners.
During the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, Eric and his team worked diligently to secure essential support from European institutions for travel intermediaries. Today, his focus is on championing the development of a resilient and sustainable travel industry in Europe, ensuring that it can adapt and thrive in an ever-changing landscape.

Mark has always worked at the heart of the Belgian travel industry. After is master's degree in law, he became General Secretary of the Belgian Tourism Industry Federation (FTI) in 1991, which is still a member of ECTAA today. In 1993, he became Director of ABTO, the Belgian association of tour operators. In that position, he was a director and arbitrator in the Travel Disputes Committee. In 1995, the Belgian travel industry established the Travel Guarantee Fund (GFG), with Mark at its head. 'Nine Eleven', eruption of the Icelandic volcano, the 2008 financial crisis, Thomas Cook's bankruptcy, the Covid19 crisis... he experienced it all from the front row, piloting the GFG ship through turbulent waters.
He boasts that travellers in Belgium are the best protected in the EU, as all payments to travel organizations for trips to be undertaken are covered, including individual travel services. However, he would like to see the European Commission go further and truly protect ALL travellers, including against the bankruptcy of airlines, among others. This would simultaneously reduce the risk for tour operators and their travellers and guarantee funds.
Since 2016, he is Chairman of EGFATT, the European Guarantee Funds’ Association, which he founded with the French and Dutch guarantee funds in 2011.

Christian Möller earned his Master Degree in Business at the University of Lüneburg, Germany. He is Director Transport & Distribution for ECTAA. Previous roles have been Manager Procurement for Lufthansa City Center International, where he was responsible for Airline, GDS, Rental Car & Credit Card contracts as well as Global Franchise Account Manager for international franchise agencies. He worked as Manager Air Matters, Business Travel, Business Economy and Fraud Prevention at DRV, the German Travel Association in Berlin. He started his career as a Consultant Business Travel for Carlson Wagonlit Travel in Germany and was an intern with Lufthansa in New York and Patti Roscoe & Associates (PRA) Destination Management in Seattle, Washington.

Maarten is a recognized leader in the travel IT industry with over 20 years of experience in innovation and community building. As the founder of Perseuss, he created one of the most effective fraud prevention communities, uniting a global community of over 80 airlines to collaboratively tackle fraud. His approach has shaped industry standards and fostered collaboration among airlines. Now, as Chief Product Officer  and founder at Actuary.aero, Maarten continues to drive innovation, applying his expertise to develop cutting-edge solutions that redefine risk management and support clients in navigating complex challenges. 

Benoît Chantoin is an experienced French European affairs professional with a strong focus on consumer protection and legal matters. Over the past 17 years, Benoît has built a robust track record in advancing consumer protection, contributing his skills to NGOs, consultancies, and leading industry organizations. Since 2012, he has held the position of Director for Legal and Consumer Affairs at ECTAA (European Travel Agents' and Tour Operators' Association), representing 70,000 travel intermediaries, mostly SMEs, and playing a pivotal role in shaping policy for both online and offline businesses. His 13-year engagement with the Package Travel Directive underscores his depth of knowledge and commitment to enhancing travel consumer rights in Europe. In January 2024, Benoît further expanded his leadership responsibilities as Secretary General of EGFATT (European Guarantee Fund Association for Travel and Tourism).

Craig McClure is the Director of Relationship Management at Fi911 and Chargebacks911.  In his role, he equips clients with the regulatory knowledge and skills needed to manage chargebacks effectively.  He possesses more than two decades of industry experience working in payments both in banks and in payment schemes directly.    Craig works with stakeholders in the travel sector to educate on the fast-moving world of disputes, fraud and chargebacks as well as to bring strategies to solve business problems and prevent losses.