How a Managed Travel Partner Gives EAs Control at Global Events

When Everything Changes at Once: How a Managed Travel Partner Gives EAs Control at Global Events

If you’re an Executive Assistant responsible for coordinating international travel during a major global event, you already know the reality: the itinerary you carefully planned weeks in advance will almost certainly unravel within hours of arrival.

That was exactly the situation facing the EA team supporting a senior delegation from a global financial institution attending The World Economic Forum in Davos.  With participants flying in from Asia and South America the time differences presented a challenge.

Meetings were added at short notice. Schedules shifted repeatedly throughout the day. Delegates split into different groups mid-trip. Security considerations were paramount. And updates were landing at all hours — often late into the local evening, long after UK office hours.

For the EAs managing this from London, the priority was simple: maintain control without becoming the bottleneck.

Why a Managed Service Makes the Difference

This is where working with a managed transport provider — rather than a collection of local car services — fundamentally changes the experience for an EA.

Instead of chasing drivers, reissuing instructions or firefighting last-minute changes, the EA team had a single point of accountability. Driven Worldwide operated a full follow-the-sun management model, with its operational teams in London, Hong Kong and New York itinerary changes were captured, actioned and confirmed — even while the London based EA slept.

Driver continuity was maintained wherever possible, reducing security risk and providing reassurance to travelling directors. Discreet, appropriate vehicles were selected with safety front of mind. And all updates were tracked through a shared technology stack, creating a clear audit trail of decisions and changes.

What This Meant for the EA Team

For the Executive Assistants involved, the value wasn’t just operational — it was emotional.

• Fewer late-night panics

• No need to micromanage every adjustment

• Confidence that changes were being handled proactively

• Reassurance that their directors were safe, comfortable and informed

Most importantly, the EA team retained control without having to be constantly “on call”.

The Takeaway

At events like the World Economic Forum 2026, the COP30 meeting in 2025 — or indeed any high-stakes international programme — managed transport isn’t just logistics. It’s part of an EA’s risk management strategy.

If you’ve got a complex international project to coordinate – Let us help take the pressure off.  Get a quote