Jeff joined AIRINC in 1992 and just celebrated his thirty-year anniversary at the company this August! He started as a Client Engagement Representative and climbed the ranks in Client Engagement, spending seven years in AIRINC’s Brussels office as Managing Director. He returned to Boston as the Vice President of Data Analysis where he oversaw the creation of AIRINC's Analysis & Development department. He briefly returned to Client Engagement as the Regional Leader of the Americas before becoming CEO in October 2021.
What are some of the biggest changes that you've seen in your time at AIRINC?
When I first joined, AIRINC was oriented more as a research institution: we were just a data company. As the business expanded, we had to become more commercially focused to keep pace with clients' needs. Now we've developed into a consulting firm that can solve a whole array of mobility- and compensation-related problems. Over thirty years, we've gone from a straight-forward data company to one that offers clients the full spectrum of service for their policies, from data, advisory and benchmarking, to technology.
Now, we're looking to be even more efficient as different departments are figuring out how they can best serve our clients. We're one of the only cost-of-living providers to deliver data to partners via API, and we were the first to do so. This technology benefits our clients by making our data delivery more automated and so much more seamless: our clients and partners no longer have to load data tables, which saves them time and generates fewer errors. On average, our clients have reported saving 70% of their time on data loading from using our API!
How have AIRINC's tools changed in that time?
Our suite of tools has also reflected the company's expansion. Thirty years ago, our clients just had one or two policies each and we were delivering basic balance sheet calculations. Over time, our clients' data needs increased as their mobility programs incorporated additional assignment types, and we developed our suite of tools to support our clients' growing policy suites. Fast-forward to today and we have our online portal, AIRLinc, which hosts a whole array of tools and calculators giving clients the ability to self-service data for all move types.
My favorite AIRINC tools are our Airfare Database, because it answers the real needs that companies have for good airfare allowance data to support their movement of people, and our Salary Evaluation Tool, which has been really useful for clients to make sure that they get the pay right with the increase of permanent transfers and the advent of remote work.
What are some of your more memorable client projects from your time working with Client Engagement?
Transitioning new clients on to AIRINC data is always memorable -- it's a great opportunity for both the client and AIRINC to work together to help the client transition their assignee pay to our data. The client benefits from the quality of our data and high level of AIRINC service, and they experience how it feels to work in partnership with us from the beginning with the transition itself. I remember one large new client that we worked really closely with during their transition over ten years ago. That shared process formed a great bond and created the foundation for a strong trusted relationship that continues to this day.
You became AIRINC’s CEO in 2021. How has the first year been?
We Listen, Partner, and Deliver with our clients: it’s important that we practice that internally as well. During my first month as CEO, we ran an employee survey and organised listening sessions with everyone in the company. Their suggestions and comments helped us to formulate our strategy (which we’ve been adhering to all year), know more about our colleagues and the company’s culture, and to get more unity on what we as a company are working towards. The listening sessions were so successful that we’re repeating them again this autumn!
What do you like about working at AIRINC?
I like working with my colleagues -- we have lots of smart, dedicated, and knowledgeable people at AIRINC. The fact that it is so common for AIRINCers to stay for five, ten, fifteen years and longer speaks for itself. I also like the international footprint of our work and how so much of what we see in major current events, ongoing inflation and currency volatility, how it all connects back to our business.
Tell us a little bit about yourself
I live outside Boston and enjoy spending time with my family. I have three children, two at university and one in high school, and a dog. I really like to travel. I've been to 57 countries, but my favorite place is still France. I really like art and visiting museums, both on the road and around home.
