AWARDS
LIFETIME
ACHIEVEMENT IN RELOCATION
Anita Blanchett T
his year, the Re:locate Awards judges were unanimous in their desire to honour the achievements of a remarkable person who has contributed enormously
to UK relocation over a long and groundbreaking career. Anita Blanchett, who recently retired after more than 30 years
in the relocation industry, is universally admired and respected. She started her career in the employee housing department at IBM’s European headquarters in the early 1980s, joined PHH Homequity when it won the contract to manage the outsourced relocation contract, and moved to Hamptons Relocation in 1988. During her ten years with Hamptons (later Rowan Relocation),
Anita set up international relocation services in Asia, Europe and the UK, acting as the international division for many clients, mostly US relocation companies. She established a presence in emerging locations such as Beijing and Moscow at a time when the only way to do so was to get on a plane and work with the embassies and consulates there.
“Anita has been at the forefront of change and driven improvements wherever she has worked.”
In 1998, Anita returned to PHH Homequity and was part of
the team that managed the merger of the various companies that became Cartus. She took the opportunity to relocate to Danbury, in the US, to head the newly formed International Supplier Alliance division, and continued to set up services globally. On returning to the UK in 2000, Anita worked for several companies in the industry, including Clarendon Apartments,
Sterling Relocation and Weichert, before being hired by BP to help bring international assignment services back in house. Once again, she had to establish both services and service providers in diverse and remote locations. While at BP, Anita gained experience in disaster management,
particularly large-scale emergency evacuations, where the team’s work blazed a trail. This has led to her current volunteer role with Shelterbox, raising money for families affected by natural disasters and political problems around the world. Anita received a Cannes film silver award for a series of business
films she commissioned and produced on expat life. Former colleagues were enthusiastic in their praise. Lynne
O’Leary, global account director at Santa Fe Relocation, voiced the feelings of many. “For me, Anita epitomises all that’s good in the relocation industry. Ever the consummate professional, she has been at the forefront of change and driven improvements wherever she has worked.” As Pat Graham, international mobility operations director
at BP, put it when she highlighted Anita’s extensive experience on the vendor and corporate side, “Once a legend, always a legend!” “There are many sides to Anita Blanchett,” said Kim Krollman,
director of sales at Boulevard Suites, “and few people see all of them. As both a colleague and a friend, I feel privileged to know her from all angles. Anita has spent her career helping others. Her retirement is a huge loss to our industry.” In a personal message read out during the trophy’s presentation,
Ian Payne, Cartus’s MD for EMEA and APAC, said, “You and I have worked with each other in this industry in just about every business relationship possible. But whether as a Cartus colleague, a senior client contact, or a business partner, it was always with great respect and, most importantly, a real sense of fun.” The audience raised their glasses to toast Anita Blanchett,
a huge personality and a very deserving winner of the Lifetime Achievement award.
54 | Re:locate | APAC Summer 2016 Summer 2016
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