ATPI, the global travel management company and partner to the energy sector, has an incredible presence in the Middle East, supporting oil and gas, wider energy, and corporate business travel alike.
And Lynn Coutts, ATPI Managing Director – Middle East is immensely proud to have supported this growth throughout the 2020s.
“The success I’ve personally experienced in the Middle East and within energy markets can be traced back to my early career within fast-paced operational environments where accountability, adaptability, and problem-solving were essential,” she tells OGN energy magazine.
These experiences built the foundation for her later work supporting oil and gas clients, where precision and reliability are critical.
Coutts’ transition into the corporate travel sector stemmed from her earliest experiences within the service and hospitality sector, whereas her knowledge and awareness of the oil and gas market was a result of being born and raised in Aberdeen, Scotland.
“As the backbone of the region I grew up in, where every industry, no matter how far removed, was influenced by the success of oil and gas, my interest in the sector and passion for its success were unavoidable. Living in the north-east of Scotland, it becomes part of your DNA,” she says.
ATPI’s strong focus on oil and gas, combined with its understanding of complex logistics and high-risk environments, provided Coutts with the opportunity to apply her skills and her love for the industry in a sector where travel is mission-critical rather than transactional.
Coutts her career in travel as a Sales Director at a different travel management company (TMC) before moving to ATPI in 2012 as Head of Sales - Energy.
“Based in Aberdeen, this energy-focused role helped apply my longstanding knowledge and awareness of the sector to my day-to-day work, meeting key contacts and making long-lasting relationships,” she says.
This direct energy experience gave Coutts the network, and confidence, to make the move to the UAE a decade ago to manage the commercial side of the business before taking over as Managing Director in 2020, just as COVID hit.
OVERCOMING BARRIERS
As a woman operating in a traditionally male-dominated industry, Coutts faced challenges around visibility, credibility, and representation.
Leadership discussions and client environments often required her to work harder to establish authority, while the industry’s demanding pace and high expectations left little margin for error.
Coutts overcame these barriers through hard work, resilience, consistency, expertise, and performance.
“By understanding ATPI as a business, our clients, and regional operations, I was able to help deliver practical and reliable solutions, establishing trust and long-term credibility.
“My leadership approach emphasised collaboration, resilience, and decision-making under pressure, along with that hunger to constantly improve and challenge boundaries for the business and our customers.
Lynn Coutts speaking at an IADC event
Coutts joined industry organisations and became involved in what was a heavily dominated male environment, but she made sure I fitted in through knowledge and networking.
When she first became Managing Director in the Middle East, Dubai was a strategic location on a map, it was a small operation breaking even or turning a slight profit.
The desire to change this into one of the largest and leading locations fuelled Coutts’ fire, as she wanted to prove herself as a female leader and to open opportunities for others. Therefore, she needed to defy expectations. “Failure wasn’t an option,” she says.
Half a decade later, these early days - albeit incredibly challenging - have paid dividends and helped forge a path of immense success for ATPI’s Middle East operations.
Coutts says she aims to lead by example. “Today, I remain heavily focused on our clients and new opportunities, while supporting and mentoring others to help challenge outdated perceptions and promote inclusive working environments and leadership.”
Within the Middle East, ATPI has an all-female management team across Dubai and Saudi Arabia, and although this wasn’t intentional, it’s something Coutts is proud of.
As a regional supporter, ATPI is helping create a more sustainable and diverse future for energy and business travel.
The company’s priority is to examine is role as a partner to its clients and how it can diversify operations to future-proof budgets, processes, and policies through being agile and continuously improving, while always exploring the next opportunity for expansion.
ATPI’s recent acquisition by Direct Travel paves the way for it to accelerate change and make a difference.
One key driver is the upcoming implementation of Avenir.
“A solution addressing many of the issues within energy and business travel, Avenir will target the fragmentation and pain points that our teams overcome for our clients, providing the best user experience for our customers with this technology,” says Coutts/
DRIVING REGIONAL GROWTH
ATPI’s presence in the Middle East has been strengthened over the last five years by building trusted, long-term relationships with clients operating in complex and high-risk environments.
Coutts’ focus has been on consistency, transparency, operational reliability, and understanding how to transform client travel.
This has positioned ATPI as a specialist partner rather than a transactional service provider, with its people being the core foundation.
“In the Middle East, we provide end-to-end travel management tailored to the oil and gas sector, including complex flight logistics, crew and rotational travel, emergency response support, and duty-of-care services for travellers operating in challenging locations,” says Coutts.
Coutts has worked hard with her team to align these services with client operational needs, ensuring that travel programmes are resilient, compliant, and responsive.
Her role has involved bridging client expectations with internal delivery teams, helping to design solutions that support business continuity, safety, and efficiency across energy operations while managing a growing team.
ATPI’s Middle East Senior Leadership Team - Lynn Coutts alongside Zara Higgins, General Manager Saudi Arabia (Left), and Cally Dey, General Manager Dubai (Right)
Coutts has also overseen the adoption of improved processes and tools that enhance reporting, traveller tracking, and real-time analysis, ensuring clients have greater visibility and control over their travel programmes.
These initiatives have strengthened ATPI’s ability to scale while maintaining high service standards.
Internally, culture and wellbeing have been key to creating a happy and motivated team that consistently delivers.
“This is my greatest source of pride in my role. Since becoming MD, we have quadrupled our regional headcount with a team of over 200 incredible individuals across the UAE and Saudi Arabia,” says Coutts.
Initiatives focused on employee wellbeing, culture, and sustainability have been a consistent mark of Coutts’ tenure so far, with considerable support provided to The Sparkle Foundation, where ATPI has raised awareness and provided resources to aid families and children in Malawi.
This has included procuring a minibus to transport children to hospitals, doctors, and schools, and now providing classroom equipment for children to access a higher standard of education.
ATPI team initiatives are a key cultural driver in its Middle East success
Coutts’ plans for ATPI in the Middle East are focused on sustainable growth, deeper specialisation in energy and resource-driven sectors, and a commitment to people, technologies like Avenir, and governance through continued investment to drive enablement for its clients.
WHAT MAKES A STRONG LEADER?
Coutts sees herself as a collaborative leader who invests time in developing her colleagues. She takes pride in team achievements and pushes individuals to be present and the face of the business.
She encourages knowledge-sharing, support career progression, and lead with approachability and accountability.
By mentoring team members and advocating for inclusive leadership, Coutts has helped create an environment where diverse talent can grow and succeed.
“I always question what we can do better; what do our clients and teams need? This helps us spearhead projects based on what is needed now and, in the future,” she says.
Coutts’ leadership style emphasises trust, clarity, and empowerment qualities that have strengthened team cohesion and contributed to ATPI’s positive workplace culture and impressive regional growth of over 500 per cent in a short time.
“Any leader, no matter how experienced or well-travelled, must remain open to learning and growing, and I’m excited to do both,” she concludes.