GLO Featured: Global Loyalty PredictionsTM 2026: Ep 1 – The Most Used Word in Loyalty in 2025 • Ep 2 – Key Milestones & Most Significant Developments in Loyalty in 2025 • Ep 3 – Challenges for the Loyalty Industry in 2025 and Beyond • Ep 4 – Opportunities for the Loyalty Industry in 2026 • Marcus Puffer, VP Global Loyalty Strategy, IBS • Brendan Boerbaitz, Deloitte
• Qantas • Sabre • Etihad • Qatar Airways • Amadeus • Accor • Marriott • 1Hotels • Loyalty Reports • Loyalty Jobs & Careers
GLOGLO Featured:
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GLO Global Loyalty Predictions™ 2026: Episode 4 – Opportunities for the Loyalty Industry in 2026 Featuring: Andy Chalcroft, VP, Head of Co-brand North America & Global CoE, Visa; Jaci Smith, CEO, Blackbook; Altaf Rizvi, Head of Product – Traveler Experience, Amadeus; Marcus Puffer, VP Global Loyalty Strategy, IBS; Daniel Velasco Rallo, Customer Loyalty & CRM Innovation, LMS; Denise Holt, Senior VP, Phaedon; Michael Smith, Board Advisor, AI Events; Len Llaguno, Founder, KYROS; Tony Piedade, Deputy Chairman, GLO
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GLO Global Loyalty Predictions™ 2026: Brendan Boerbaitz, Principal, Deloitte 2025 reaffirmed the strategic importance of loyalty, with brands across travel, retail, and QSR launching or relaunching programmes. At the same time, growing similarity across propositions exposed the risk of loyalty becoming generic and interchangeable. Looking to 2026, the focus shifts back to fundamentals: clear and achievable financial rewards, greater customisation and choice, and frictionless delivery that reduces cognitive effort while making value visible and easy to use.
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Featuring: Andy Chalcroft, VP, Head of Co-brand North America & Global CoE, Visa; Brendan Boerbaitz, Principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP; Jaci Smith, CEO, Blackbook; Altaf Rizvi, Head of Product – Traveler Experience, Amadeus; Marcus Puffer, VP Global Loyalty Strategy, IBS; Daniel Velasco Rallo, Customer Loyalty & CRM Innovation, LMS; Denise Holt, Senior VP, Phaedon; Michael Smith, Board Advisor, AI Events; Len Llaguno, Founder, KYROS; Tony Piedade, Deputy Chairman, GLO
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Featuring: Andy Chalcroft, VP, Head of Co-brand North America & Global CoE, Visa; Brendan Boerbaitz, Principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP; Jaci Smith, CEO, Blackbook; Altaf Rizvi, Head of Product – Traveler Experience, Amadeus; Marcus Puffer, VP Global Loyalty Strategy, IBS; Daniel Velasco Rallo, Customer Loyalty & CRM Innovation, LMS; Denise Holt, Senior VP, Phaedon; Michael Smith, Board Advisor, AI Events; Len Llaguno, Founder, KYROS; Tony Piedade, Deputy Chairman, GLO
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2025 marked a shift from AI experimentation to the need for meaningful application in loyalty. As technological transformation accelerates, organisations face the challenge of balancing speed with commercial and operational sustainability. In 2026, loyalty’s value lies in its structured data and tight integration with modern travel retailing. With resilient budgets and rising productivity expectations, loyalty will remain a core revenue and engagement engine—powered by data and AI.
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GLO Global Loyalty PredictionsTM 2026: Episode 1 – The Most Used Word in Loyalty in 2025 We asked top loyalty leaders across airlines, hotels, retail, payments, technology, and consulting to pick just one word that defined the year.
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GLO Global Loyalty Predictions 2026: Len Llaguno, Founder, KYROS In 2025, loyalty programme changes began to surface financially, highlighting the need for better forecasting and financial discipline. Proving incremental value and ROI remains the central challenge—and opportunity—for 2026. As budgets stay stable but scrutiny rises, programmes must link loyalty directly to enterprise value. With stronger data infrastructure and experimentation, loyalty shifts from measuring engagement to demonstrating measurable impact.
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GLO Global Loyalty Predictions 2026: Jaci Smith, CEO, Blackbook 2025 marked a shift from siloed loyalty models toward unified infrastructure across multi-vertical ecosystems. Fragmentation and legacy systems continue to limit everyday relevance. In 2026, the opportunity lies in evolving loyalty through permission-based data, digital identity and usability. As investment increases, success will depend on scalable infrastructure that enables interoperability, personalisation and loyalty embedded into daily life.
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Airlines, Alliances & Airports:
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Qantas to Exit Jetstar Japan in Strategic Portfolio Shift Qantas will divest its one-third stake in Jetstar Japan, transitioning the low-cost carrier to Japanese-led ownership by mid-2027, pending approvals. The move lets Qantas focus investment on its core Australian and international operations, with no impact on Australia-Japan services or its codeshare partnership with Japan Airlines.
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Navan Taps Qantas’ Premium NDC Channel for Sharper Fares and Faster Servicing Navan has upgraded its connection to Qantas’ latest NDC 24.1 API, joining the airline’s invite-only Premium NDC program. The move gives users access to enhanced fares, seat selection for select Frequent Flyer members, faster servicing, and easier use of unused credits. It reflects the broader industry shift toward modern, retail-style airline distribution.
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Travelport Expands Airline Retailing Push with Oman Air NDC Deal Travelport will distribute Oman Air’s NDC content through Travelport+, becoming the first GDS to secure such an agreement with the carrier. Agencies will gain access to dynamic pricing, richer fare content, and ancillary services while maintaining existing EDIFACT workflows. The move supports the airline industry’s broader shift toward modern, retail-style distribution.
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Powered by SabreMosaic™, the AI‑driven solution unifies EDIFACT, NDC, LCC and private content through continuous offer validation and intelligent live‑vs‑cache decisioning, eliminating fragmentation and ensuring travellers see offers they can actually book. (Image: Sabre)
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Qatar Airways Supports Inaugural Art Basel Qatar 2026 as Official Premium Partner As part of its collaboration with Art Basel Qatar, Qatar Airways will offer exclusive travel benefits to selected audiences, reinforcing its role in enabling seamless access to the world’s leading cultural moments.
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Qantas regional lounge refresh programme launches across 7 locations The upgrades are part of the Flying Kangaroo’s multi-million-dollar regional lounge investment, which will deliver improved comfort, upgraded amenities and a more contemporary design for customers travelling through some of its key regional destinations.
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Etihad Airways Signs as Official Airline Partner of the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi 2026 Etihad Airways has been named Official Airline Partner of the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi 2026, a global multi-sport event running 6–15 Feb. This partnership enhances travel access and hospitality for athletes and fans worldwide, reinforcing Etihad’s commitment to connecting communities and enriching experiences. Loyalty members may benefit from increased engagement and travel opportunities tied to this major sporting showcase.
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Cathay Pacific Sees Corporate SAF Demand Surge in 2025 Cathay Pacific’s corporate SAF commitments nearly tripled in 2025, with 17 partners pledging about 17,400 metric tons of sustainable aviation fuel—cutting an estimated 54,600 metric tons of lifecycle CO₂e emissions. New Diamond-tier member Microsoft joined alongside EY and EQT, reflecting growing multi-year corporate investment in lower-carbon business travel. (Image: Cathay)
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Qantas to divest of Jetstar (Japan) Subject to reaching agreement on the transaction and regulatory approvals, the proposed transaction would see Qantas divest its minority (33.32%) shareholding in Jetstar Japan, with the agreement expected to be reached in July 2026 and the transition complete by June 2027.
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Etihad Airways Named Official Partner and Sponsor of Race 1 at the Abu Dhabi Gold Cup UAE’s national airline joins Abu Dhabi Turf Club to elevate the Emirate’s premier international thoroughbred racing event.
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South American Champions Argentina face European Champions Spain in the ‘Finalissima’ at Lusail Stadium, alongside a series of international showpiece matches as part of The Qatar Football Festival, from 26-31 March 2026.
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American Express and Air France-KLM have announced the launch of their refreshed co-branded Cards in France, designed to enhance the travel experience for consumers and small business owners.
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Qatar Airways Presents User-Led Innovation Experience at Web Summit Qatar 2026 The World’s Best Airline, as voted by Skytrax in 2025, is showcasing its latest customer-centric technology at the Qatar Airways’ Pavilion of innovation at Web Summit Qatar 2026 from 1-4 February
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Hotels & Hospitality:
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Hilton Continues Rapid Growth in Türkiye With New Signings Across Four Brands Further boost for Hilton’s lifestyle brands which now represent nearly 20% of Hilton’s Turkish pipeline, with two additional Tapestry Collection by Hilton properties slated for Istanbul
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Surprise a cappella performance featuring Devine, George Kittle, Bijan Robinson and Jordan Mailata at San Francisco’s Ferry Building crowned the winner of the Marriott Bonvoy Super Bowl Sleepover Suite.
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1 Hotels Launches “Mission Membership,” Reimagining What Loyalty Means 1 Hotels has launched “Mission Membership,” a loyalty program replacing points with personalized perks and environmental impact. Members receive upgrades (when available), donate 1% of eligible stays to nonprofits like Natural Resources Defense Council, and track impact via an app. The program emphasises sustainability, tech-enabled personalisation, and lifestyle partnerships over traditional tier status. (image: 1Hotels)
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Accor leads hospitality innovation with the launch of its ALL Accor app in ChatGPT ALL Accor has launched an ALL Accor app within ChatGPT, allowing travelers to search hotels, view loyalty and public rates, and access property details using natural language before completing bookings on its secure platform. Available in 20+ languages, the move positions Accor among the first global hotel groups to integrate directly with AI, expanding digital reach and enhancing personalised loyalty experiences. (Image: Accor)
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SiteMinder’s 2026 Report: U.S. Hotel Loyalty and Direct Bookings Surging SiteMinder’s Changing Traveler Report 2026 finds U.S. hotel brand loyalty and direct bookings climbing sharply. Fourteen percent of Americans now start their search with a known brand, while 40% book direct—well above the global average. Flexibility, better value, and loyalty perks are driving the shift, creating new opportunities for hotels to strengthen first-party relationships. (Image: SiteMinder)
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Marriott Bonvoy Recognized as the World’s Leading Hotel Loyalty Program by The Points Guy The Points Guy Awards honor the best in travel, credit cards, and loyalty, from top-tier reward credit cards and exclusive lounges to premier loyalty programs, airlines, hotels, and cruise lines. Marriott Bonvoy’s growing portfolio is also recognized this year with W Punta Cana, Adult All-Inclusive winning Best New All-Inclusive Points Hotel. Marriott Bonvoy’s unique offerings and hotels have been consistently recognized by The Points Guy Awards since their debut in 2018.
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Hotels Get a Direct-Booking Boost as Cloudbeds Links Up with Klaviyo Cloudbeds has partnered with Klaviyo to connect hotel PMS data directly to advanced marketing automation tools. The integration enables real-time guest segmentation, personalized messaging, and automated campaigns designed to boost direct bookings and repeat stays. As OTA commissions rise, the move helps hotels leverage first-party data to strengthen loyalty and improve revenue performance.
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Retail, E-commerce, F&B, Healthcare:
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Paytronix Rolls Out Text-First Loyalty Signups for Restaurants and C-Stores Paytronix launched SMS Enrollment for convenience stores and SMS Enrollment Verification for restaurants and c-stores. Guests can join loyalty programs in seconds using only their phone number, reducing checkout friction and boosting signups. Verification via one-time code helps prevent fraudulent accounts, protecting loyalty rewards and improving data quality for marketers.
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“Guest Stability” Rate: The Unflashy Fix That’s Powering Burger King’s Tech Comeback At NRF 2026, Burger King CDO Thibault Roux detailed how fixing fragmented POS systems and standardizing network infrastructure across 6,600+ locations became the foundation of the brand’s digital turnaround. Partnering with Comcast Business lifted “guest stability” from 92% to 99%, enabling kiosks, app improvements, IoT pilots, and future AI initiatives to scale reliably. (Image: Burger King)
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Jack’s Family Restaurants Goes All-In on PAR: A 300-Store Tech Overhaul in Nine Months Jack’s Family Restaurants is expanding its partnership with PAR Technology, rolling out PAR’s unified POS, payments, loyalty, and hardware platform across roughly 300 locations. Building on a 2019 loyalty collaboration, the nine-month deployment consolidates systems under one vendor to streamline operations, boost throughput, and support future growth with a scalable, integrated tech stack. (Image: Jack’s)
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Starbucks Levels Up: Rewards Program Gets a Gamified Makeover Starting March 10, Starbucks is transforming its flagship loyalty program, shifting away from a simple payment-linked points system toward a more dynamic, behaviour-focused tier model designed to boost customer engagement and visit frequency. The overhaul introduces accelerated Star-earning and behaviour-based perks for its 35.5 million U.S. members, aiming to boost visit frequency through status progression, exclusive benefits, and new redemption options. (Image: Starbucks)
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Lowe’s Launches MyLowe’s Rewards™ MyLowe’s Rewards™ to Build Stronger Connections with Families For the first time, parents can add their kids directly to a MyLowe’s Rewards™ profile—unlocking a Kids Club experience that blends hands-on building, digital badging and in-store moments of human connection.
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A First for Cannabis: Jane Gold Puts $1 Million Back in Consumers’ Pockets Jane Gold is the first rewards program to enable brand-funded cash back across a national dispensary network, powered by Jane’s patented technology. Moving beyond traditional loyalty frameworks, Jane Gold creates an entirely new category – offering brands a direct way to reward consumers, drive targeted growth, and measure performance, all while protecting dispensary margins and ensuring full compliance.
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Now also at Aral: Pay with your Sparkassen-card and collect PAYBACK points “Aral has been an important PAYBACK partner for almost twenty years. Digital services have played a central role from the very beginning. The new option of paying with the Sparkassen-Card and collecting points at the same time perfectly continues this strategy and creates additional value for customers,” says PAYBACK Managing Director Bernhard Brugger.
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Grubhub Adds Automatic Cash-Back Engine With Claim Deal Grubhub’s parent company, Wonder, has acquired Claim, a cash-back rewards app that automatically recognizes in-person restaurant purchases without codes or scans. The move expands Grubhub’s reach beyond delivery, giving its 415,000 merchants new tools to drive dine-in traffic and offering nearly 20 million diners seamless, personalised savings. Nationwide rollout is planned for 2026. (Image: Grubhub)
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Olo Expands Its Stack With Loyalty After Acquiring Spendgo Olo has acquired Spendgo to launch Olo Loyalty, integrating rewards directly into its ordering, payments, and marketing tools. The move creates unified guest profiles, clearer attribution, and stronger personalisation to boost repeat visits and lifetime value. Deeper integrations are planned for 2026. (Image: Olo)
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Payments, Finance, Property & Insurance:
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The partnership will also explore exclusive rewards and loyalty incentives. By bridging the gap between fintech and tourism, H2O is paving the way for a more efficient and innovative travel experience for both local and international visitors.
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Loyalty Technology, Solutions & Consulting:
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Qualtrics: Employees Thrive Through Change New tech investments predict higher employee engagement, but most employees are using AI tools their employers don’t know about. Poor experiences for new hires, customer-facing and part-time employees threaten to disrupt customer experiences.
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Qualtrics Appoints Jason Maynard as Chief Executive Officer A proven technology executive with 30 years of experience scaling world-class software businesses, Maynard will lead Qualtrics as its AI solutions give organizations a deeper understanding of the people they serve to build trust and deliver better experiences, which are driving millions in returns and significant time and cost savings. The appointment comes as Qualtrics scales its AI investments, led by the $6.75 billion pending acquisition of Press Ganey.
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PointsKash Inc. Engages Plaid to Power Secure, Seamless Onboarding and Bank Verification for PK Pay PK Pay is PointsKash’s Rewards, Loyalty and Payments solution, enabling secure account linking, compliant user verification and seamless payments to support digital rewards, incentive payouts and loyalty-driven transactions across its ecosystem.
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Reports, Research, Insights & Opinions:
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OMNICOM MEDIA STUDY REVEALS NEW RULES FOR BRAND GROWTH IN THE ERA OF FRAGMENTED INFLUENCE “Trust is migrating from institutions to individuals, and increasingly to machines as well,” O’Connell says. “That shift fundamentally changes how brands need to show up if they want to remain relevant and influential.”
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Jobs & Careers:
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Tide is hiring: Head – Customer Lifecycle Management – Greater Delhi Area Location: Greater Delhi Area, India. Click inside to apply.
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Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Click inside to apply.
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Kiwibank is hiring: Personalisation & Engagement Lead – Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand Location: Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand. Click inside to apply.
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Foot Locker is hiring: Senior Manager, Loyalty Program – Murarrie, Queensland, Australia Location: Murarrie, Queensland, Australia. Click inside to apply
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Bunnings is hiring: Senior Loyalty Manager Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Click inside to apply
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EquiTalent is hiring: Director of Membership & Loyalty – London Area, United Kingdom Location: London Area, United Kingdom. Click inside to apply.
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Stream Loyalty is hiring: Account Manager – Loyalty and Rewards Chilton, England, United Kingdom Location: Chilton, England, United Kingdom. Click here to apply.
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Salt is hiring: Customer Growth Director London Area, United Kingdom Location: London Area, United Kingdom. Click inside to apply.
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Accor is hiring: BtoB Loyalty Project Manager F/M/X Issy-les-Moulineaux, Île-de-France, France Location: Issy-les-Moulineaux, Île-de-France, France. Click inside to apply.
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Location: Paris, Île-de-France, France. Click inside to apply.
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JPMorganChase is hiring: Consumer Bank Marketing Retention Lead Vice President – New York, NY Location: New York, NY. Click inside to apply.
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Confidential is hiring: Rewards & Loyalty Program Marketing Director Greater Chicago Area Location: Greater Chicago Area. Click inside to apply.
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Macy’s is hiring: Sr. Manager, Lifecycle Marketing New York, NY Location: New York, NY. Click inside to apply.
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PayPal is hiring: Senior Manager, Product Marketing Loyalty – San Jose, CA Location: San Jose, CA. Click inside to apply
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Hager is hiring: Customer Centricity and Experience Leader (m/f/d) – Obernai, Grand Est, France Location: Obernai, Grand Est, France. Click inside to apply
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Location: Paris, Île-de-France, France. Click inside to apply.
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AXA is hiring: Responsable Expérience Client et Design F/H Fontenay-sous-Bois, Île-de-France, France Location: Fontenay-sous-Bois, Île-de-France, France. Click inside to apply.
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Location: Paris, Île-de-France, France. Click inside to apply.
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Valeo is hiring: Loyalty Program Manager (Paris, Île-de-France, France) Location: Paris, Île-de-France, France. Click inside to apply.
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flynas is hiring: Digital Operations & Analytics Officer (Saudi Arabia) Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Click inside to apply.
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