How Perk's AI Strategy Is Killing the 'Shadow Work' That Slows Down Business Travel

Jan de Vries · 2026-08-13

Nikita Miller joined Perk in September 2025, right as the Barcelona-born scale-up was making a bold move. The company, formerly known as TravelPerk, had just rebranded. It was no longer just a business travel platform—it was becoming an AI-native ecosystem for travel and spend management. That shift included integrating Yokoy, a spend management company it had acquired, and pushing harder into the US market. For Miller, the mission is clear: kill what she calls 'shadow work.' That's the invisible, repetitive grind that employees deal with when they travel or spend money for their companies. Think reconciling receipts, chasing invoices, booking hotels, organizing events, or just trying to figure out what the travel policy actually allows. Perk wants to automate most of that. ### The Real Question About AI Isn't Job Replacement A lot of people ask whether AI will replace workers. Miller thinks that's the wrong question. She argues that technology should create space for people to do higher-value work. AI can handle invoice reconciliation and reporting, no problem. But strategic judgment, decision-making, and understanding why a business should go in a certain direction? That stays human. That's a refreshing take. It's not about machines taking over. It's about removing the boring stuff so people can focus on what actually moves the needle. ### AI Is Actually Creating New Jobs Miller also pushes back on the idea that AI-driven companies will automatically need fewer people. In many cases, the opposite is happening. AI is creating new types of work and increasing demand for different skill sets. For example, roles that involve systems thinking are becoming more valuable. Why? Because companies are building interconnected AI agents that affect multiple parts of an organization. Someone needs to understand how it all fits together. So, the future isn't about shrinking teams. It's about reshaping them. ### Perk's Agentic Future Perk isn't just talking about the future—it's building it. The company has introduced technology that connects travel, spend, invoices, and events. That means users can access information across different platforms without jumping through hoops. On top of that, Perk is investing heavily in personalization. It uses years of travel and spending data to improve recommendations for individual travelers. At the same time, CFOs and administrators get better visibility into policies, approvals, and costs. It's a two-sided approach: better experiences for employees, more control for finance teams. ### Going Global, the Right Way Perk has big ambitions in the US. Miller believes that building across multiple European markets has prepared the company for this expansion. But she's careful not to treat the US as just an extension of Europe. Expectations around business travel and financial products are different there. So, Perk has recruited local teams and is approaching the market with a localization strategy. That's a smart move. You can't just copy-paste a European playbook and expect it to work in America. ### The $320 Million Bet on Growth The company recently secured a €300 million credit facility, which converts to roughly $320 million USD. According to Miller, that investment is going into AI, product development, spend management, invoicing, corporate cards, and incubating new ideas for employees and the Office of the CFO. It's a big bet, but it shows confidence in the direction. ### Europe vs. The US: Two Sides of the Same Coin Miller has built much of her career in the US, so she has a unique perspective. She sees strong entrepreneurial ambition on both sides of the Atlantic. Europe, she believes, is producing more significant tech success stories than ever before. But the fundamentals of entrepreneurship are universal: ambition, resilience, and a willingness to work through hard problems. ### Building a '100-Year Company' So, what's the end goal? Perk's leadership talks about building a '100-year company.' That doesn't just mean getting bigger. It means creating a lasting business that eliminates unnecessary administrative work. The vision is simple: let employees spend more time on meaningful, productive activities. In a world where everyone is short on time, that's a mission worth getting behind.