Leading Executives in Event Planners
Reggie Aggarwal
Founder & CEO, Cvent
Founder of one of the earliest end‑to‑end event-tech platforms and longtime industry influencer; led Cvent through IPOs, take-privates, and a 2023 sale to Blackstone ($4.6B). Title current as of 2025.
Bio page | Company website | LinkedIn (company)
Janet Dell
Chief Executive Officer, Freeman
Became CEO on July 1, 2024, after leading Freeman’s strategy and digital transformation; now steering the world’s largest event services firm into a data-led era.
Press/bio | Company website | LinkedIn (company)
Carina Bauer
Chief Executive Officer, IMEX Group
Longtime steward of the meetings industry’s flagship trade shows (Frankfurt & America); noted champion for sustainability, DEI, and was inducted into the EIC Hall of Leaders in 2023.
Sherrif Karamat, CAE
President & CEO, PCMA
Heads the world’s largest community of business‑events strategists (PCMA & CEMA), pushing research, education and industry advocacy globally.
Bio page | Company website | LinkedIn (company)
Julia Hartz
Co‑Founder, CEO & Executive Chair, Eventbrite
Co‑founded Eventbrite and led it through the pandemic pivot; in 2024 also became Executive Chair while remaining CEO, as the platform powers millions of live events.
Bio/author page | Press (investors) | Company website
Eran Ben‑Shushan
Co‑Founder & CEO, Bizzabo
Co‑founded a leading all‑in‑one events OS; recognized by Goldman Sachs and analysts for innovation in wearable tech (Klik) and event data.
Org chart/bio | Company website | LinkedIn (company)
Kirk Ziehm
Chief Executive Officer, Stova
Appointed CEO in January 2024 to lead the combined MeetingPlay+Aventri+eventcore platform into its next growth phase.
Press release | Company website
Vaibhav Jain
Founder & CEO, Hubilo
Founder who rapidly pivoted Hubilo from in‑person to virtual/hybrid during COVID and continues to champion events as a core demand‑gen channel.
Investor page | Company website | LinkedIn (company)
Muhammad Younas
Founder & CEO, vFairs
Bootstrapped vFairs into a global in‑person/virtual/hybrid events platform; active industry voice hosting the Epic Events podcast.
Podcast/bio | Company website | LinkedIn (company)
Ben Erwin
President & CEO, Encore
Leads the world’s largest in‑venue event production partner (formerly PSAV), integrating creative, production and event tech across thousands of venues globally.
Leadership page | Company website | Press (APAC)
Hugh M. Jones IV
Chief Executive Officer, RX (Reed Exhibitions)
CEO since 2020; also served as 2024–25 UFI President; driving RX’s data‑driven exhibition growth worldwide (e.g., China expansion).
Leadership page | Company website | Press (CN)
Patrick Martell
Group COO, Informa plc & CEO, Informa Markets, Informa Markets (Informa plc)
Group COO of Informa and CEO of Informa Markets since Jan 2023, leading the world’s largest B2B exhibitions portfolio and its digital/data strategy.
Exec bio | Division bio | Company website
Hervé Sedky
President & CEO, Emerald Holding (EEX)
Took the helm in 2021; executing a portfolio‑optimization strategy with acquisitions (e.g., This is Beyond in luxury travel) and digital growth.
SEC filing (DEF 14A) | Company website | Investor news
Fiona Bruder
Global Chief Executive Officer, George P. Johnson (GPJ)
Elevated to Global CEO in May 2025 after leading GPJ Americas; now scaling one of the world’s top experiential agencies across regions and disciplines.
Press release | Company website
Craig Millon
Chief Executive Officer, Jack Morton Worldwide (IPG)
Global CEO driving award‑winning brand experiences for blue‑chip clients; overseeing expansion across EMEA/Asia and creative leadership hires.
About/leadership | Press | Company website
Marsha Flanagan, M.Ed., CEM
President & CEO, International Association of Exhibitions & Events (IAEE)
Appointed President & CEO in Dec 2023; spearheading IAEE’s advocacy, education and global partnerships for exhibitions and events.
Annette Gregg, CMM, MBA
Chief Executive Officer, Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE)
CEO leading SITE’s 3,000‑member global community and SITE Foundation; a prominent voice on incentive travel’s business impact.
Paul Van Deventer
President & CEO, Meeting Professionals International (MPI)
At the helm since 2013, guiding the world’s largest meeting‑professional association (60,000‑strong community) with education, certification and advocacy.
Leadership page | Company website
Derek P. Linde
President, GES (and COO, Viad), GES (Global Experience Specialists)
Named GES President in 2024 (also Viad COO), leading one of the world’s largest exhibition and live‑events partners and its Spiro experiential agency.
Press release | Company website
David Peckinpaugh
President & Chief Executive Officer, Maritz (incl. Maritz Global Events)
Veteran events leader who became Maritz President & CEO in 2022; champion of people‑first culture and growth across incentives, loyalty and events.
Leadership news | Company website
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