“Building back better is a phrase we’re hearing more and more both within and outside of the events industry. We’re living this at the IMEX Group and building up our resilience by investing in different parts of the business, beginning with some important new appointments and new roles within the company.” Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, underlines the importance of maintaining business investment during a challenging climate.
Several new roles have been created within the business with significant investment in systems, marketing and design. Gary Coombes joins as Chief Information Officer. Previously COO at Crunch accountants, Gary has worked at EMAP and at UBM where he worked on acquisitions and new events, aligning Sales and Marketing across EMEA. In his new role he is set to build on the consultancy he provided for the IMEX Group last year, managing systems integration and data initiatives. Gary says: “I'm really excited to be joining IMEX at such an important time for the business and the wider events industry. Having worked in the industry for most of my life, I can't wait to see live events back in action. IMEX’s shows are fantastic and I look forward to being able to help them evolve, continue to grow and be successful.”
Several new roles have been created within the business with significant investment in systems, marketing and design. Gary Coombes joins as Chief Information Officer. Previously COO at Crunch accountants, Gary has worked at EMAP and at UBM where he worked on acquisitions and new events, aligning Sales and Marketing across EMEA. In his new role he is set to build on the consultancy he provided for the IMEX Group last year, managing systems integration and data initiatives. Gary says: “I'm really excited to be joining IMEX at such an important time for the business and the wider events industry. Having worked in the industry for most of my life, I can't wait to see live events back in action. IMEX’s shows are fantastic and I look forward to being able to help them evolve, continue to grow and be successful.”
Responsible for content strategy and resourcing, web development and digital transformation projects, Danielle Colyer has been appointed as Head of Content and Web. The former Global Head of Content at YNV Group, Danielle has extensive experience in international B2B and B2C marketing, brand and web with over a decade of experience in creating impactful content for companies including the Digital Magazine Awards and Study Group. Danielle says: “I am thrilled to join to the IMEX team. Content is an incredibly powerful tool in our marketing toolkit and something that IMEX does very well. My aim is to elevate this brilliant content across our entire web estate so it can engage, delight, inform – and ultimately, convert – our audiences.”
Former Art Director at Grazia UK, Anna Gyseman joins as Design Manager focusing on graphic design, digital design, and brand guidelines. Her design expertise will soon be complemented by the appointment of a Junior Designer. Anna comments: “We all crave the reassurance of the familiar but at IMEX we also recognise our role in leading the drive towards a brave new world. My goal this year is to consolidate confidence in the brand by moving it forward in a fresh and innovative way - providing a classic level of design discipline whilst always striving for an original response.”
Other new roles within the IMEX Group include a Senior Sales Manager in the Sales team, a Data Analyst in the Event Tech team and a new Financial Analyst. The Hosted Buyer team will hone its focus on client relationships with the appointment of two new Relationship Managers and a Travel Manager.
Carina continues: “These new roles are part of our commitment to building the very best global tradeshows and marketplaces for the business events industry – a mission that we’re single-minded about. In addition, they complement our intention to create a more adaptive and agile team environment, supported by consultant Jon Barnes who talked about this progressive approach in our February podcast. The disruption of the past year pushed members of our team out of their comfort zones, often showcasing skills we – and they - didn’t even know they had. As a result, we’re reshaping elements of our organisation to give individuals more freedom and responsibility, allowing them to grow, shine and make a bigger contribution.”
“Just as our shows evolve to respond to the changing needs of buyers and exhibitors, our way of working also adapts. Now is not the time for our business to stand still. We believe it’s crucial to continue to invest in our talent, our culture and to create new opportunities for our team so we remain agile, creative and responsive to the shifts in the world,” continues Carina. “These changes will also help as we plan ahead for our next live show – IMEX America in November and our 20th anniversary at IMEX in Frankfurt in 2022.”
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