The IMEX Frankfurt Gala Dinner Awards, held at the Sheraton Frankfurt Airport hotel, brought together meeting and event executives in a glittering gathering to honour the achievements, innovation and passion of individuals within the industry.
The awards list included:
- Destinations International – Global Ambassador Award
- International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) – International Excellence Award
- American Society of Association Executives – Global Association Visionary Award
- International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) Driving Excellence – Innovation Award
- International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA) – Global Influencer Award
- Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) – Unity Award
- Meeting Professionals International (MPI) – Foundation Student Scholarship Award
- Jane E. Schuldt Society for Incentive Travel Executives (SITE) – Master Motivator Award
- IMEX Events Industry Council (EIC) – Innovation in Sustainability Award
- Paul Flackett – IMEX Academy Awards
Destinations International president and CEO Don Welsh presented the Global Ambassador Award to Paul Kelly CEO of Fáilte Ireland in recognition of his dedication to sustainable, inclusive destination development.
The Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Exposition/CCPIT Chengdu Sub-Council was recognised by IAEE for producing more than 1,600 CEMs to date in China.
A new award for this year, the American Society of Association Executives – Global Association Visionary Award, was presented by president and CEO Michelle Mason to Susan Sarfati, CEO of High Performance Strategies, a consulting and speaking firm focusing on growing leaders and organisations. She played a big role in creating the first global summit on social responsibility for associations.
IAPCO’s Driving Excellence – Innovation Award celebrates those at the forefront of innovation and Claire Smyth, sales and marketing director at Conference Partners International, was this year’s winner. The award was given in honor of Claire’s use of street murals and artwork to empower delegates at One Young World, Belfast, to create a legacy that extends beyond the economic impact of the conference.
Marie Hunter, manager director, conferences, events & experiences at The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) was the recipient of the ICCA Global Influencer Award, presented by ICCA president, Marta Gomes. Marie oversees a business generating more than 2,000 technical conferences and thought leadership events around the world.
JMIC president, James Rees presided over the JMIC Unity Award – the recipient is chosen by Council members in recognition of leadership roles in major industry organisations and significant contributions to industry advancement and professional development initiatives. He presented the award to Peter King, inaugural chair of the Australian Business Events Association. Peter has been a key player in the formation of the Association, a unifying body that represents the sector with a single voice that advocates to government.
The also awards looked ahead to the event professionals of the future: Hlolohelo Zwane from Tshwane North College in South Africa received the MPI Foundation Student Scholarship Award, presented by Kevin Kirby, executive director of the MPI Foundation.
One of our industry’s most valued skills is the ability to motivate, and it was the duty of SITE CEO Annette Gregg to hand over the Jane E. Schuldt SITE Master Motivator Award to Padraic Gilligan, chief marketing officer at SITE. Padraic, a seasoned authority on the world of incentives, is the mastermind behind SITE’s signature research project with the IRF, the Incentive Travel Index, a definitive global data source for the sector.
The IMEX EIC Innovation in Sustainability Award shines a light on sustainability success achieved through a deliberate focus on innovation and creative thinking. TED Conferences won this year’s hotly contested award, presented by EIC’s CEO Amy Calvert.
The Paul Flackett IMEX Academy Awards, named in tribute to the former IMEX managing director, finished the ceremony in style. Three outstanding individuals were recognised for their long-term commitment to the industry and for pushing boundaries around innovation.
The 2024 roster of winners is:
- Frank Murangwa, director of destination marketing, Rwanda Convention Bureau
- Bonnie Carlson, president & CEO, Bloomington MN, Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Christoph Tessmar, director, Barcelona Turisme.
Carina Bauer, IMEX Group CEO, said: “As our industry evolves, so do we – with new skills, fresh thinking and innovative ways of working. This is evident in all of our award winners who demonstrate the sheer breadth of talent and professionalism that our industry is renowned for. A huge congratulations to everyone championed at the Gala Dinner.”
The Gala Dinner was sponsored by Cvent.
