At the heart of our industry
Our aim is to build better human connections all over the world, to promote a thriving global events industry focused on positive change, to bring our global events community together, to provide the best platform for great business.
We do this in many ways, including through our industry partnerships and alliances, our awards program, and our collaborative sponsorship opportunities.
01. Partnerships
01. Partnerships
Industry partnerships
and alliances
Our industry is defined by community and connection, an ethos reflected by the collaborative IMEX spirit. Our partners are an extension of our team, our IMEX family.
Our shows only happen with the support of our strategic partners, MPI and GCB German Convention Bureau. And through our partnerships with leading industry associations including ASAE, Destinations International, ICCA, PCMA and SITE. And of course, with our world-class venues, Mandalay Bay and Messe Frankfurt.
We’ve worked alongside our partners to develop our shows and events, and in turn they’ve brought their own events to our shows, from SITE Nite Europe and North America to MPI Foundation Rendezvous and annual ICCA member meetings.
Our partners
02. Our awards program
02. Our awards program
Paul Flackett IMEX Academy Awards Winners 2026
Named in honor of our former Managing Director, Paul Flackett, our Academy Awards reward those making outstanding contributions to our industry.
Ben Goedegebuure
Former Chief Global Strategy Officer at Maritz and now Principal of BG Global Perspectives
Claire Smith
Executive Director at Convention Centres of Canada
Don Welsh
President and CEO & Foundation Executive Director at Destinations International
Sigrid Smuda-Fröschl
Marketing Manager Conventions at Munich Convention Bureau
Gala Award Winners 2026
Awarded annually at the IMEX Gala, our awards recognize events excellence.
American Society of Association Executives (ASAE)—Global Association Visionary Award
Virginie De Visscher, Executive Director Business Events of Destination Canada Business Events
Destinations International—Global Ambassador Award
Peter Lee, Executive Director of Goyang International Expo Foundation
International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE)—International Excellence Award
AVIXA, InfoComm América Latina
International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) Driving Excellence—Innovation Award, supported by IMEX
Mohamed Sherif, Group Operation Director at ICOM Group, Egypt
International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA)—Global Influencer Award
Ben Hainsworth, Executive Director of EASL, the European Association for the Study of the Liver
Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC)—Unity Award
Anne-Marie Baezner, CEO of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Venues
Meeting Professionals International (MPI)—Foundation Student Scholarship Award
Sofiya Soushkevitch from Vistula University in Poland
City Destinations Alliance—CityDNA Summer School Award
Dennis Speet, Director at Amsterdam Convention Bureau, and Pier Paolo Mariotti, Meeting Manager at Eurac Research
Jane E. Schuldt Master Motivator Award—Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE)
Daryl Keywood, CEO of Walthers DMC
IMEX Events Industry Council (EIC) - Innovation in Sustainability Award
BEFuture
Past winners
Our remarkable roll call of past Academy Award and Innovation in Sustainability Award winners includes:
Academy Award winners
Ben Goedegebuure Former Chief Global Strategy Officer at Maritz and now Principal of BG Global Perspectives, Claire Smith Executive Director at Convention Centres of Canada, Don Welsh President and CEO & Foundation Executive Director at Destinations International, Sigrid Smuda-Fröschl Marketing Manager Conventions at Munich Convention Bureau
Aneta Książek Head of Poland Convention Bureau, Lyn Lewis-Smith CEO of Business Events Sydney, Nikki Walker Global Vice President at MCI-Group, Kai Hattendorf
Frank Murangwa, Director of Destination Marketing, Rwanda Convention Bureau, Bonnie Carlson, President & CEO, Bloomington MN, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Christoph Tessmar, Director, Barcelona Turisme
Ulrike Von Arnold, Vienna Convention Bureau; David Kliman, The Kliman Group; Mary Casey, Maritz Global Events; Tatsuo Arai, MCI Japan
Carlotta Ferrari, Destination Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau and Convention Bureau Italia; Barbara Jamison-Woods, London & Partners; Karen Bolinger, Bolinger Consulting
Roslyn Mcleod, ARINEX; Madelyn Marusa, PRA Business Events, Inc; Heike Mahmoud, Congress Center Hamburg
Alan Pini, Friends International; Anja Loetscher, Geneva Convention Bureau; Patrick Chen, Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration
Olivier Lepine, Biarritz Tourisme; Karim El Minabawy, Emeco Travel; Diane DiMaggio, Northstar Travel Media; Jeannie Lim, Singapore Tourism Board
Innovation in Sustainability Award winners
BEFuture
Workday in partnership with George P. Johnson
TED Conferences
Destination Canada
Copenhagen Convention Bureau
GDS-Index
Global Climate Action Summit
Apply for the IMEX-EIC Innovation in Sustainability Award
Gain global recognition for your sustainability innovation by applying for the IMEX-EIC Innovation in Sustainability Award. Applications for the next cycle will open in January 2027 (for events that took place during 2026).
Thank you to Gomi for providing our planet-friendly award plaques.
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03. Sponsorships
03. Sponsorships
Industry sponsorship
We support and sponsor industry events and initiatives globally, investing in the future of our industry and championing programs that drive positive change, that promote and protect our people and planet.
Carina Bauer
CEO, IMEX Group
"Strong personal relationships and connections underpin our business and our industry. Our enduring collaborative spirit is buoyed by our partnerships, our shared values, our shared purpose—and by the power of collective action."
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What next?
Discover the other ways we support our industry and our people.