The Most Influential People in the Events Industry

The 100 Most Influential People in the Event Industry index recognizes exceptional industry figures from around the globe who have left a mark on the industry with their creativity, vision, and capacity for innovation. The list is decided entirely by the public who first get to nominate and then vote on who they believe has influenced the industry the most lately.

Nomination period
Closed
Voting
Concluded
Announcing the results
See below
Eventex Index 2022

Top 100 Most Influential People
in the Event Industry

The 100 Most Influential People in the Event Industry index recognizes exceptional industry figures from around the globe who have left a mark on the industry with their creativity, vision, and capacity for innovation. The list is decided entirely by the public who first get to nominate and then vote on who they believe has influenced the industry the most lately.

Nomination period

November 16 - November 21

Voting

November 21 - December 2

announcing the results

December 7

Top 100 Most Influential People

Aaron Kaufman

President

LinkedIn

Fifth Element Group

Amanda Engler

CEO

LinkedIn

Amanda V Engler LLC

Adrian Segar

Founder

LinkedIn

Conferences That Work

Adam Parry

Co-founder & Editor

LinkedIn

Event Industry News

Amber Anderson

Business Coach

LinkedIn

Refine for Wedding Planners

Alina Banasiak

Head of Communications Italy & Spain

LinkedIn

eBay

Alon Alroy

Co-founder and CMO

LinkedIn

Bizzabo

Jens Kahnert

Managing partner

LinkedIn

Eventadvisory GmbH

DeShawn Wynn

Chief Meeting Architect

LinkedIn

Wynning Touch Event Design

Erin Schneiderman

Clinical Assistant Professor

LinkedIn

Arizona State University

Courtney Stanley

Global Keynote Speaker | Event Emcee | Virtual Event Presenter

LinkedIn

Courtney Stanley Consulting

Jaroslaw Marciuk

Digital Conciërge

LinkedIn

Word of MICE

Diogo Rebelo Rodrigues

Senior Catering Manager

LinkedIn

Penha Longa Catering

Jennifer Hanratty

Co-Founder

LinkedIn

Breastival

Carina Bauer

CEO

LinkedIn

The IMEX Group, Regent Exhibitions

Dan Rivlin

CEO

LinkedIn

Kenes Group

Anna Górska

Board Advisor

LinkedIn

Symposium Cracoviense

Benoit Sauvage

CEO

LinkedIn

Connect DMC

Irina Graf

Founder

LinkedIn

The MICE Blog

Elizabeth Sheils

CEO

LinkedIn

Rock Paper Coin

Colja M. Dams

Owner / CEO

LinkedIn

VOK DAMS Events & Live-Marketing worldwide

Anna Nowakowska

CEO and Founder

LinkedIn

MICE & Venue Consulting

Christoph Tessmar

Director

LinkedIn

Barcelona Convention Bureau

Brianna Culberson

Associate Director of Summer Conferencing

LinkedIn

University of Denver

Ines Antti-Poika

Manager, Business Events

LinkedIn

Finland Convention Bureau

Anna-Marie Trzebinski

Founder & Creative Event Director

LinkedIn

AMTEvents

Danielle Cirami-Gillis

Vice President Strategic Partnerships

LinkedIn

PRA Business Events

Jalpa Mehta

Owner

LinkedIn

Four Group Event

Ellie MacPherson

Senior Vice President

LinkedIn

Creative Group Canada

Carly Silberstein

CEO

LinkedIn

Redstone Agency

Corbin Ball

Owner

LinkedIn

Corbin Ball & Co

Dahlia El Gazzar

Tech Evangelist

LinkedIn

DAHLIA+ Agency

Jason Dunn

Chairman

LinkedIn

National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP)

Hans Etman

Owner

LinkedIn

Masters in Moderation and ConsensIQ

Jaime Bennett

Regional Director

LinkedIn

PCMA

Elliott Ferguson

President & CEO

LinkedIn

Destination DC

Gina Samuels

Managing Director

LinkedIn

The Production House Events

Annamaria Ruffini

President & CEO

LinkedIn

SITE global, Events In & Out

Audrey Alloul

VP Sales & Business Development

LinkedIn

Kenes Group

Dagmara Chmielewska

CEO

LinkedIn

Events Industry Association - Poland

David Adler

Chairman and Founder

LinkedIn

BizBash

Jayne Samuels

Senior Director, Broadcast Production

LinkedIn

Hartmann Studios, Inc.

Ivo J. Franschitz

Founder & Owner

LinkedIn

ENITED business events

Paul Van Deventer

President & CEO

LinkedIn

MPI

Mahoganey Jones

Founder CEO

LinkedIn

Event Specialists

Magdalina Atanassova

Marcom Director

LinkedIn

Kenes Group

Ori Lahav

VP Clients & Operations

LinkedIn

Kenes Group

Kate Patay

Chief Strategist

LinkedIn

Patay Consulting

MARCIN MĄCZYŃSKI

General Secretary

LinkedIn

Chamber of Commerce of Polish Hotels

Mia Choi

Co-founder and CCO

LinkedIn

MAS

Padraic Gilligan

Managing Partner

LinkedIn

SoolNua

Karina Grützner

Chairwoman Central European Chapter

LinkedIn

ICCA

Michael Nagy

Director

LinkedIn

Fairmont Rio de Janeiro Copacabana

Jose Garcia-Aguarod

Founder

LinkedIn

Grupo eventoplus

Kim Gishler

President & CEO

LinkedIn

CEMA

Kadri Karu

Managing Director

LinkedIn

Estonian Convention Bureau

John Martinez

Chief Executive Officer & Founder

LinkedIn

Shocklogic

Olga Krzemińska-Zasadzka

President

LinkedIn

Power Sp. z o.o.| SOIT | RPSiWTugether

John O'Shaughnessy

Creative Director

LinkedIn

Verve Live Agency

Kerry Mulloy

Director of Events and Operations at The ACC Liverpool Group & Deputy CEO

LinkedIn

ACC Liverpool Group

Jutta Heinrich

Director

LinkedIn

Frankfurt Convention Bureau

Karen Nedbal

Executive Director

LinkedIn

Association of Collegiate Conference and Events Directors - International

Nora Sheils

Co-Founder

LinkedIn

Rock Paper Coin

Kris Nelson

CEO

LinkedIn

London International Festival of Theatre

Kim Kopetz

President

LinkedIn

Opus Agency

Łukasz Adamowicz

Vice President

LinkedIn

BFC Group / SOIT/ RPSiW

Michaela Jeffery-Morrison

Chief Executive Officer, Founder of the Women in Technology World Series

LinkedIn

Ascend Global Media

Marta Chmielewska

Managing Partner

LinkedIn

EWENEMENT Brand Experience Workshop

Laura Schwartz

Emcee and Keynote Speaker

LinkedIn

Laura Schwartz Live

Lukasz Klimczak

Member of the Board

LinkedIn

Bespoke

Julius Solaris

VP of Marketing Strategy, Events

LinkedIn

Hopin

Nikki O’Brien

VP of Accounts

LinkedIn

MAS

Juraj Holub

Marketing Leader

LinkedIn

Cisco

Raymond Brown

COO

LinkedIn

MAS

Kristina McCoobery

Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer

LinkedIn

INVNT

Jonathan Brigden

Managing Director

LinkedIn

Studio Giggle

Kevin Finke

Founder | Chief Experience Officer

LinkedIn

Experience Willow

Patrick Bontinck

CEO

LinkedIn

VISITBRUSSELS

Liz Caruso

Virtual & Hybrid Experience Creator, Collaborator & Community Builder

LinkedIn

Liz King Events

Keneisha Williams

Founder

LinkedIn

Black in Events Network

Milos Dimitrijevic

Director

LinkedIn

Miross Travel

John Martinez

Founder & CEO

LinkedIn

Shocklogic

Anthony Vade

Event Experience Strategy Director

LinkedIn

Encore

Michael Dominguez

President & CEO

LinkedIn

Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI)

Gavin Farley

CEO

LinkedIn

asembl.

Denis Braguini Bevacqua

Events Director

LinkedIn

RD Station

James Morgan

Dean

LinkedIn

International Tourism and Hospitality College

Charli Briggs

Founder & Director

LinkedIn

Eventure Experiences Ltd

Javed Shaikh

Head of Operations (NCR)

LinkedIn

DLF limited

Dahlia El Gazzar

Tech Evangelist

LinkedIn

DAHLIA+ Agency

Enrique Fernandez

CEO

LinkedIn

Eferson

Carina Bauer

CEO

LinkedIn

The IMEX Group

Julius Solaris

Founder

LinkedIn

Boldpush

Natalie John

Lead Planner & Owner

LinkedIn

Dreamy Weddings

Vanessa Ohayon

Founder

LinkedIn

Vanessa & Co. Events & Hospitality

Adam Parry

Co-founder

LinkedIn

Event Tech Live

Tracy Judge

Founder and CEO, Soundings

LinkedIn

Soundings

Zuzana Adamson

Director

LinkedIn

MICE Central & Eastern Europe

Shumovich Alexander Vyacheslavovich

Director, Managing Partner

LinkedIn

Eventum Premo

Paula Fanderowska

Chairman of the board

LinkedIn

Polish Conference & Congress Association (SKKP)

Zuzana Adamson

Zuzana Adamson

Director

MICE CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE

LinkedIn
Żaneta Berus

Żaneta Berus

Founder & CEO

In2Win Business Consulting

LinkedIn

Top 100 Most Influential People

Aaron Kaufman

President

Fifth Element Group

Abi Cannons

Senior Product Marketing Manager

Grip

Adam Parry

Co-founder

Event Tech Live

Adrian Segar

Founder

Conferences That Work

Akeshi Akinseye

CEO & Founder

Kesh Events

Aleksandra Panyukhina

Experience Marketing Lead

Pixelz

Alessia Comis Ronchin

CEO

Pidelaluna events

Amber Anderson

Wedding Industry Educator

Refine for Wedding Planners

Amy Calvert

CEO

Events Industry Council

Andrew Roby

CEO

Andrew Roby Events

Aneta Ksiazek

Head

Poland Convention Bureau

Angela Harar

Portfolio Director

Clarion Events

Anna Jędrocha

President

Symposium Cracoviense Sp. z o.o.

Annamaria Ruffini

President

SITE

Anthony Kelly

MD & CMO

Measurable Marketing Consultancy

Anthony Vade

Event Experience Strategy Director

Encore

Ashanti Bentil-Dhue

Founder & CEO

Good Soil Leaders

Barun Gupta

President

Site India Chapter

Brandt Krueger

Senior Production Manager

EideCom

Butch Spyridon

CEO

Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp

Calum Di Lieto

C&IT Magazine - Editor

Haymarket Media Group

Carina Bauer

CEO

The IMEX Group

Carly Silberstein

CEO

Redstone Agency

Carrie Davenport

Lead Meeting Planner, Industry Engagement

Altria

Charli Briggs

Founder & Director

Eventure Experiences Ltd

Chloe Richardson

VP Senior Corporate Relations

MD - Explori; ELX

Christoph Tessmar

Director

Barcelona Convention Bureau

Colja Dams

Owner & CEO

VOK DAMS Events & Live-Marketing worldwide

Corbin Ball

Founder

Corbin Ball & Co.

Courtney Stanley

Keynote Speaker, Event Emcee & Business Coach

Courtney Stanley Consulting, LLC

Dahlia El Gazzar

Tech Evangelist

DAHLIA+ Agency

Dan Assor

Production Director

Clear Path Analysis

David Adler

Chairman & Founder

BizBash

DeShawn Wynn

Chief Meeting Architect

Wynning Touch Event Design

Denis Braguini Bevacqua

Events Director

RD Station

Don Welsh

Founder & CEO

Destinations International

Dwayne Rutherford

Founder & Managing Director

Debonair Corporate Events

Elizabeth Irving

CMO

Clarion Events Inc.

Elliot Ferguson

President & CEO

Destination DC

Enrique Fernandez

CEO

Eferson

Erin Schneiderman

Clinical Assistant Professor & Director of the Special Event Management Program

Arizona State University

Fay Sharpe

Founder

Fast Forward 15

Fiona Robson

Vice President & Group Commercial Director for EMEA

Encore

Gavin Farley

CEO

asembl.

Gina Samuels

Managing Director

The Production House Events

Jaime Bennett

Regional Director

PCMA

James Morgan

Dean

International Tourism and Hospitality College

Javed Shaikh

Head of Operations (NCR)

DLF limited

Jill Douglas

Account Director - Events & Experiential

Neon Agency

John Martinez

Founder & CEO

Shocklogic

John O'Shaughnessy

Creative Director

Verve Live Agency

Julia O’Grady

Founder & Chief Futurist

ITM EVENTS

Juliet Tripp

Group Strategy Director

Make Events Ltd

Julius Solaris

Founder

Boldpush

Karim Kassab

Senior Vice President, Technical Production

Hartmann Studios

Kate Patay

Director of Engagement & Chairwoman

Terramar & SEARCH Foundation

Keneisha Williams

Founder

Black in Events

Krzysztof Paradowski

Partner

BluExperience | BluPlatform.io | CMA AV

Laura Schwartz

Professional Emcee & Keynote Speaker

Laura Schwartz Live

Laura Viilep

Head of Events

Mindvalley

Lori Pugh Marcum

Events Content Director

EnsembleIQ

Magdalina Atanassova

Creative Director Digital

Kenes Group

Mahoganey Jones

Founder & CEO

Event Specialists Inc.

Marcie Holt

Alienware Experiential Event Manager

Alienware - a computer gaming hardware subsidiary of Dell Technologies

Marin Bright

Founder & CEO

Smart Meetings

Mary Franklin

Head of Events

Crunchyroll

Mathias Posch

Chairman & Partner

ICS

Matthew Franks

Director of Events

DRPG

Max Fellows

Co-founder; Founder

Elevate; Allpoints

Michael Dominguez

President & CEO

Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI)

Mike Ferreira

Owner & Founder

Meetings Made Easy

Milos Dimitrijevic

Director

Miross Travel

Natalie John

Lead Planner & Owner

Dreamy Weddings

Nicola McGrane

CEO

Conference Partners International & Event Partners Ireland

Olga Krzemińska-Zasadzka

CEO

Agencja POWER - Event Incentive Conference Sport

Ori Lahav

CEO

Kenes Group

Padraic Gilligan

CMO

SITE

Patrizia Buongiorno

Vice President

AIM Group International

Rachel Wimberly

Editor-in-Chief

Trade Show News Network

Rafael Hernandez

Chairman

World Meetings Forum

Randi Bushell

Founder & CEO

Merri

Raymond Brown

COO

MAS

Remy Cregut

CEO

Montreux Music & Convention Centre

Richard Bridge

Founder & CEO

Top Banana

Sasha Green

Senior Account Executive

Eventure Experiences Ltd

Sherrif Karamat

Chief Executive Officer

Professional Convention Management Association

Sina Buente

Hybrid & Digital Events Expert

IUCN

Sophie Ahmed

SVP Market Strategy

Hublio

Steve Kemble

Principal

Steve Kemble Event Design

Steve Mackenzie

Chief Innovation Officer

Ungerboeck

Tahira Endean

Author

International Event Design

Tara Higgins

President; Senior Vice President

Hargrove; Commercial (Encore)

Tess M. Vismale

CEO

iSocialx

Tracy Halliwell

Director of Tourism, Conventions & Major Events for London

London & Partners

Tracy Judge

Founder & CEO

Soundings

Vanessa Lovatt

Global Director of Customer Engagement

Notified

Vanessa Ohayon

Founder

Vanessa & Co. Events & Hospitality

Victor Cid Branger

CEO & Director for Corporate Events

Espacio Bureau

Will Curran

Chief Einstein

Endless Events

Wouter Boits

Founder & CEO

The Oval Office

Methodology

Nomination period: 16 – 21 November 2022.
The public voting list included all nominees within the nomination period and the extended nomination period.
Voting period: 21 November – 2 December 2022.
All voters had the opportunity to vote for up to 10 nominees.
The list of “Top 100 Most Influential People in the Event Industry” was determined based on the votes received. Only the 100 people with the highest number of votes are the featured in the list.
The results are published in alphabetical order.
Eventex