Welcome to the latest edition of Snöcap 🏔️ – our weekly event news roundup
UFI is prepping up to host its 92nd Global Congress from Nov 19-22. That’s less than a month to go!
The event, themed ‘Shaping the Future’, will mark UFI’s 100th anniversary. A number of sessions and ceremonies are planned for the occasion. Scroll down below to get the full details.
Other top stories of the week include:
- Events Industry Alliance restructures board, Ian Taylor becomes AEV chair
- IMEX strengthens collaboration with MGM Resorts and GES till 2030
- Jay Schwedelson to unveil $400 million worth event marketing strategies in IAEE webinar on Oct 29
- Who is hiring?
Read on for the full stories ⤵️
UFI’s 92nd Global Congress set to ‘Shape the Future’ in Hong Kong
UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry is gearing up to host its 92nd Congress in Hong Kong SAR next month, marking the organization’s 100th year.
The event takes place Nov. 19-22 at AsiaWorld-Expo under the theme “Shaping the Future.”
Key details of the event:
Dex Hunter-Torricke will deliver the keynote address. The tech industry strategist has worked at SpaceX, Facebook and Google and will speak on AI and its impact on industries.
The Congress will feature sessions on exhibition design, venue evolution and service providers’ roles in the industry. The program includes the Global Economic Outlook session and six workshops highlighting UFI Award-winning projects in areas such as digital innovation, sustainability and marketing.
UFI President Hugh Jones said: “This year’s UFI Global Congress will be unlike any other in our history.
“As UFI marks its centenary, we have a unique opportunity not only to honour a century of connecting people and industries worldwide, but also to look ahead and lay the foundations for the next 100 years.
“Hong Kong provides the perfect backdrop for this milestone gathering, and I look forward to joining the global UFI community this November to reflect, connect, and shape the future of our industry.”
Hugh will also hand over the presidency to Panittha Buri, vice chairperson of BHIRAJ BURI GROUP. The transfer follows UFI tradition for the annual presidency handover.
There will also be a Medal of Honour ceremony to recognize contributors to the exhibition
As part of its ongoing partnership with UFI, Snöball will provide peer-to-peer marketing solutions to amplify the event’s outreach and engagement.
Events Industry Alliance restructures board, Ian Taylor becomes AEV chair
The Events Industry Alliance (EIA) has restructured its board following its autumn meeting at dmg events headquarters, with Ian Taylor taking over as chair.
Ian, managing director of NEC and AEV chair, assumes the role of EIA chair for AEV’s term. Kerry Villa, chief operating officer of ACC Liverpool, serves as AEV vice chair.
Board Changes:
- New EIA chair: Ian Taylor (NEC managing director)
- AEV vice chair: Kerry Villa (ACC Liverpool COO)
- Continuing as EIA treasurer: Jeremy Rees (Excel London CEO)
- Continuing as finance director: Dino Gazzi
- Outgoing EIA chair: Rachel Swann (dmg events COO, energy division)
Rachel Swann steps down as EIA chair but remains on the board alongside Alison Willis, CEO of Easyfairs UK & Global. Andrew Williams, president of Maritime Group and executive vice president of Informa Markets, joins as the final AEO representative.
IMEX strengthens collaboration with MGM Resorts and GES till 2030
IMEX Group has extended its partnerships with MGM Resorts International and GES through 2030, continuing collaborations that date back to the launch of IMEX America.
GES has served as general service contractor for IMEX America since the show’s debut in 2011. IMEX partnered with MGM Resorts from the start, moving IMEX America to Mandalay Bay in 2021.
The three organizations worked together to deliver IMEX America 2025 earlier this month in Las Vegas, which drew a record 17,000+ participants.
Mark Mulligan, director of operations at IMEX Group, said, “Our company value, ‘achieve together’, comes to life through our close work with MGM and GES. Together, we continuously shape and elevate IMEX America year after year to meet the evolving needs of the global business events community.”
Stephanie Glanzer, chief sales officer and senior vice president for MGM Resorts International, said, “IMEX has been a valued partner of Mandalay Bay for many years, and it’s incredibly rewarding to continue building on this partnership.”
Jeff Quade, president of North America Exhibitions at GES, said, “We are excited to continue our partnership with IMEX. In the last 14 years, our partnership has evolved to a true collaboration built on trust and shared goals.”
Jay Schwedelson to unveil $400 million worth event marketing strategies in IAEE webinar on Oct 29
The International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) is hosting a webinar on Oct. 29 featuring Jay Schwedelson, CEO of Outcome Media, who will share strategies that have generated over $400 million in revenue.
Jay, founder of SubjectLine.com, has tested more than 20 million subject lines and executes over 40,000 marketing campaigns annually through his platform.
IAEE sat down with Jay to uncover insights on what attendees can expect from the session.
His research shows that event registration marketing framed as outcomes outperforms generic content pitches by 37% in conversion rates.
Data from over 1,200 webinar and event sequences indicates that sending three reminders increases live attendance by 48% compared to one reminder.
Key Research Findings:
- Subject lines with time triggers see 38% higher open rates
- Question-based subject lines drive 22% lift in engagement
- Event emails with emojis show 27% higher open rates for B2C and 21% for B2B
- Three reminders (one day, two hours, 15 minutes before) boost attendance by 48%
- Emails from personal names increase attendance click rates by 32% over brand names
- LinkedIn posts requesting comments get 3.5 times more engagement than link posts
- Carousel posts and short-form video outperform static images by 65% for event sign-ups
Jay addresses common traps that stall event growth, including recycling previous year’s campaigns. The webinar covers email strategies, landing page conversions and social media tactics for virtual, hybrid and in-person events.
Note: you need to pay $49 if you are not a member of IAEE/Freeman!
Meanwhile, IAEE is also offering a one-day long Event Marketing course on Oct 28, as part of its virtual CEM (Certified in Exhibition Management) series.
Who is hiring?
Hubspot – Lead Creative Producer, Global Events
Nuvem – Sr. Manager, Events and Brand Experience
Notion – Demand Generation, Digital Marketing Events
Veeva Systems – Director – Events Management Strategy
CBRE – Meeting & Events Manager
Relativity – Events Specialist
