IMEX America Team
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Chairman of the IMEX Group Ray Bloom has assembled an experienced team of industry professionals to ensure the success of IMEX: |
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Paul Flackett (Managing Director, IMEX Group) has been involved in the meetings and incentive travel industry for some 30 years, first as an organizer of conferences and events and then in the media field. Paul joined EIBTM at its launch and was managing director until it was sold to Reed Travel Exhibitions. In May 1999 he left Reed to set up his own company pf.redseven and, in September 2001, jointly announced with Ray Bloom the launch of IMEX. Paul has been a Site member since 1988 serving as Site International President in 1995 and Site Foundation President in 2002 . He gained the CITE qualification in 1994. He has also served as an MPI Chancellor and is currently Vice Chair of the DMAI European Advisory Council. In 1998 Paul was voted Meetings & Incentive Travel magazine personality of the year and in 2004 received the Moises Shuster award from ICCA in recognition of his exceptional contribution to the meetings industry. He has presented dozens of seminars across the world. |
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Carina Bauer (CEO, IMEX Group) has been involved in the meetings industry since 2002, first as Marketing and Operations Director of IMEX and now as CEO. As well as overseeing the IMEX Group’s operations, Carina has special responsibility over the Group’s marketing and communications mix, specifically concentrating on strategic partnerships, sponsorships and press relations. Carina has served on the Board of the MPI UK Chapter and on MPI’s International Multicultural Committee and as Marketing Chair for the MPI European Meetings and Events Conference in London. Prior to this she held the position of Managing Director of GoodBean Coffee, a family owned chain of coffee shops located throughout the South of England. This business, of 13 operating stores, was sold in December 2001. Carina holds a degree from Oxford University in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. |
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Sarah Shepherd (PA to Ray Bloom/Group Travel Coordinator, IMEX Group) joined IMEX in November 2002 as a temp and was offered a full time position as Marketing and Promotions Administrator in December 2002, before joining the Hosted Buyer Team in 2003. Sarah took up her current position in June 2008. Sarah has seven years experience in the hotel and catering industry after gaining a Diploma in Professional Catering. After changing direction Sarah worked as an administrator in both the public and private sector in sales and marketing and customer service. |
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Sales |
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Heather Gough (Sales Director, IMEX Group) has worked in the meetings and incentive travel industry for over 14 years. Her experience includes six years with EIBTM where she progressed from the managing director's PA to Sales Manager. This was followed by 12 months as Project Manager for an event management company, based in Brighton, organizing international conferences and incentives, including the International Diabetes Federation Congress for 8,500 delegates in Mexico City. Having joined IMEX as Sales Manager in September 2001, she is now Sales Director. Heather holds a degree from the University of Wales, College of Swansea in French and Italian with Business Studies. |
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Jon Bradshaw (Business Development Director, IMEX Group) joined IMEX in March 2004. Jon's sales career began in 1993 in the international publishing division of the BBC. In 1996 he moved to IAPA to work on their membership magazine First Class, before joining EIBTM in 1999. He then spent three years as Sales Director for Premier Global, the UK's largest provider of personal fitness training courses. Jon was promoted to Business Development Director in June 2009. Away from IMEX Jon runs his own performance coaching business and is an active sportsman having recently completed a 5,400 charity bike ride across Europe. |
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Oliver Bailey (Sales and Organizing Manager, IMEX Group) joined IMEX in January 2004 from Brighton-based Martlet, where he was involved in travel logistics projects within the medical meetings arena. He also worked for Congress World on the 18th International Diabetes Federation Congress in Paris in 2003. Prior to this Oliver worked as marketing manager for a London-based consumer exhibition and for Meeting Planner magazine. Oliver was promoted to Sales and Organising Manager in July 2006. |
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Faye Bennett (Sales Manager, IMEX Group) joined IMEX in October 2005 and has over four years experience in the meetings industry. She previously worked for a Surrey based venue finding agency, starting as sales support executive in 2001, promoted to business development executive in 2003. In her previous role she was responsible for sales and account management and worked on a variety of events including the World Tax Conference, company away days and product launches. Prior to this Faye worked in marketing and administration. Faye was promoted to Sales Manager in June 2009. Faye is currently studying for a BA degree in Literature with the Open University. |
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Alex Donaldson (Sales Manager, IMEX Group) joined IMEX in April 2010 with over 12 years experience in the meetings industry. Having graduated with a BA Honours degree in Hospitality Management, Alex joined Reed Exhibitions as Sales Executive working on Hotelympia and Hospitality Week. In 1999 she joined Chelsea Village as Sales Manager for Meetings and Events. In 2001 she became Assistant Director of Sales at Radisson SAS Portman Hotel before becoming Director of Sales at the new Radisson SAS Stansted Airport. Before joining IMEX, Alex worked for Chess Partnership, a London-based hospitality recruitment consultancy. |
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Richard Allchild (Sales Executive, IMEX Group) joined IMEX in September 2008. After graduating Royal Holloway, University of London, with a BA History degree he joined Haymarket Business Publications in London where he worked as sales executive on publications including PR Week, Black Book, Conference & Incentive Travel Venue Directory and Incentive Business Magazine. Richard left Haymarket in 2006 to study business management at CCSN in Las Vegas. In 2007 he rejoined Haymarket in their New York office selling for their flagship New York title PR Week, before moving back to the UK to join the IMEX team. |
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Hosted Buyer Programs |
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Nikki Williams (Director of Hosted Buyer Programs, IMEX Group) joined EIBTM in 1996 assisting with the hosted buyer program following a career in hotel management and publishing. From March 2001 Nikki held the position of Relationship Marketing Manager working on EIBTM, AsiaPacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) and the International Golf Travel Market (IGTM) to source buyers to attend these shows. Nikki left Reed Travel Exhibitions to join IMEX as Marketing & Promotions Manager. Nikki took up her current position as Director of Hosted Buyer Programs following IMEX 2003 and holds full responsibility for sourcing and delivering hosted buyers to IMEX. |
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Online Services |
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Christopher Perrins (Director of Online Services, IMEX Group) has been involved in event management for most of his working life, encompassing a whole range of activities from rock concerts in the middle of a muddy field, right up to the present day with IMEX. Christopher has worldwide experience, having lived and worked in Australia, Hong Kong, North America, and several European countries. The integration of new technologies, particularly the Internet, as a marketing and communications tool, has been Christopher’s brief for much of his career. Christopher joined IMEX in January 2003, after five years with Reed Exhibitions. |
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David Broadus (Online Services Executive, IMEX Group) joined IMEX in February 2010. David grew up in sunny California where he embarked on a career in marketing and sales promotion for several department store chains in San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco. After relocating to New York he moved into the world of conferences and exhibitions as registration manager for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, where he worked on many financial conferences throughout the United States. David emigrated to the UK in 2007 and worked as data analyst for publications and exhibitions for Optima Data Intelligence Ltd before moving to IMEX. |
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Marketing |
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Oliver Hone (Marketing Director, IMEX Group) has been dedicated to marketing throughout his career of nearly 20 years. For many years he worked in and ultimately managed the marketing departments of several of the UK’s and the world’s leading recruitment consultancies, understanding and applying the many facets of marketing to help build and support recognizable brands in this very competitive business-to-business world. In amongst all this, he spent a couple of years agency side to get first-hand experience of both a design agency and the world of PR. In March 2010, attracted by the challenge of a new industry and the success and the growth plans of the IMEX Group, Oliver joined us, and hopes to transfer a wealth of marketing experience as well as relationship building to complement our effective marketing team. Along with his experience, Oliver has a degree in Psychology from the University of Reading. |
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Sophie
Jackson (Marketing Manager, IMEX Group) joined IMEX in November 2003
from the communications division of VisitBritain where she held the position
of International Markets Manager leading a team responsible for assisting
the UK tourism industry in developing new business from overseas. Sophie
joined VisitBritain in 1997 from the marketing department of Orient-Express
Hotels.
Sophie holds a degree in European Business Studies, an Advanced Diploma in Communication Studies and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. |
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Ellie Scott (Marketing Executive, IMEX Group) has worked in the meetings industry for over six years. Starting out as a marketing assistant for Universal Pictures Video, London, Ellie joined the Meeting Services Department of PPSI in 2002, organizing congress participation for pharmaceutical clients. She then left PPSI to take a gap year travelling through South East Asia, where she spent six months working in New Zealand. Rejoining PPSI in 2004, she progressed to Assistant Project Manager, organizing international stand alone conferences, training meetings and symposia. Ellie joined IMEX in January 2010. Ellie graduated with a degree in Business Studies specializing in Marketing. |
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Teresa Kwok (Marketing Executive, IMEX Group) joined IMEX in July 2010 with six years marketing and event management experience. She began her career in the research department at English Tourism Council on a work placement, as part of her Business and Tourism Management degree. After graduation, she worked as the Communications & Events Executive at UKinbound. Her passion for travel inspired a gap year to South America and Australasia. Teresa has held various marketing roles within the travel and events industry. |
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Rachel Munro (Marketing Assistant, IMEX Group) joined IMEX in March 2009. Rachel has 15 years experience in marketing administration, customer service and office management gained in both the private and public sectors. |
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New Vision Projects |
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Dale Hudson (Head of Project Development, IMEX Group) began her career working for EIBTM as a marketing co-ordinator before going on to complete a BA Honours degree in Management, specializing in environmental practices within the meetings industry. After graduating she worked as a marketing manager and then as head of corporate communications within education and then for two of the country's leading incentive houses. During the two and a half years with them, she held the position of Senior Project Manager, responsible for incentive marketing - devising pharmaceutical incentive plans and as Project Manager, organising incentive trips for various commercial companies. Dale was promoted to her current position in December 2009. Dale is currently a member of the Board of GMIC (Green Meeting Industry Council). |
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Organizing |
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Nalan Yilmaz (Organizing Director, IMEX Group) has been involved in the exhibition industry for 12 years, beginning her career as Project Manager for a trade show and special events company based in Munich, Germany. During her six years with the company she planned, organized and supervised trade shows in various German cities. In April 2001 Nalan joined Hall-Erickson in Chicago, helping to organize The Motivation Show, the world's largest incentive merchandise and travel show. When she returned to Germany Nalan became a freelance event organizer based in Munich organizing events in Germany. She joined IMEX early in 2002 and was promoted to her current position of Organizing Director after IMEX 2004. |
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Finance |
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Jo Frost Maidment (Finance Director, IMEX Group) graduated from London University with a degree in Mathematics and Statistics. She later trained with Coopers and Lybrand qualifying as a chartered accountant in 1983. After a number of years working as an auditor with both Coopers and Lybrand and KPMG, she took over responsibility for the finance departments of EIBTM and Incentive World. She has been involved with IMEX since its launch in September 2001. |
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Hilary Burtenshaw (Finance Manager, IMEX Group) joined IMEX in November 2002. Prior to this she worked in accounting roles within the travel, exhibition (Incentive World), retail, utilities and finance industries. Hilary passed the Diploma Certificate Level AAT Accounting Qualification in June 2008 and the NVQ Intermediate Level AAT Accounting Qualification in June 2009. |
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Harriet Fisher (Financial Accountant, IMEX Group) graduated from Middlesex University in 1998 with a degree in Criminology with American Studies and became ACCA qualified in 2005. Harriet joined IMEX in March 2010 from Fender Musical Instruments where she held the position of Financial Accountant. |
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Emma Norman (Office Manager, IMEX Group) has 15 years customer service experience working in the travel, medical and financial industries. She joined the Premier Medical Group in 1998, and progressed through the company to become the Operations Manager for sister company, Rapid Trauma Assessment in 2005. In 2004 she returned to University and achieved a Level 5 Diploma in Management. Until recently Emma worked as a Customer Support Manager for Jubilee Service Solutions before joining IMEX in February 2010. |
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Achilleas Schizas (Accounts Supervisor, IMEX Group) joined IMEX in 2006, initially organizing travel visas for international hosted buyers before taking up his current position. Achilleas holds a degree in IT from the University of Sussex and passed the Diploma Certificate Level AAT Accounting Qualification in June 2009. |
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Lorraine Fraser (Accounts Assistant, IMEX Group) has worked in various finance environments over the last 10 years including manufacturing, diagnostics, insurance and education. She passed the Association Accounting Technician Qualification in March 2003 and became a member of the AAT the following year. She has also recently passed Level 2 in Bookkeeping with the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers and become an associate member of the organization, hoping to take Level 3 in the near future. |
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Consultants |
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Craig Hoffend (Trade Show Specialist, IMEX America) has been involved in the meetings industry since 1987. He started his career with Hoffend Xposition, a family owned General Service Contracting company and served as Executive Vice President. In 2001, the family business merged with Freeman. His responsibilities included organizing and producing some of the largest trade shows in the United States such as The International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and The National Retail Federation (NRF). Craig worked with Freeman until 2010 when he joined the IMEX Team. Craig has completed the CEM (Certified Exhibit Manager) program with the International Association of Expositions & Events (IAEE), has served as a board member of the IAEE Midwest Chapter, participated on the IAEE Committee for Environmentally Responsible Exhibitions and currently participates on the advisory committee for TS2, Trade Show for Trade Shows. Craig graduated from St. Bonaventure University with a degree in Mass Communications. |
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Kimberly Meyer (Strategic Initiatives, IMEX America). Kimberly’s acquisition background includes thirteen completed acquisitions of meetings management, event production, tradeshow and related companies. Kimberly has served as Vice President of Corporate Development for WTMI (now BCD Meetings and Incentives), and Director & Field Marketing Leader for Mellon Financial Corporation. She has been a presenter on meeting and event topics for MPI and NBTA, is a graduate of the Cornell Hotel School and has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. kimberly.meyer@imexexhibitions.com
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Geraldine Gatehouse (Western Region Marketing, IMEX America) was born and educated in Britain and travelled extensively prior to arriving in southern California. Her European background, fluent French and experience of working internationally led her to a career in the incentive travel industry. She joined The Masters Group Incentive Marketing Company in 1992 and was promoted to the Director of Travel Operations & Purchasing in 1995. Geraldine left in 2006 to develop her own business encompassing incentive travel, planning, marketing and consulting.
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