Women Leaders in Meetings: Marybeth Roberts
Skift Take
Marybeth Roberts was on the forefront of the strategic meetings management movement decades ago. Today she is as passionate as ever about innovating and driving cost efficiencies.
The early 2000s were an exciting period for meeting managers with strategic meetings management (SMM) at the forefront as an opportunity to leverage spend in the same way as companies managed business travel. The concept connected key components like strategy, policy, sourcing, payment, and data.
At that time, Marybeth Roberts was at Amgen, where she started as senior manager, operations, and was promoted to director, global travel & meeting management, strategic sourcing compliance and procurement operations.
The title was quite a mouthful, but if there was ever a person who could manage it, it was Roberts.
She went on to develop a reputation as a thought leader, consulting and speaking at industry events. After leaving Amgen, she spent another decade at pharma giants Teva Pharmaceuticals and Novo Nordisk before moving into the tech industry when she joined the 3-D design and engineering software company Autodesk in 2022.
Skift Meetings recently sat down with Roberts, now senior director, global travel & meeting services at Autodesk, to discuss her career, her thoughts on leadership, and what inspires her.
Skift Meetings: What has kept you in this industry for 25+ years?
Roberts: The opportunity to create meaningful experiences that drive growth, connection, and impact. The energy associated with events is infectious and keeps me inspired. I love helping a company connect, whether with customers or across teams. I'm also passionate about driving cost efficiency, and events give me a powerful way to deliver real savings to the organization.
How is being a meetings leader in techdifferent from your time in pharma?
I often say, “Meetings are meetings,” because they tend to follow similar patterns across industries. However, working at a tech company like Autodesk brings some unique cultural differences. For example, we’re more likely to explore and adopt technology solutions that boost efficiency. Our culture of innovation and agility also means leaders are open to ideas that help us move faster and scale our efforts.
Describe your role and your team at Autodesk.
I lead a talented team of 12 across two groups: global travel and
global meeting solutions. Together, we manage everything from our global travel program and hotel sourcing to meeting planning services and event registration platforms.
What makes this team special is their diversity of experience and geographical perspective. From day one, I knew it was essential to engage them in shaping our direction. We came together early to craft a shared vision — one that aligned with Autodesk’s broader goals and empowered us to think strategically.
Who is an influential leader that has influenced your life?
One of the most influential leaders was Betsy Bondurant, who hired me at Amgen and taught me how to build a strategic meetings management program. Although we hadn’t worked together since 2007, we stayed in touch and connected several times a year. Her passing was a profound loss for the meetings industry, and I still think of her often — moments when I instinctively feel, “I need to call Betsy about this.” Her legacy continues to shape how I approach my role at Autodesk.
What career accomplishment would you highlight?
One of them has been helping elevate Autodesk’s global travel program. I stepped into a role that already had a solid foundation, and we’ve been fortunate to build on that.
What career lessons did you bring to your current strategic meetings management role?
Some lessons lessons I’ve learned throughout my career include:
- Start small – build momentum with manageable wins.
- Create a case study – use real results to demonstrate value to senior leadership.
- Engage executive assistants early – they can be powerful advocates.
- Keep evolving – once the program is established, avoid complacency by sharing regular reporting and seeking continuous improvement.
What is your advice to planners looking to become leaders?
Be proactive and solution-oriented. Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you. If you see something that can be improved, take the initiative to address it.
