Introducing the Skift Meetings M&I 15

Amex GBT Meetings & Events (Amex GBT M&E) is the meetings and incentives division of American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT). With global offices in New York and London, it offers over 40 years of experience and a presence in over 140 countries. Gerardo Tejado, senior vice president of professional services and general manager of meetings and events, is Amex GBT M&E’s top executive and was featured in the 2025 Skift Meetings Power Rankings.

After the recent merger with CWT, the M&E division employs about 2,300 people globally. The 2025 results are 2.3 million room nights booked for over 80,000 meetings and 5,000 incentive programs. Almost three-quarters (72%) of the meetings and incentives it manages take place outside the U.S., with top client sectors in healthcare, technology, and financial services. 

Amex GBT made two major acquisitions in the last five years: Expedia Group’s corporate travel arm, Egencia, in November 2021 and CWT late last year.

Amex GBT M&E sits within Amex GBT’s product and professional services revenue line, which generated $491 million of revenue in 2024. With the CWT merger, this figure is expected to rise, with the company highlighting a 23% year-over-year growth in Total Transaction Value in third-quarter 2025.

Amex GBT M&E conducts market research including an annual forecast report.

BCD Meetings & Events, a division of the privately held BCD Group (founded 1975), has managed corporate meetings, incentives, and events for over 35 years. Headquartered in Chicago with four global offices, it operates in over 60 countries. It employs about 2,200 professionals under President Bruce Morgan, whose 30+ years of industry experience include nearly two decades with BCD Meetings & Events.

In 2025, the company booked about 1.7 million room nights and delivered 69,500 meetings and 250 incentive programs. More than half (59%) were held outside the U.S.

BCD M&E leverages global buying power to execute complex programs primarily in the life sciences, technology, and financial services sectors. Its solutions span event design, brand experience, meetings management, production and content, venue sourcing, and hospitality.

BCD M&E hosts proprietary tools, an in-house experiential agency “The Collective,” and a Life Sciences Center of Excellence operating across BCD Travel and Advito, the group’s corporate travel consultancy. The company has invested in its green credentials, achieving five consecutive platinum EcoVadis ratings, ISO 14001 and 45001 certifications, and accountability to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

BI WORLDWIDE is a privately held engagement agency founded in 1950 and headquartered in Minneapolis. It has over 40 offices worldwide and around 1,500 employees.

Senior Vice President David Litteken leads the company’s event solutions division, supported by 300 global staff. The division delivers “full-service meetings, incentive travel, product launches, and conferences, combining strategic planning, creative design, and end-to-end production.”

The company holds about 200 meetings and 300 incentive programs annually, booking an estimated 150,000 room nights, with 35% outside the U.S. Programs range from executive meetings to large, multi-country incentive travel experiences designed to motivate and enhance performance.

BI WORLDWIDE positions its meetings and incentives offering as part of a broader engagement ecosystem, designed to create memorable moments that build loyalty, reinforce strategy, and deliver sustained business results. It’s known for integrating gamification, personalized rewards, and advanced analytics, helping clients link experiences to business outcomes and ROI. Core client sectors include automotive, financial services, and manufacturing.

The company publishes proprietary research on workforce engagement and inspiration. It has introduced multiple AI-driven tools in the past year to automate and personalize recognition and performance programs.

Bishop-McCann is a privately held meetings, incentives and events agency, founded in 1997 and headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. The company employs 153 full-time staff and is led by CEO and partner Rob Adams. Its services include event logistics, creative strategy, event production, on-site support, sourcing, air travel, event technology, and gifting.

The company’s top client sectors include franchises, technology, and life sciences, with marquee clients including McDonald’s, Verizon, and Autodesk. In 2025, the agency delivered 236 meetings and 57 incentive programs, booked approximately 105,000 room nights, generating $103 million in revenue.

Growth has been supported by targeted expansion, including three acquisitions in five years. The latest was in July, when the company acquired MTI Events, a local incentive travel specialist with 35 years of experience. In December, SITE (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence) appointed Bishop-McCann as its global strategic event partner for three years.

In 2024, Bishop-McCann launched the JOY Index, an AI-powered service that quantifies attendee engagement and emotional impact in real time, linking experience design to ROI. That year, the company ranked #1 on the Kansas City Business Journal’s LGBTQ-Owned Businesses list. It's also been Great Place to Work certified for the last three years.

ConferenceDirect is a privately held meeting and event company founded in 1998 by Executive Chairman Brian Stevens. The company is led by President and CEO Jerry Horan from its operational headquarters in Folsom, California, with a European headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. The firm has scaled its sourcing-led model into one of the largest event management firms worldwide.

Last year, ConferenceDirect booked nearly 5 million room nights for 13,000 events for over 4,000 clients. It managed 1,200 meetings and 110 incentive programs, which accounted for almost half (48%) of its revenue. More than half of its events (56%) were outside the U.S.

The firm’s value proposition centers on “cost reduction, risk mitigation, revenue optimization, and measurable results by leveraging data-driven sourcing strategies and supplier relationships built over decades.” ConferenceDirect’s services include site selection and contract negotiation, conference management, housing and registration, strategic meetings management, event marketing, and vendor management.

ConferenceDirect publishes its own magazine and hosts multiple customer education events annually. The company achieved silver level certification to the Events Industry Council (EIC) Sustainable Event Standards for its 2024 Annual Partner Meeting.

Creative Group was founded in 1970, tracing its roots to an early sales incentive program, and has evolved into a full-service meeting, incentive, and recognition company. It employs roughly 220 people across the U.S. and Canada at its headquarters in Schaumburg, Illinois, and offices in San Francisco; Appleton, Wisconsin, and Toronto. Leading the company is President Janet Traphagen, recently recognized in Skift Meetings’ Women Leaders in Events profile series.

Creative Group serves clients primarily in technology, finance, and life sciences, with flagship brands like Kia, Genentech, and CDW. Its offerings also include sales incentives, channel loyalty programs, employee engagement, and recognition programs.

Last year, it reported $36 million in revenue from 270 meetings and 150 incentive programs that generated 104,700 hotel room nights, with 20% of activity outside the U.S.

Since 2015, travel management company Direct Travel has owned the company. Since then, it has acquired three companies: The Performance Group in 2017, Canada-based Meridican in 2019, and Strategic Meetings + Incentives in 2022. It has also made multiple senior leadership hires across strategy, production, and business development.

Etherio, a full-service meetings, events, and incentive agency based in Atlanta, is led by CEO Eric Altschul. The agency employs about 200 professionals and serves a diverse client base, particularly in the franchise, life sciences, and technology sectors.

In addition to managing meetings, events and incentive travel, Etherio provides association management services.

In 2025, Etherio booked 212,000 room nights for 392 meetings and 29 incentive programs. They represent about 65% of the agency’s revenue, with 14% of that activity occurring outside the U.S.

The Etherio Group was formed in 2021, merging ABC Global, Global Meetings & Incentives, MeetingAdvice, and Meeting Expectations.

GRATITUDESgroup, offering non-travel incentive strategies and employee recognition programs, joined in 2024 and in April last year added Association Management Strategies, a Capitol Hill-rooted governance and executive leadership for associations.

Fox World Travel, a privately held, third-generation family-owned travel management company, was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. David and Chip Juedes lead the company with the meetings and incentives division overseen by Tina Husemoller, vice president of meetings and incentives.

Fox World Travel employs about 290 people, including a dedicated meetings team of 23, and operates as a full-service travel management company for business and leisure travel, along with meetings and incentives. In 2025, the company delivered 564 meetings and 12 incentive programs, booking nearly 117,000 room nights, with 14% of meetings and incentives outside the U.S. Meetings and incentives represent only 1% of the company’s total revenue.

Fox World Travel’s top client sectors are insurance, manufacturing, and finance. It has launched AI-powered tools to enhance its travel management services.

The company prides itself on its people-first culture, highlighting “core values of honesty, integrity, and passion for taking care of our associates and enhancing all customer experiences.” It was recognized as a 2025 Top Member of The Code for exceptional commitment to child protection in tourism.

George P. Johnson (GPJ) is an experience marketing agency founded over 111 years ago, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It’s the largest of 14 agencies under the Project holding company with more than 1,400 employees in 32 offices worldwide. CEO Fiona Bruder became the top executive in May last year and was featured in the 2025 Skift Meetings Power Rankings.

GPJ focuses on brand, corporate, and experiential marketing programs supported by integrated, in-house capabilities in strategy, creative, technology, data, production, fabrication, and logistics.

In 2025, GPJ delivered over 5,000 meetings and events, booked nearly half a million room nights, with about 25% of its activity outside the U.S.

GPJ’s clients mainly come from the technology, automotive, and sports sectors. Key clients include IBM, Nissan, and DP World.

The company integrates sustainability through carbon auditing, ethical sourcing, and material reuse. Key credentials include ISO 20121 certification in Germany and ISO 14001 globally.

GPJ’s latest investments include a minority stake in creative video agency NOMOBO in 2021, opening a fabrication facility in Las Vegas in 2023, and acquiring Miami-based design and creative agency Cresci’s last September.

ITA Group is a privately held company, founded over 60 years ago. It is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa and employs about 425 people, with President Sarah Haines leading its event solutions business.

In the past decade, ITA Group has delivered over 4,000 live, virtual, and hybrid events. In 2025, the company executed 725 meetings and 119 incentive programs, booking 185,586 room nights, with 17% outside the U.S.

ITA Group’s top clients are manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and technology companies, supporting brands like Ecolab, Illumina, and Snap-on. Its in-house teams cover strategy, creative, logistics, production, sponsorship, gifting, and analytics.

Beyond events and incentive travel, ITA Group offers expertise in non-travel incentives, recognition, loyalty, research, and learning.

In the last five years, the company expanded internationally and made two technology acquisitions. It was incorporated in Europe in 2021 through a strategic affiliation with Belgium-based Motisha. In 2024, it expanded to Australia acquiring Sydney-based incentives firm Performance Incentives. Last December, ITA Group acquired two European event companies, UK-based C2events and Netherlands-based Daymakers.

M-Plus Global Events is a privately owned partnership of companies led by CEO Jay Klein. It is headquartered in Salt Lake City and employs about 172 people. The group formed in 2022 and encompasses eight travel companies, including five focused on meetings and incentive travel (A-Plus Meetings & Incentives, ADI Meetings & Events, IME Connect, Morris Meetings & Incentives, TMN Events).

In 2025, M-Plus delivered 274 meetings and 144 incentive programs, booking 173,434 room nights, 27% of which were outside the U.S. Meetings and incentives account for an estimated 92% of the group’s total revenue of $189 million.The company’s core client sectors include telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, and beauty and wellness.

M-Plus Global Events focuses on strategy-led program design, sourcing, logistics, proprietary event technology, and on-site delivery with deep operational expertise. The company can operate as a full-service partner or an extension of in-house teams, focusing on budget control, attendee experience, analytics, and measurable business outcomes across global programs and incentive travel operations.

Maritz, a privately held company headquartered in St. Louis, employs almost 2,000 people globally. The company is led by President and CEO David Peckinpaugh, who was featured in the 2025 Skift Meetings Power Rankings.

In 2025, Maritz booked an estimated 1.7 million room nights and delivered roughly 3,800 meetings and 325 incentive programs, 17% of which took place outside the U.S. Meetings and incentives represent about 63% of its total revenue, which, according to the St. Louis Business Journal, was close to $1.4 billion in 2024. Its top client sectors include financial services, automotive, life sciences, and technology, and it also works with associations and trade shows.

The family-owned company was founded 132 years ago as a wholesaler and manufacturer of fine jewelry and engraved watches. It evolved into a sales incentive and employee rewards business after being impacted by theGreat Depression. Today its offerings span incentives and rewards, incentive travel, meetings and events, creative strategy, and experience design. According to the company, its differentiator lies in the integration of behavioral science, proprietary research, and data analytics to drive measurable performance outcomes.

In 2012, Maritz acquired Experient, a meeting and event services provider. In July 2024, it acquired Convention Data Services from Freeman, expanding its registration, on-site, and lead services capabilities.

The company publishes an annual climate & impact report highlighting its environmental and social commitments. Maritz’s brand event, Activate 2025, achieved bronze certification to the EIC’s Sustainable Event Standards.

Meetings & Incentives Worldwide (M&IW) is a privately held, third-generation, family and women-owned event management firm founded over 58 years ago. Headquartered in Caledonia, Wisconsin, it’s led by CEO Tina Madden, featured in the 2025 Skift Meetings Power Rankings.

M&IW employs about 350 people. In 2025, it delivered 3,000 meetings and 300 incentive programs, booked 300,000 room nights, and generated $160 million revenue. Around 20% of programs went outside the U.S.

M&IW positions itself as both an execution partner and strategic advisor primarily for clients in life sciences, insurance, and technology. Its services include event management and design, sourcing, registration, production, creative, marketing, group air, gifting, on-site staffing, technology implementation, policy and process optimization, third-party governance, and sustainability tracking.

The company has two specialist divisions: Intent Strategy Group, a strategic meetings management consultancy launched in 2019, and Flow, a creative and branding agency, created in 2021. In 2022, it launched Simplified+, a DIY technology platform for small and simple meetings, in partnership with event technology company Bizly. The company organizes an annual client event, the M&IW Summit, and achieved a bronze medal EcoVadis sustainability rating.

One10 is a privately held motivation and incentives company, led by CEO Bob Miller and headquartered in Minneapolis. The firm, whose history is linked to Carlson Marketing, Aimia, and Excellence in Motivation, was formed in 2017 as part of a management buyout of the channel and employee loyalty division of Aimia.

In 2025, One10 delivered 471 meetings and 1,300 incentive programs, booking 429,334 room nights. The company, employing 550 people, saw about 22% of meetings and incentives activity take place outside the U.S.

One10 works with brands in automotive, technology, and finance services, counting Subaru, Workday, and Walmart among its flagship clients. Its offerings span incentives and recognition technology, travel and events, and marketing services, helping clients integrate meetings and incentive travel into broader performance and engagement frameworks. The company achieved a bronze EcoVadis sustainability rating.

Inorganic growth is a key part of the company’s growth strategy and it has made several investments recently. In 2024, it invested in Lorandus, an Ontario-based incentive travel & event management firm, and Gavel International, a Chicago-based incentive and travel company. Last July, it acquired Whistle, a St. Louis-based employee engagement and rewards technology company.

Unbridled, a privately held event agency founded in 2001, has about 184 full-time staff. It’s headquartered in Denver and has U.S. offices in Boston; Cañon City, Colorado; Grand Rapids, Michigan; San Diego, and St. Louis.

In 2025, the company generated nearly $130 million in revenue, managed 1,123 meetings, 28 incentive programs, and booked about 40,000 room nights. Around 5% of meetings and incentives activity took place outside the U.S.

Unbridled specializes in producing corporate events “from concept to full production.” Its top client sectors are life sciences, technology, and food and beverage. Its flagship clients include Chipotle, ADP, and Casey’s.

The company is part of a group of Unbridled companies, four of which complement the agency’s offerings in production, media creation, gifting, and travel. All companies in the group donate 20% of profits to charity, retain 20% for financial stability, and reinvest 60% in the team. The group has raised more than $10 million through its UnbridledACTS non-profit arm.

Last December, Unbridled expanded internationally through a merger with UK-based OrangeDoor, a 25-year-old B Corp certified company with clients in technology, finance, and HR.