The IMEX series of tradeshows is among the largest global meetings and incentives travel shows with one show in Frankfurt and one in Las Vegas each year. IMEX America is scheduled Oct. 15-17 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, and several women in the tradeshow industry have prominent roles in the event’s production.
Carina Bauer is the CEO of the IMEX Group and has been involved in the meetings industry since 2002, first as marketing and operations director of IMEX and now as its 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.
She previously held the position of managing director of GoodBean Coffee, a family-owned chain of coffee shops located throughout southern England. The business was comprised of 13 operating stores and was sold in December 2001.
Carina holds a degree in politics, philosophy and economics from Oxford University.
Nalan Emre is the organizing director of the IMEX Group and has been involved in the exhibition industry for 12 years after beginning her career as project manager for a tradeshow and special-events company based in Munich, Germany. During her six years with the company, she planned, organized and supervised tradeshows 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 and organizing events in Germany. She joined IMEX early in 2002 and was promoted to her current position of organizing director after IMEX 2004.
Another international tradeshow expert will help the German Convention Bureau make an impression on IMEX America attendees.
Since 2011, Laura D’Elsa has acted as the North American representative and office head of the German Convention Bureau (GCB) office in New York City. There she manages relationships with U.S. and Canadian companies, associations and organizations interested in hosting meetings, events and incentive programs in Germany.
Her work focuses on promoting Germany as a world-class meetings destination through public relations, sponsorship management, sales and marketing with an emphasis on helping planners and meetings executives learn how they can leverage Germany’s expertise in industries like automotive, pharma, bio tech, technology and economics to add more return on investment to their meetings and events. She also helps spread the word on Germany’s green-meetings leadership.
Prior to her leadership role at the GCB, Laura served as communications and event manager for DKC International and worked for Coca-Cola as well as the Munich airport in hospitality and marketing and in the magazine-publishing field.
