Ep. 59 - Leading IMEX Group: In Conversation with CEO Carina Bauer

Trade Show Talk Podcast Host Danica Tormohlen interviews Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX Group, at the IMEX America 2024 event in Las Vegas. They cover Bauer's career journey from her first IMEX Frankfurt show in 2003 to overcoming challenges like digital transformation and sustainability. They discuss empowering teams to stay ahead of trends by attending various events, experimenting with new technologies, and enhancing customer experiences with innovations like Blue Dot technology for Google Maps-style navigation on the show floor. Strategic conversations around attendee engagement were highlighted, noting the increase in pre-scheduled meetings and attendance despite impacts from Hurricane Milton. Plans for future events at Mandalay Bay through 2027 are confirmed, and Bauer’s upcoming engagements include attending a Brand USA event in London and preparing for next year’s goals. 

Plus, we are introducing a new segment to Trade Show Talk where we discuss the latest public policy issues impacting our industry with Tommy Goodwin, VP of the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance. Our goal to inform event professionals about ECA’s work on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, and in state houses and city halls nationwide, to advocate for public policies that will allow the exhibitions and conferences industry—which employs 2.6 million Americans and drives $399 billion in spending annually—to continue to serve as growth engines for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and communities nationwide. In this episode, we talk all about the November 5th election in the U.S. Goodwin shared insight on the recent launch of ECA Votes, a one-stop resource for everything the business events industry needs to know about the November 2024 election.

Our guest: Carina Bauer, CEO, IMEX Group 

Bauer is passionate about the business events sector and its impact on the world, taking a particular interest in issues around sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and mentoring the leaders of tomorrow. She also takes a keen interest in leadership development, and organizational best practice and culture.  

Throughout her career, Bauer has been an active member of the meetings industry. She’s past chair of the AEO Council (2021-2023) and the EIA (2021-2022), as well as past president of the SITE Foundation (2020). She previously served on the Board of the MPI UK Chapter and on global committees for MPI and PCMA.  

Bauer is the proud recipient of a number of industry awards including the SITE Richard Ross Past Presidents’ Award (2022), PCMA Wayfinder Award (2021) and ICCA Inspirational Women Awards (2018). In 2023, she was inducted into the Events Industry Council Hall of Leaders. Earlier this year, she received AEO’s Outstanding Contribution to the Industry Award. 

Appointed CEO of IMEX Group in 2009 following the expansion of IMEX into America, Bauer has been part of the IMEX team since the very beginning, joining in 2002 as marketing and operations director with the original launch team.  

She enjoys spending time with her family (she’s a mother to two boys) and traveling for work and pleasure. She is an adventure sports enthusiast with a particular love for climbing and skiing. In her spare time, Bauer works with a variety of local charities and is chair of the Brighton and Hove Albion Foundation—using the power of football to help people get active, learn and stay well throughout Sussex.  

Connect with her on LinkedIn here or email at [e-mail]

Our guest: Tommy Goodwin, VP of Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA) 

Thomas F. (Tommy) Goodwin is the Vice President of the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA), an umbrella association of leading professional, industry, and labor organizations that represent the unified advocacy voice of the business events industry. In this role, he leads ECA’s efforts on behalf of the interconnected ecosystem of exhibitors, show and event organizers, suppliers, venues, and destinations that comprise the business events sector. 

Prior to joining ECA, he spent more than 20 years leading a wide range of government relations and public affairs efforts for several globally recognized organizations, including Oracle, AARP, and the Project Management Institute (PMI). He was also a research fellow at Harvard Business School focused on the international political and legal environment in which businesses operate. 

Recognized by The Hill as one of Washington, DC’s “Top Lobbyists” each year since 2020, he was also named a Leading Association Lobbyist by CEO Update in 2023, an Association Innovation Leader by DCA Live in 2022, and and one of the Top 21 in 2021 advocacy leaders by The Advocacy Association. Within the business events industry, he received the 2022 Industry Support award from TSNN and was named a 2022 Changemaker by MeetingsNet. 

He has a B.B.A. from The George Washington University, an M.B.A. from Auburn University, and a Postgraduate Diploma in European Union Law from King’s College London. He also holds a Certified Association Executive designation from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), where he is an ASAE Fellow, a Project Management Professional certification from PMI, and a Certified Meeting Professional certification from the Events Industry Council. 

He is a past president of the National Institute of Lobbying & Ethics and a past chair of ASAE’s Advocacy Council. 

Connect with him on LinkedIn here.

Podcast Host: Danica Tormohlen 

An award-winning journalist who has covered the trade show industry since 1994, Danica Tormohlen is VP of Group Content, Meetings, Sports, Travel for Informa Connect. In her role, she oversees content for Trade Show News Network, Corporate Event News, MeetingsNet, BizBash and Connect's portfolio of in-person events. These leading media brands publish websites, newsletters, social media channels, video, podcasts and online and in-person programming for the trade show, corporate event, association meeting, experiential marketing and exhibition industries. 

Tormohlen currently serves as president of the Women in Exhibitions Network North America chapter. She has been a speaker and moderator at major industry events, including the TSNN Awards, IMEX, IAEE, SISO, UFI, ESCA, DI and Large Show Roundtable — to name a few.