Created in 2005 to bring together C level industry leaders, the EIBTM CEO Summit will now become a global meetings industry thought leadership group, with an independent Chair following the appointment of industry professional Jeremy Garbett – who has participated in the CEO Summit independently since 2008.
Garbett brings an extensive and deep understanding of the power of compelling, and highly creative communications. He spent 18 years with Jack Morton Worldwide (JMW) from 1989 to 2005 as a Board member, then as joint Managing Director from 2005 to 2007 and more recently as Founding Director of a new live independent communications agency Deeper Blue – deeperblueltd.com.
Designed to discuss major issues and challenges affecting the industry at a strategic level, the CEO Summit will now raise the bar significantly with the creation of a high value platform that will include debate as well as the opportunity to hear international speakers engaged to provide the participants with a global view of a specific topic or subject. The appointment of a Chair is part of a re-engineering of the CEO Summit which will look to widen its global membership and provide a valuable resource for not only the RTE portfolio of events, but also to harness issues and debate within the industry on a year round basis, and around the world.
Starting with this year’s EIBTM and then subsequently creating similar groups at GIBTM in the Gulf, CIBTM in China, AIME in Australia and alongside the launch of AIBTM in the USA in June 2011, this significant development will see an evolving forum of connection and integration of senior industry leaders from across the industry.
During Garbett’s time at JMW, the agency held responsibility for the design and staging of such worldwide projects as the Hong Kong Handover to the Chinese Government in 1997, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester and then winning the opportunity to design and stage the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens with a live stadium audience of 77,000 and over 3 billion TV and web based viewers.
In 2007 Garbett initially consulted and then was appointed MD of Action Impact – the largest event communications agency in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, UAE. After re-structuring and shaping its offer to the market, Garbett then relocated back to the UK to form Deeper Blue.
“I am delighted to be able to support Reed in my new capacity as Chairman of the EIBTM CEO Summit. It’s a fascinating time as the global events industry reshapes and explores post-recession growth opportunities. Building on the excellent foundation of previous Summits, we now wish to accelerate and create a significant thought-leadership community with the EIBTM CEO Summit. To evolve a forum that connects and integrates with the very best communication practices around the world, a forum that provides both valuable insight and engagement and ultimately helps respective forward-thinking CEO’s grow their business both tactically and strategically. With the talented team at Reed I look forward to helping design and develop this important industry meeting”, said Jeremy Garbett.
The CEO Summit series is part of RTE’s Meetings and Events CEO Club which currently has 80 members. The role of the new Chair, will be to counsel members, and liaise with RTE on the development of each Summit. Topics for debate at EIBTM this year will include the global economy and its impacts on the Meetings industry, harnessing social media and the role of live events.
“We are delighted that Jeremy is involved as we are now looking to develop a strategy for this valuable forum over the next 3-5 years. Following research among the global group of members, it is clear that there is significant opportunity to leverage this platform to the benefit of the industry. Holding such meetings at each of our global portfolio of events not only provides global insight at a regional level but also gives these leaders the chance to do develop their own businesses during the shows”, says Graeme Barnett, Event Director EIBTM.
This year’s CEO Summit will take place on Wednesday 1st December at EIBTM and is by invitation only.
