FCM Meetings & Events Announces Appointment of Gabriella Antoniotti as New Business Leader for the Americas, With Company Poised for Upcoming Global Expansion
FCM M&E Targets Worldwide Growth as Industry Demand Increases; Survey Reveals More than 25% of Businesses Spend over Half their Budget on MICE
New York, NY (October 7, 2024) – FCM Meetings & Events (FCM M&E), the long-standing industry specialists and one of the flagship divisions of Flight Centre Travel Group, has today announced the appointment of Gabriella Antoniotti as the new Business Leader for the Americas, where she will oversee the entire meetings and events division across the United States and Canada. She will step into her new leadership role during a transformative time for the FCM M&E business, as the company is prepared to undergo a global relaunch targeting worldwide growth.
Based in New York City, Antoniotti most recently served as Head of Operations, where she was responsible for leading the complete operations of the business, managing the company’s Event Travel, Sourcing & Managed Meetings, and Event Management departments. Now in her tenth year with FCM M&E, she has also previously held other event operations positions within the company, which included various roles in Australia.
I’m thrilled for the opportunity to appoint Gabriella into this new role as the leader for the M&E business in the Americas,” said Billy McDonough, FCM President, Americas. “With her unparalleled vision and proven track record of success, Gabriella is uniquely positioned to now lead our M&E business, as well as strategically position us for future growth. Her innovative mindset and deep passion for the meetings and events industry will be key in driving our success going forward.
With this move, Antoniotti will join the global M&E leadership team and help reposition the business worldwide. Leveraging itself as a subsidiary of FCM Travel, the company is now poised to deliver a unified offering that harnesses its global scale, but puts an increased focus on regional customization.
“Globalizing the FCM M&E business will allow us to add consistency and scale for customers looking for a global meetings and events provider, with hub offices in all four regions, global consistency but with local nuance to understand specific client needs,” said Simone Seiler, FCM M&E Global General Manager.
In advance of the company’s upcoming global expansion, it was determined today that more than a quarter of customers allocate half their travel budgets towards the MICE sector, according to a recent ‘State of the Market’* global survey developed by Flight Centre Travel Group. Some of the findings from the survey are below, revealing the increased demand and the percentage of travel spend that is going towards meetings, events, and conferences.
- 28% of businesses allocate more than 50% of their travel spend
- 11% of businesses allocate between 25-50% of their travel spend
- 10% of businesses allocate between 15-25% of their travel spend
“Our global vision for the future of meetings and travel management is centered around innovation, sustainability, accessibility and seamless integration of technology like our new FCM Venue Finder platform to enhance the overall experience for our clients,” added Seiler. “By combining our expertise in event management with cutting-edge technology and a commitment to sustainability, we aim to lead the industry in creating future-proof, impactful, and responsible meetings and events.”
As part of the global relaunch, FCM M&E has also named Joanne Shaw as its new Global Director of Enterprise Sales. Based in London, Shaw brings with her extensive experience in both sales and account management.
“Joanne brings a wealth of MICE industry knowledge to drive strategic growth, articulating the MICE value proposition, excelling at building multi-level relationships, and stakeholder management,” said Seiler. “Her dedication to understanding client needs and crafting tailored solutions will play a key role.”
For more information on the FCM M&E business, please visit here.
*The State of the Market survey was conducted online between June 3, 2024 to July 11, 2024. The target respondents were FCM Travel and Corporate Traveler customers, specifically decision-makers, travel managers, and authorized travel bookers. All FCM Travel and Corporate Traveler regions were included. A random sample of 562 responses were obtained.
About FCM Meetings & Events
FCM Meetings & Events is a global full-service agency offering comprehensive event solutions in conferences, incentives, tradeshows, virtual and hybrid events, group travel and small meetings management. We create seamless experiences for our clients and their attendees, from event planning to day-of-operations. Our team of skilled creative event specialists blend world-class tech with innovative ideas to produce authentic brand and event experiences. We provide the creativity, innovation and the tools to reimagine meetings and corporate event management, conferencing, group and incentive travel, production and events. From virtual and hybrid events, to in person immersive experiences and unconventional showstoppers. We do it all. And we do it exceptionally well. Need travel management support for your next event? No dramas. Our operational team is highly experienced and know how to make the travel experience and bookings flow.
Media Contact
Scott Weiss – Flight Centre Travel Group
U.S. Director of PR and Communication
scott.weiss@us.flightcentre.com