Paul Kennedy, MBE, group exhibition director Reed Travel Exhibitions’ Meetings and Incentives Events, is among the meetings industry’s ‘25 most powerful’ individuals.

A list compiled by a US publication Meeting News, recognised the 25 individuals, forces and trends that have had the greatest impact and influence in the meetings industry in 2008.

Kennedy has been recognised for RTE’s flagship meetings event EIBTM in Barcelona and for his leadership and successes in setting up two events in potentially huge meetings markets – the Middle East and China. These three, together with AIME (Melbourne), and the ICCA Congress Exhibition represent the largest portfolio of meetings industry events anywhere in the world.

Attendance at this year’s Gulf Incentive Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM) grew by more than 40 per cent.  In China, CIBTM postponed this year because of the Olympics, has the potential to become the country’s top meetings industry event.

Kennedy has been a major player within Meetings Professionals International (MPI) both within the UK and internationally, and has been honoured many times with awards over the past 15 years. These include the UK’s Meeting Incentive Industry personality 2001, a year he was awarded with the Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE).  For the past three years, Paul has been placed in the top10 most powerful leading figures in the industry in a conference and incentive travel poll, reaching second place in 2006.

This year’s EIBTM takes place from December 2 to 4 in Barcelona; GIBTM will be held in Abu Dhabi from March 31 to April 2, 2009 and CIBTM is in Beijing from September 8 to 10, 2009.