Clarion Events North America CEOm Liz Irving is to join the Consumer Technology Association® (CTA), owner and producer of CES®. She will take up the new role of chief growth, strategy and innovation officer on 4 January.
“CTA and CES have tremendous momentum, and we’re investing in the people and ideas that will drive our next chapter of growth,” said Kinsey Fabrizio, president and CEO, CTA. “Liz has a real gift for understanding what customers need and building the strategy and teams to deliver it. She has grown businesses serving a wide range of industries and knows how to bring people together across an organisation. Adding her to our executive team positions CTA to move faster on new ideas and deliver even more value for our members, CES and the industry. We’re thrilled to welcome her.”
Irving brings more than 25 years of experience growing businesses in the events industry, most recently as CEO of Clarion Events North America, where she has led a diverse portfolio serving industries including energy, insurance, digital innovation, and fire and rescue services. She was responsible for more than 50 events, including FDIC International, DISTRIBUTECH, and ITC Vegas.
Leadership roles at Clarion have included president, chief marketing officer and executive vice-president of marketing, technology and customer experience.
Before Clarion, Irving spent 14 years at Reed Exhibitions, now RX, in roles spanning registration, marketing and attendee experience. She also founded a consulting business advising events industry clients on marketing strategy, technology and customer acquisition.
“I’ve spent my career in this industry, and CES has always been the benchmark,” said Irving. “Kinsey and the team have built incredible momentum, and I’m excited to help shape what comes next for our members and the industry.”
Irving has also noted that she made the decision to leave Clarion early this summer. EN reported, 6 October, that Clarion Events was to be acquired by Informa, the leading international B2B live events group, in a £2.24bn deal.
Irving serves on the Board of UFI and is a member of the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance (ECA) Ambassadors Circle. She previously served on the board of the Society of Independent Show Organisers (SISO), where she chaired the Marketing Exchange. She is also a founding member of the Women in Exhibitions Network’s North American chapter.
