Gartner Realigns Its Events Business
Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 1/2/2006
Gartner's Vision Events will become part of Gartner Worldwide Events as part of a corporate drive to bring all its technology event units under one management structure.
Under the corporate realignment, the company's Summit, Symposium/ITxpo and Vision branded events will be part of one unit.
"We go to market with three very different brands," said Alister Christopher, senior vice president of Gartner Worldwide Events. "What we've done here is to make sure we have an alignment and consistency in terms of resources and a reporting structure. It really is that straightforward."
Gartner produces six Symposium/ITxpo events, 43 Summits and 21 Vision Events annually. Christopher said there would be no reduction in staff. "This isn't a cost-reduction exercise or a consolidation. It's quite the opposite," Christopher said. "Will the Vision Events brand go away? Absolutely not."
But as part of the reorganization, Phil McKay, Vision Events group vice president and general manager, will be leaving the company. McKay, a veteran of Penton Media, Key3Media Group and Hannover Fairs USA, had been with Gartner nearly four years.
"Phil has been a great contributor to the Vision Events model," Christopher said, adding that they "came to a very amicable agreement."
The 16-year-old Vision Events operates out of a separate office in Bedford, N.H. The hosted model it uses entices invited CEOs with lavish food and entertainment, and vendors that are eager for a chance to meet high-level executives in an intimate setting.
The division produces its 21 events each year under eight different brands.
The Summit and Symposium/ITxpo events use a targeted approach, featuring an abundance of conference sessions, Gartner analysts and vendors in nearly identical 10Œ~10Œ booths.
