Research methodology
To gather global insights about creating events that resonate with attendees, we partnered with market research agency, TEAM LEWIS, to interview seasoned industry leaders. We conducted 11 interviews with experienced event professionals and one interview with cognitive neuroscientist and founder of the Becoming Superhuman Lab, Dr. Sahar Yousef. The one-on-one online interviews were approximately one hour each and were conducted from January to March 2025.
Research methodology
To gather global insights about creating events that resonate with attendees, we partnered with market research agency, TEAM LEWIS, to interview seasoned industry leaders. We conducted 11 interviews with experienced event professionals and one interview with cognitive neuroscientist and founder of the Becoming Superhuman Lab, Dr. Sahar Yousef. The one-on-one online interviews were approximately one hour each and were conducted from January to March 2025.
Contributors
Contributors

Dr. Sahar Yousef
Cognitive Neuroscientist
UC Berkeley
Dr. Sahar Yousef is a cognitive neuroscientist and a lecturer at the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business. Her 15-plus years of research on “making superhumans” sheds light on how to improve focus, memory, and overall human performance. Outside of the academic world, Sahar is the founder and managing director of the Becoming Superhuman Lab, a productivity training firm which teaches busy professionals how to get their most important work done, in less time, with less stress. Sahar has given over 750 talks and keynotes to knowledge workers in 50+ countries, has advised executive teams at Fortune 100 companies like Google, Visa, and NVIDIA, and has even been invited to speak to the US Congress. Her work has been featured in Forbes, the New York Times, Business Insider, and Bloomberg. For more information, and to book Dr. Yousef as a speaker, please use SpeakInc.

Dr. Sahar Yousef
Cognitive Neuroscientist
UC Berkeley
Dr. Sahar Yousef is a cognitive neuroscientist and a lecturer at the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business. Her 15-plus years of research on “making superhumans” sheds light on how to improve focus, memory, and overall human performance. Outside of the academic world, Sahar is the founder and managing director of the Becoming Superhuman Lab, a productivity training firm which teaches busy professionals how to get their most important work done, in less time, with less stress. Sahar has given over 750 talks and keynotes to knowledge workers in 50+ countries, has advised executive teams at Fortune 100 companies like Google, Visa, and NVIDIA, and has even been invited to speak to the US Congress. Her work has been featured in Forbes, the New York Times, Business Insider, and Bloomberg. For more information, and to book Dr. Yousef as a speaker, please use SpeakInc.

Stephanie Harris
President
Incentive Research Foundation

Tom Hurley
Head of Events and Partnerships
London Stock Exchange Group

Meera Iyer
Former Head of Marketing
U.S. Bank Merchant Services

Martin Joyce
Director of Events
dentsu UK&I

George Kingston
EMEA Lead for Executive Engagement

Jill Maxwell
Head of Global Events and Sponsorships
CBRE

Antoine Mercadal
VP
Global Employee Experience
Criteo

John Palmisano
Head Experience Architect
The Experience Studio
Amex GBT

Erika Sjoholm
Senior Director
Global Industry Relations and Communications
Amex GBT

David Tort
Head of Incentive Events
The Experience Studio
Amex GBT

Matt Whisker
Senior Manager
B2B Experiential Marketing, APAC
American Express

Amex GBT Meetings & Events delivers tailored solutions that transform meetings and events into impactful experiences. With over 40 years of proven industry knowledge and a global presence in 140+ countries, we specialize in strategic meetings management, creative events, global venue sourcing, and attendee travel. Our advanced technology empowers data-driven planning, enhanced efficiency, and measurable results, while our commitment to sustainability delivers meaningful, inclusive events. Backed by an extensive network of partners and unmatched industry presence, we help clients elevate their brands and achieve a lasting impact.

Amex GBT Meetings & Events delivers tailored solutions that transform meetings and events into impactful experiences. With over 40 years of proven industry knowledge and a global presence in 140+ countries, we specialize in strategic meetings management, creative events, global venue sourcing, and attendee travel. Our advanced technology empowers data-driven planning, enhanced efficiency, and measurable results, while our commitment to sustainability delivers meaningful, inclusive events. Backed by an extensive network of partners and unmatched industry presence, we help clients elevate their brands and achieve a lasting impact.

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