Shelton, CT - December 2, 2024 – Clarion Events North America is proud to announce the promotion of Liz Irving to CEO, recognizing her exceptional leadership, transformative vision, and deep commitment to fostering business growth and industry collaboration.

As President of Clarion Events North America, Irving has played a pivotal role in positioning the business for success by driving strategic initiatives that unlock new revenue streams and open doors to transformative business opportunities. Under her leadership, the division has achieved strong growth, driven innovation, and has embedded a customer first operating model. 

Irving’s tenure as President has also focused on instilling a culture of accountability and collaboration across the organization. By empowering her team to excel, she cultivates a high-performing workforce that is consistently recognized for delivering outstanding experiences and setting new standards in the events industry. For the third year Clarion Events North America has been certified as a Great Place to Work organization.

“Liz has consistently demonstrated an ability to identify new opportunities, navigate complex challenges, and drive exceptional results,” said Greg Topalian, former CEO and now Chairman of Clarion Events North America. “Her leadership as President opened doors to meaningful partnerships, expanded our market reach, and laid the foundation for a thriving future. I have no doubt her vision as CEO will continue to transform our business.”

Irving’s contributions extend beyond Clarion, with her active involvement on industry boards, including SISO, UFI, Revenue Room™ Connect, and several technology groups where she has been a vocal advocate for innovation and collaboration. Her influence in shaping the future of the events industry is reflected in her ability to anticipate trends, respond with agility to evolving customer needs and bring colleagues with her on that journey, which has been noticed by many in the industry.

“I am truly honored to take on the role of CEO at Clarion Events North America,” said Irving. “The foundation we’ve built as a team has positioned us for even greater success. By embracing innovation, leveraging data and insights, and creating connected experiences, we will continue to unlock opportunities that deliver exceptional value to our customers and partners.”

Lisa Hannant, Global CEO of Clarion Events, noted, “Liz’s promotion reflects our commitment to recognizing exceptional talent and leadership. Her work as President has been instrumental in driving new business opportunities and fostering a culture of delivering at the highest level. I am excited to see how Liz will build on this momentum as CEO to take our North American business to new heights.”

Liz will continue to report to Greg Topalian, Chairman of Clarion Events North America overseeing all divisions except for the newly formed Clarion Connect division. The entire Clarion Events team congratulates Liz Irving on her well-deserved promotion to CEO and looks forward to her continued leadership in driving growth, fostering culture, and strengthening the company’s industry impact.

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About Clarion Events
Clarion Events is the world’s largest privately owned event and exhibition organizer, producing and delivering innovative and market-leading events and digital products across the globe. Since its inception in 1947, the company has grown into a truly international organization, with a portfolio of 125 events and media brands across a range of vertical markets. Clarion Events employs nearly 2,000 people in 12 countries around the globe.

The organization aims for each of its products to become a market leader in customer satisfaction and delight while retaining talented people and loyal partners. The business constantly strives to increase its value across long-term vertical industries with significant international growth potential. Clarion Events is presented as a best-in-class, customer-centric, and digitally enabled partner.

By applying a customer-first approach across the organization, they create outstanding platforms and products for their customers and partners to grow their own businesses. 

Learn more:
Clarionevents.com
us.clarionevents.com

Resources:
Clarion Events Logo
Liz Irving Headshot

Media Contacts:

Amanda Gochee Clarion Events North America  amanda.gochee@clarionevents.com

Sahrette Saayman Clarion Events Ltd  sahrette.saayman@clarionevents.com