The Future of Business Events with Claude Blanc

In today’s episode, the Portfolio Director, World Travel Market and IBTM Events Claude Blanc takes a deeper look at the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on the meetings industry and what the sector has learned to help accelerate the recovery process. Claude has an impressive track record of more than 25 years in top management roles in the travel industry, with extensive experience in both the leisure and business events sectors.

Claude has an impressive track record of more than 25 years in top management roles in the travel industry, with extensive experience in both the leisure and business events sectors. Claude became Portfolio Director of IBTM Events in November 2020, a remit he manages alongside his role as Portfolio Director of World Travel Market (WTM). On his appointment to IBTM Events, Claude said: “I’m really looking forward to continuing to support the IBTM global community on the road to recovery and beyond.”

IBTM Events and World Travel Market are owned by the world’s leading exhibition organiser, Reed Exhibitions. The IBTM portfolio includes IBTM World, IBTM Africa, IBTM Americas, IBTM Asia Pacific, IBTM Virtual and IBTM Connect. Claude has been Portfolio Director of WTM since October 2018, a portfolio which includes WTM London, Travel Forward, the International Travel & Tourism Awards, WTM Africa, Arabian Travel Market and WTM Latin America.

Prior to joining Reed Exhibitions, Claude was Chief Executive Officer at Paris-based Travel & Co, a tour operating group he founded in 2007. Before that, he was Digital Travel Director at TUI Group, and he has held senior posts with a leading online travel agency in France; travel management company Rosenbluth International; and timeshare exchange company RCI.