Cvent has announced the keynote speaker
line-up for its customer and industry event technology conference, Cvent
CONNECT Europe (7-9 November).
The line-up includes double Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes and the television presenter Claudia Winkleman, who
will assume the role of Master of Ceremonies (MC) at the event.
Mike Ford, CEO
and founder of Grateful Lemon, has also been confirmed as a keynote speaker.
Cvent CEO and founder, Reggie Aggarwal, will deliver the opening keynote
address and for the first time, Aggarwal will participate in an armchair-style
Q&A session with Winkleman following his opening keynote.
Cvent CONNECT Europe will take place from 7 - 9 November
2023 at the Hilton London Metropole, offering both in-person and virtual
experiences. Cvent will also host Cvent CONNECT in Deutschland on 8 November
2023 at Frankfurt's SPARK venue.
“We are excited to announce this distinguished line-up of
keynote speakers who are icons, leaders and visionaries in their respective
fields," said Patrick Smith, Cvent SVP and chief marketing officer. “Their
presentations and perspectives further enhance our robust conference
programming – offering Cvent CONNECT Europe attendees even more opportunities
to learn and derive inspiration from the main stage.”
Dame Kelly Holmes has enjoyed an international career as an athlete,
spanning 12 years, winning multiple medals at Commonwealth, European, World and
Olympic levels. She made history at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where she won gold medals in both the 800m and 1500m, becoming the first British woman to
accomplish this feat. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to
sports, she received a damehood in 2005. Today she serves as a global inspirational
speaker, award-winning author and philanthropist and advocate for fitness,
wellness, and mental health. In June 2022, she came out publicly as a gay
woman in a documentary called Kelly Holmes: Being Me.
During her keynote session, Dame Kelly will take attendees on a
journey of transformative change, drawing from her illustrious career and
personal experiences. She will also shed light on the pivotal role of
technology and data in decision-making and performance enhancement.
A renowned television presenter, radio
personality and journalist, Claudia Winkleman is one of the
best-known broadcasters in the UK. Known for her signature fringe and engaging
on-screen presence, she has hosted some of the biggest shows on television, including Strictly Come Dancing and the BAFTA-award winning The Traitors for
the BBC. Winkleman will be the conference
MC and will take to the main stage to welcome attendees, introduce keynote
speakers and host panel discussions including Woman in Leadership and
Safeguarding in Events.
Mike Ford has built a career spanning over two decades in the
creative, engagement and events industry, during which he has owned and led
successful full-service agencies in both the United Kingdom and the United
States. In recent years, he pursued his passion for performance and well-being,
culminating in the founding of Grateful Lemon—a consultancy dedicated to
helping leaders, their teams and individuals realise their full potential by
prioritising sustainable wellbeing.
During Ford's keynote session, he will
share insights into his innovative approach to well-being and performance,
focusing on themes such as ‘reframing stress’, ‘rewiring the workday’ and embracing
a concept he calls 'unapologetic recovery’.
Cvent CONNECT Europe is open to all meetings and events, hospitality and
marketing professionals. To register or to learn more, visit the Cvent
CONNECT Europe website.
