The Event Leaders Exchange (ELX) welcomed a record number of senior corporate event professionals to its Annual Congress in Las Vegas, with attendance doubling compared with the previous year.
The invitation-only community gathered at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas from 27-30 July for three days of peer learning, leadership development and networking, alongside the inaugural ELX Gala.
The 2026 programme was led by Chloe Richardson in collaboration with content chairs Adele Durham, senior director, global events at Veeam Software, and Courtney Hutchison, head of worldwide events and creative at Amazon.
Sessions focused on the challenges facing senior corporate event leaders, including AI, storytelling, creativity, event measurement, operational resilience, personalisation and mentorship. According to ELX, much of the content was developed in response to issues raised by members.
A new connection-focused opening day gave delegates additional time to network before the main conference programme, while private member discussions provided opportunities for confidential peer-to-peer conversations.
Stacy Weber, an ELX member, said: "After 20+ years in the events industry, it's hard to get energized at an industry conference. When I attend ELX Annual Congress, I feel like a kid in a candy store full of people who 'get' me.
"We (the members) drive the content and when I see the agenda, there's always a topic that is absolutely relevant to my immediate world. The room is filled with my peers who living the same experiences and challenges and everyone is eager to share best practices."
New for 2026 was the ELX Gala, hosted by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority at Allegiant Stadium, while the event concluded with an ELX Block Party at AREA15.
The next ELX Annual Congress will take place in Seattle from 9-11 August 2027.
