Here's our first Snöcap of August with the latest stories in exhibitions and associations!
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The top event stories that made waves:
Hyve Group has acquired GSV Summit, its fifth brand acquisition in 12 months as part of its GO27 growth strategy.
The deal includes two U.S. education events: the ASU+GSV Summit and the AI Show. GSV Summit will join Hyve's education portfolio alongside Bett, expanding the company's presence in the $74 billion U.S. EdTech market.
"Together, GSV Summit and Bett form a new alliance across the global learning landscape," said Mark Shashoua, Hyve CEO.
Founders Deborah Quazzo, Michael Moe and Michael Cohn will continue in leadership roles. Quazzo remains chair while Moe and Cohn serve as advisors.
The ASU+GSV Summit attracts over 7,000 education leaders annually. The AI Show, launched in 2024, draws 6,000 educators. Both events return to San Diego in April 2026.
The acquisition brings access to corporate partners including Google, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs and The Gates Foundation.
Terms were not disclosed.
GL Events and parent company Polygone welcomed investment fund Atream and insurance group CARAC as new shareholders following share acquisitions.
Atream's Confluence investment vehicle acquired 56,000 Polygone shares representing 5.3% of capital and 449,742 GL Events shares representing 1.5% of share capital. The deals give Confluence board seats at both companies.
"We are delighted to welcome Atream and its shareholder, the CARAC Group, as a new long-term shareholder," said Olivier Ginon, chairman and CEO of both companies.
Grégory Soppelsa, CEO of Atream, said the investment positions the fund in the MICE sector. "We are enthusiastic about investing in a global leader respected for its expertise and long-term strategy," he said.
The investment was led by Pascal Savary, who passed away before the transaction's completion. Both companies paid tribute to Savary.
The transactions do not affect Ginon's control over GL Events.
The Association of Event Organisers has promoted Jess Wright from senior events executive to event manager.
Wright will manage event planning, suppliers and sponsors while focusing on delegate experience as AEO expands its event portfolio.
"Jess is an asset to our team. She manages multiple projects and stakeholders with ease, always keeping calm under pressure," said Sarah Scott, director of events and operations.
The promotion recognizes Wright's organizational skills and customer service commitment.
Nineteen Group appointed Justin Childs as chief operating officer for its Americas division, the UK-based exhibitions and media company announced.
Childs brings 15 years of experience in strategy, marketing and transformation across events, media and digital communities. He will report to Mary Larkin, who was named president of Nineteen Group Americas earlier this year.
"What excites me most is the clarity of vision and commitment to culture," Childs said. "Nineteen leads with trust, ambition, and a people-first mindset."
Childs began his career at Diversified Communications under Larkin's leadership. He has held positions at Informa, Clarion and Arc Network, where he served as chief marketing officer.
Larkin's appointment followed Phoenix Equity Partners' £200 million continuation fund, which strengthened the investment firm's partnership with Nineteen Group. Phoenix Equity Partners backs the company.
"I am thrilled to have Justin's support in shaping our business and applying structure to ambition," Larkin said. "Justin is a trusted, values-led operator who gets the best out of teams."
Peter Jones, chief executive of Nineteen Group, said Childs' appointment reflects the company's ambitions for the Americas market.
"He brings the right mix of edge and empathy," Jones said. "With Mary, Alison, Jon, and now Justin, we're assembling a world-class team to accelerate our next phase of growth."
This section highlights the latest job positions in the events and associations industry. Here are some new roles that have opened up:
Miro
Event Manager
Ferrari
Events Manager
Amgen
Sr. Coordinator, Meetings Administration, Global Meetings Management
Planned
Event Manager
Warner Bros. Discovery
Manager, Marketing Events & Activations
Cloudflare
Sr. Program Manager (Sales Enablement Events)
Goldcast
Director, Field & Event Marketing
Goto
Sr. Manager, Corporate Events
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Head of AWS Event Summits, Americas
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