American Express Global Business Travel

Through this article, Amanda Jorgensen shares how strategic event leadership transforms industry gatherings from logistical exercises into powerful commercial engines. She explains why events succeed when they spark momentum, deepen relationships, and influence pipeline—not just when they run smoothly.

An “Event Unicorn” With a 360° View of the Industry

I often joke that I’m an “event unicorn” because I’ve truly done it all—production, logistics, sponsorships, content strategy, speaker management, and global field activation. Over the past 25+ years, I’ve built events from the ground up for organizations such as Marcus Evans, IQPC, Opal Group, and Questex. Additionally, I have led event strategy and brand experiences at American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT), Trustly, and Bentley Systems.

That mix gives me a rare vantage point. I understand events from both the producer’s side and the sponsor or brand’s perspective. I’ve created agendas, recruited C-suite speakers, sourced venues worldwide, and shaped programs that generate demand, deepen relationships, and drive honest business conversations.

My philosophy is simple: eliminate the “conference coma.” Every touchpoint should feel intentional, valuable, and human. Whether it’s a significant industry tradeshow or an intimate executive dinner, the goal is the same—create experiences that move people and move business.

Turning Industry Events Into High-Impact Business Engines

As Global Industry Event Manager, I support American Express Global Business Travel's (Amex GBT) presence across major industry touchpoints—from flagship trade shows to intimate client forums and executive experiences. My work centers on collaborating with an incredible team in driving strategic event selection, ensuring the right leaders are in the room at the right time, securing speaking opportunities, managing an intense global event calendar, and designing engagement strategies that spark qualified conversations and meaningful meetings.

I also partner across the business to deliver high-impact internal and external client and partner events worldwide. One fun example: we launched a branded swag-vending machine at a major tradeshow, turning a simple giveaway into a personalized interaction—and saw a significant lift in meetings and MQLs. Creativity plus strategy equals impact.

“Events are one of the most powerful commercial engines when treated strategically, not transactionally.”

We’re a small but mighty team operating like one unified engine — moving fast, collaborating constantly, and staying relentlessly focused on outcomes.

Smooth Events Are Good—Strategic Events Create Momentum

A well-executed event runs smoothly. A strategically effective event changes behavior, sparks meaningful conversations, and creates momentum.

You know an event is truly working when:

• Attendees lean in—taking photos, engaging, and following up

• Booth conversations shift from swag to demos and working sessions

• Executives walk away with insights, not just impressions

• Pipeline movement is visible over time, not just in the moment

Operational excellence matters, but logistics alone don’t move minds or pipelines. Strategy, content, and audience alignment do. The real ROI is evident in conversations, connections, and conversion paths that continue long after the event concludes.

Align Fast, Decide Faster—Without the Bureaucracy

Events impact every part of the business, so alignment must be intentional and efficient. I anchor teams around three things:

1. Clear roles and ownership — everyone knows their lane and deliverables

2. Structured visibility — shared timelines, dashboards, and regular check-ins

3. Decision authority — one pre-agreed owner empowered to make the call when timing or stakes require it

You need process, but you also need intuition. The goal is always the same: alignment without bureaucracy, collaboration without delay.

In Crisis, Communication and Character Define the Experience

Experience has taught me one rule above all: communicate early and often—with transparency and empathy. I’ve managed through hurricanes, government shutdowns, airline strikes, weather crises, and tech outages. The most successful events were those where we were transparent, honest, and proactive with our speakers, sponsors, attendees, and partners.

One example: I once ran an event hit by two hurricanes while operating without power for five days. We pivoted to what was likely one of the first hybrid delivery models, retained 85% of sponsors for the following year, and earned a 4.7/5 satisfaction score.

Disruption reveals your professionalism and the values you hold. People remember how you show up when things get messy—not when everything goes according to plan.

Events Aren’t Costs—They’re Revenue Systems in Disguise

The fastest mindset shift is simple: get leaders involved in planning, even briefly. Once they see the pipeline strategy, the customer conversations, and the cross-functional orchestration behind an event, they realize it’s not “marketing fluff.” It’s a revenue engine.

If they can’t join planning, make the metrics impossible to ignore:

• Meetings held

• Meaningful conversations

• Content engagement

• Post-event pipeline movement

• Deal influence over time

Events are one of the few commercial channels that unite brand, credibility, trust, and human connection—strengths that drive business results far beyond what any slide deck can deliver.