Universal WorldEvents Inc.
Ivyland, Pa.
www.universalworldevents.com
FOUNDED: 1997
LEADERSHIP: Gavin Houston, CEO (Americas), Sian Pederson, vice president operations (Americas)
TOP CUSTOMER MARKETS: pharmaceutical, healthcare/medical
AT A GLANCE: Gavin Houston, Universal WorldEvents' new CEO (Americas), was honored by the Philadelphia Business Journal as one of the city’s “Top 40 Under 40” business leaders. The company, which launched a dedicated venue-finding and travel department this year, saw a 13 percent climb in the number of room nights booked for meetings and incentives in 2012 over 2011 out of its U.S. offices. Owned by United Drug, Dublin, Ireland, Universal WorldEvents has offices in seven European countries, two U.S. cities, Hong Kong, and, most recently, Shanghai.
BY THE NUMBERS:
- Corporate meetings in 2012: 1,296
- Incentive travel programs in 2012: 32
- Meeting and incentive travel programs held outside the U.S.: 25%
- Room nights booked for meetings and incentives: 298,591
- Revenue from planning and executing meetings and incentives: 93%
- Full-time employees: 80 in the U.S., 240 outside the U.S.
