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This Year's Recipients
2026 Hall of Leaders Inductees
Since 1985 EIC has distinguished the global business events industry through the Hall of Leaders awards programme. The Hall of Leaders award is the premier recognition programme in events — our industry's "lifetime achievement award." The award recognises outstanding leaders who have undoubtedly shaped the industry.
Elliott L. Ferguson II
President & CEO, Destination DC
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David Kliman, CMM
Co-Founder, ELX, Owner, The Kliman Group
Kit Lykketoft
Director of Convention, Copenhagen Convention Bureau
Weemin Ong, CFA, CED, DES, CEM, CMP
Vice President of Sales & MICE, Marina Bay Sands
Annamaria Ruffini, CIS, CITP, CMP
President & CEO, Events In & Out
Robert Priest Heck
Retired CEO, Freeman
2026 Pacesetter Award Winner
The EIC Pacesetter Award Recognizes emerging leaders with a proven track record of successful leadership and whose forward thinking and innovative approach led to groundbreaking changes (or actions) that are making an impact on advancing the industry today.
James Filtz, CMP, CPCE, CHE
Senior Principal Solution Consultant, Cvent
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Evan Nielson, CMP
Senior Event Manager, AARP
2026 Social Impact Award Winner
EIC and the EIC 2026 Global Awards Task Force are thrilled to announce the 2026 EIC Social Impact Award Recipients. The EIC Social Impact Award recognises extraordinary effort on the part of an individual and or organisation in the areas of people, planet, and prosperity aligned with UN SDGs and EIC Principles for Recovery.
Anna Abdelnoor
Founder & CEO, ISLA
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Alisson Batres
CEO of Organización, S.A.
2026 Adaption and Innovation Awards Winner
Chin-Hsun (Ken) Tsai, Ph.D.
Associate Professor; Program Director of Event Management Program, Iowa State University
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