BCD Meetings & Events Closes Three-Year Growth Plan with Record Year

Chicago – February 26, 2019 – BCD Meetings & Events (BCD M&E) has completed a three-year strategic plan resulting in unprecedented growth for the company—141% increase in total sales, 117% in employees, 218% increase in its global footprint and a suite of expanded products and services—now servicing clients in more than 50+ countries.

“In 2016 we launched our first strategic growth plan with the clear intention of tripling our profit, expanding our global footprint in EMEA, LATAM and APAC and answering the ever-evolving needs of our customers through new and innovative offerings,” said Scott Graf, BCD M&E’s global president. “I am happy to report we exceeded expectations in every area, culminating with a record year in 2018.”

Over the last three years, BCD M&E also saw:

• The completion of four dedicated meetings & events acquisitions: Universal Meetings Management (U.S.), Plan 365 (U.S.), Zibrant (UK) and Grass Roots Meetings & Events (EMEA & U.S.).
• An increased footprint with additional acquisitions in eight countries: China, Colombia, Poland, Hong Kong, Germany, Switzerland, Norway and Sweden
• An expansion into sports hospitality, travel and entertainment with the launch of BCD Sports
• The digitization of critical meeting services through its proprietary suite of technology services under its MeetingSource™ platform including a self-service, online meeting booking tool and a non-employee expense reimbursement and reporting tool
• A global venue sourcing offering including proprietary technology for sourcing and contracting venues

“The growth of our organization has been outstanding, and we are proud of that,” said Graf. “But, what makes us most proud is the continued focus on ensuring our culture is strong, protected and enhanced throughout our growth. We are known as the agency people want to work with and work for, so every decision we make has to be right for our culture and our customers.”

In addition to a record year for BCD M&E, its parent company, BCD Travel, closed 2018 at a record high with a 6% increase in total sales over 2017. Together, BCD Travel and BCD M&E are a very strong force in the industry with BCD Travel in 108 markets globally. Forbes magazine named BCD to its 2018 list of America’s Best Employers For Women, also having ranked BCD among America’s Best Employers three times. Additionally, BCD was ranked 29th on a list of 100 companies noted for flexible work environments in 2018. The recognition marked the fourth time BCD made the list compiled by FlexJobs, an online job search resource for professionals seeking telecommute, part-time or other flexible jobs.

Following the three-year plan, BCD M&E now embarks on a new three-year growth strategy, Vision 2021, to expand its business through organic growth and strategic acquisitions, continuing to diversify offerings, increase its global footprint and offer new and innovative solutions to its customers.

“We might have achieved record growth, but we are always looking ahead,” said Graf. “We will continue to acquire organizations that are a strong business and cultural fit—with top-tier talent and expanded career opportunities for our team. And, we will keep investing in the right technology, people and partners to solidify that BCD Meetings & Events is the most trusted, innovative M&E agency in the world. All the while, ensuring we don’t lose sight of who we are and why our customers prefer working with us.”