GES Buys Live Attendee Engagement Technology Provider Poken
March 16, 2017
GES, a global full-service provider for live events, has acquired Poken, a cloud-based event management platform.
“This acquisition demonstrates our commitment to being the preferred global live events partner offering the most comprehensive breadth of technology and services,” said GES President Steve Moster.
He added, “We know our clients want engagement and concrete metrics from their events. They will benefit from the technology and insight capabilities that Poken and our existing Visit solution offer together.”
Poken brings together digital and physical event spaces to drive engagement and gain better insight through real data.
The Poken 360° platform offers a seamless ecosystem of technology tools that enhance event engagement through smart badges and digital document collection through its patented “Touch and Glow” technology, visitor-to-visitor engagement, gamification and full metrics reporting.
Poken joins the N200|GES event intelligence team, and the company will retain the product name Poken 360°.
Poken founder and CEO Stéphane Doutriaux and the global Poken team will join GES with offices in New York City, London and Lausanne, Switzerland.
“We have always enjoyed working with the N200|GES team,” Doutriaux said. “This acquisition demonstrates their commitment to being the world leader in event technology, and especially to the importance of measurement and data intelligence.”
He added, “Together, we intend to pursue an aggressive strategy to bring about a truly measurable and connected event.”
The Poken team brings significant innovation capabilities, experience, and knowledge of intelligent events and will further extend the value GES brings to its clients and their attendees.
GES and Poken already work closely through a strategic partnership, providing clients with measurable and effective technology solutions for event registration and visitor engagement.
N200|GES and Poken currently are integrated with plans to develop deeper integration with even greater customer benefits.
Together, the technology platforms further enhance engagement, streamline the management of events, and offer measurable insights for exhibition organizers, exhibitors and event sponsors.
Event attendees benefit from Poken’s meeting scheduling. Attendees can maximize the effectiveness of their time by creating profiles that identify and match them with the most suitable people, as well as schedule meeting time slots.
Attendees also are able to receive product and service information digitally.
“The addition of Poken is a game-changer in providing a truly intelligent event for organizers, exhibitors, brands, and attendees,” added GES Executive Vice President of International Jason Popp.
He added, “The extensive features and services offered by Poken create and drive engagement and are a natural complement to GES’ core live event services and robust technologies. Poken has an extremely talented and enthusiastic work force and we are happy to welcome them to our team.“
Collectively, GES and Poken support thousands of exhibitions and events throughout the world each year.
With the addition of Poken, GES now offers the premier global events intelligence platform, focused on event registration and intelligent events, according to GES officials.
The Poken suite of products and services still can be purchased on a stand-alone basis or as an integrated suite with GES’ other registration products and services.
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.
Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.
The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.
MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.
MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.
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