MGME has acquired Key Meetings & Events, expanding its capabilities across corporate meetings, private equity events, conferences and incentive travel. The deal will double MGME’s revenue and team size while adding Key Meetings & Events’ sector expertise, client relationships and more than 35 years of operating experience.
Key Meetings & Events founder Heather Keenan will join MGME’s senior leadership team as Executive Director.
The San Francisco-based agency will retain its existing brand and operate as Key Meetings & Events, an MGME Company. Its clients will continue working with the same team while gaining access to MGME’s broader international resources and specialized service groups.
Key Meetings & Events manages more than 40 programs annually across North America and other international markets.
Its work includes executive meetings, investor events, conferences, annual meetings and incentive programs. The company has particular experience serving private equity firms and their portfolio companies.
Events within the private equity sector often involve sensitive financial information, senior executives, investors and portfolio company leadership. These programs can require a high degree of discretion, rapid decision-making and personalized service.
The acquisition gives MGME additional expertise in this market while strengthening its relationships across financial services and technology.
MGME is a global meetings, events and incentive travel agency within the InteleTravel portfolio.
The company has delivered programs in more than 70 countries and provides services spanning meeting management, event production, attendee experience and incentive travel.
MGME also operates specialized capabilities covering hotel sourcing through SourceCraft and air travel management through Air Logic.
Key Meetings & Events clients will now be able to use these services as their programs expand in size, geography or complexity.
MGME also provides strategic meeting management consulting, association management, creative development and event production.
The combination is intended to preserve the personalized service model that has supported Key Meetings & Events’ long-standing client relationships while adding the infrastructure of a larger global agency.
MGME President and CEO Carvie Gillikin said the companies share a similar commitment to high-touch service and execution.
Keenan said the transaction will allow Key Meetings & Events to maintain its agility while giving its employees and clients access to additional expertise and resources.
The acquisition marks MGME’s first transaction since joining the InteleTravel portfolio in 2024.
It also represents the next phase of expansion for MGME, which has been recognized as one of Event Marketer’s Top 100 Event Agencies.
MGME has more than 35 years of experience and said it has supported more than one million guests across approximately 30,000 events.
The company’s headquarters are in New York City and British Columbia, Canada.
By acquiring Key Meetings & Events, MGME is increasing its presence in key corporate markets while gaining a stronger foothold among private equity firms and the companies they own.
The deal also provides Key Meetings & Events with a larger platform for supporting clients whose event requirements extend across multiple countries or require integrated travel, production and sourcing services.
Key Meetings & Events’ existing operations and customer relationships will remain intact, reducing disruption as the organizations begin working together.
MGME expects the combined company to pursue growth by cross-selling services, serving larger international programs and expanding relationships with corporate and financial-sector clients.
KEY QUOTES:
“Key Meetings & Events is exactly the kind of business we want to bring into MGME.”
“Heather and her team have built an exceptional company with outstanding client relationships and a decades-long track record of delivering at a high level.”
“Their expertise and high-touch approach are a natural fit with MGME, and we’re excited about what we can build together for our clients and our people.”
Carvie Gillikin, President and CEO of MGME
“What we’ve built over more than 35 years comes down to an extraordinary team, clients who trust us and a commitment to doing business the right way.”
“We can preserve the agility and personal attention that define how we work while bringing more expertise to our clients and new opportunities to our people. That’s what makes this combination so exciting.”
Heather Keenan, Founder of Key Meetings & Events and Executive Director at MGME
