In a bid to better tap into the UK MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and events) business, American Express has teamed up with events and marketing firm WRG.
The agreement sees the two companies offering manage all aspects of event organisation and marketing, from venue sourcing and contract negotiations to content development.
According to Peter Manning, UK director of Amex Meetings and Events, there is plenty of opportunity for corporates to gain a greater control over their event spend.
“Corporate spending globally on meetings and events is estimated to be $140 billion annually,” he said.
“We know that corporations are facing challenges with increased scrutiny over their meetings budgets and need to understand and meet new regulations while not compromising on the ultimate design and creativity of their meetings and events.”
Manning argues the “end-to-end integrated solution” that WRG and Amex can provide will help companies to "consolidate" their spend.
The two companies have often worked together in the past on events for large corporates, making WRG a logical choice for Amex to go into business with.
The launch of a joint offering is similar to that announced at the Association of Corporate Travel Executives’ Global Education Conference in Paris.
Amex has teamed up with French company Le Public Systéme, to offer an integrated events service to French businesses.
Like WRG, Le Public Systéme offers both events management and marketing expertise.