The Stand-Up (January 30, 2025)

From LinkedIn deal-making to robotic conference displays: how event industry innovators are breaking traditional boundaries in 2025.

The Stand-Up January 30, 2025 Edited by Miguel Neves View in browser Top Stories 2025: The Year of the Meetings Maximizer With Millennials and Gen Z poised to comprise 75% of the U.S. workforce, Hilton's 2025 Global Trends Report predicts this to be the year of the "Meetings Maximizer," an attendee who blends business travel with leisure, often extending stays for personal time. Terrapinn CEO Takes M&A Hunt to LinkedIn - And It's Paying Off In a move that bucked traditional M&A practices, Greg Hitchen publicly announced his company's acquisition plans on LinkedIn. This move proved surprisingly effective. MEETINGS INNOVATOR Kathryn Frankson From robots to rock 'n' roll stages, Money20/20's marketing guru Kathryn Frankson has a knack for turning heads and raising eyebrows. But behind the wild ideas and viral moments is a seasoned innovator with some serious wisdom to share. 5 Ways to Get Approval to Attend a Conference What you include in an event justification letter could make the difference between getting and not getting approval to attend a conference. Nineteen Group Expands into U.S. Nineteen Group is making its move into the U.S. market, with industry veteran Mary Larkin leading the charge. Backed by a $248.8 million continuation fund from Phoenix Equity Partners, the UK-based exhibition and media company is ramping up its international expansion efforts.  AWARDS The Next Era of Skift Meetings Awards Exciting news! Skift Meetings Awards will now form part of the 2025 Skift IDEA Awards, making the program bigger and better than ever. Apply early to secure the best entry rate. Elsewhere in the News American Airlines Regional Jet Crashes Near D.C., All Takeoffs and Landings Halted at Reagan National (Skift) EU fine food conference goes sour amid row over agency's role (Euractiv) AI Startup DeepSeek Has Silicon Valley Panicking. What It Could Mean for Travel (Skift) The Biggest Innovators in Travel and Hospitality: Winter 2025 (Skift) INDUSTRY EVENTS CALENDAR GO WEST in Edmonton, Canada (Feb. 2-4) Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) in Melbourne, Australia (Feb.10-12) UFI Asia-Pacific Conference in Melbourne, Australia (Feb. 13-14) Explore our full calendar of 2025 industry events here. More From Skift Meetings Medical Meetings Canceled Under New Trump Policies The Future of Live Tourism: Key Insights from Davos Rutgers University Cancels DEI Conference Human Trafficking Awareness: What Can Planners Do? Why This Event Planner Got His MBA 'Inside Live Events' Offers a Roadmap for New Generations in a Shifting Industry To ensure there are no pauses in our communication, please add our email address to your contacts: meetings@skift.com. Skift, 35 W 31st St., Frnt 1, New York, NY 10001, USA, (516) 399-0304 Manage preferences