Incentive Programs: Current Trends and Outlook

Solution Providers | Tuesday, July 18 | 10:15 - 11:15 AM 

This session will cover current trends and the outlook for incentive programs. Panelists will discuss what they have been experiencing in the market and provide insight and context as it relates to what they are seeing in the world of incentives right now. They will also share their thoughts about the future of incentives and what you should be thinking about when designing your next program.

Julie Barbier-Leblan, CEO of Merit Incentives

Julie is a native of France based in Dubai for the last decade. She is the founder and CEO of Merit Incentives, a global technology company specialized in white-label and SaaS engagement technologies. They allow companies to internally motivate their employees and/or externally retain and attract customers via sales incentives and loyalty programs, customizing engagement strategies using gift cards, merchandise & rewards in the Middle East, APAC and globally. Merit Incentives has an extensive network of 5,000+ brands in 100+ countries, using its proprietary white-label gift card, benefits, experiences, and coupon software, including 800+ in the Middle East only. Already in 2019, Julie is EY Winning Woman in the UAE 2018-2019 and is the winner at The Incentive Awards in London as Entrepreneur of the Year 2019. She was elected in 2020 in the TOP 30 under 40 by The Loyalty Magazine Awards in London and was recognized as one of the “Top 10 Women of a New Business Era to Watch out for in 2020” by CIO Views Magazine. 
 

David Gould, CPIM, Managing Director, Europe at 360insights (moderator)

David holds a Bachelor’s (HONS) degree in Mechanical Engineering, graduating from the University of Westminster in London, UK. In 2014, after 23 years in the I.T. channel in various senior leadership roles, he moved into the incentive industry in the role of CEO at CR Worldwide, a full-service Incentives Solution Provider which was acquired by 360insights, a Channel Incentive Management (CIM) company, in 2020. David’s role then changed to Managing Director, Europe at 360insights. He has been an active member of the IMA since 2014. Since 2018, he has served on the board of the Incentive & Engagement Solution Providers (IESP), an IMA Strategic Industry Group (SIG), in various positions including president in 2020. In July 2019, he gained the Certified Professional of Incentive Management (CPIM) designation and was also appointed to the IMA. In January 2022, he commenced a 3-year term as a Trustee at the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF), serving on its board.

Cindy Mielke, CPIM, VP, Strategic Partnerships at Tango Card

Cindy is Tango Card's Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and a Certified Professional of Incentive Management. Her passion is helping teammates, clients, and partners achieve success. A strong advocate for the incentive industry, Cindy was awarded the Karen Renk Fellowship Award and was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Incentive Marketing Association (IMA) in 2019. She currently serves on the board of IMA's Incentive & Engagement Solutions Providers.

Lincoln Smith, IP, Chief Strategy Officer of HMI Performance Incentives

For over 25 years Lincoln has been a recognized leader in the incentive marketing industry. He is currently the Chief Strategy Officer for HMI Performance Incentives where he works with companies in over thirty industries to design strategies to accelerate growth and increase customer engagement. His leadership and approach have led HMI to win 6  IMA “Circle of Excellence Awards” in unique categories in the last four years for manufacturer, distributor, and service provider clients. Before joining HMI, Lincoln worked as a strategist for Agency.com, helping organizations transition to digital business models. Lincoln is a current board member of the IMA's Incentive & Engagement Solutions Providers (IESP) where he is a regular contributor and thought leader.