April 12, 2019 – Cvent, a market-leading meetings, events, and hospitality technology provider, today announced that José Andrés, one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People,” will be one of the keynote speakers this year at their annual customer conference Cvent CONNECT. This year’s event will take place from July 8 – 11 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.  

“Cvent CONNECT is the preeminent event for the entire meetings and events ecosystem, and we’re looking forward to hosting more than 4,000 attendees to what is shaping up to be another incredible event,” said Patrick Smith, Chief Marketing Officer for Cvent. "We are thrilled to welcome Jose Andres to the main stage this year. Live events drive global economic growth and as someone who also recognizes the power of great experiences that bring people together, he will offer our attendees a unique perspective into what it takes to not only found and operate a successful business, but also to maximize the impact of their skills and passions in order to engage multiple audiences. These insights will resonate with our attendees who work hard every day to create and manage events that deliver incredible outcomes.”  

Cvent CONNECT 2019 will be hosted at the brand new $130 million MGM Grand Conference Center and will focus on innovations from Cvent and their partners and the positive impact that meetings, events, and hospitality have on the business world. The four-day conference agenda is designed to foster connections and maximize the number of networking opportunities among attendees. The popular Cvent CONNECT trade show will also return this year, featuring some of the largest convention and visitor bureaus, hotels, and destinations gathered together under one roof.  

More about José Andrés 

Named one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” in both 2012 and 2018 and awarded “Outstanding Chef” and “Humanitarian of the Year” by the James Beard Foundation, José Andrés is an internationally-recognized culinary innovator, New York Times bestselling author, educator, television personality, humanitarian, and chef/owner of ThinkFoodGroup. A pioneer of Spanish tapas in the United States, he is also known for his groundbreaking avant-garde cuisine and his award-winning group of 31 restaurants around the world. Andrés is the only chef globally that has both a two-star Michelin restaurant and four Bib Gourmands. Andrés’ work has earned awards and distinctions including the 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Association of Culinary Professionals and the 2015 National Humanities Medal, one of twelve distinguished recipients of the award from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Andrés was also named EY Master Entrepreneur of the Year in Greater Washington for his leadership and impact on the global business community and was awarded the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s Chair’s Medallion Award. 

Click HERE for more information and to register for Cvent CONNECT or visit www.cventconnect.com/us