DONNA M PATRICK

As the Senior Manager of Global Meeting Solutions at Autodesk, I led the organization's Strategic Meetings Management Program optimizing venue sourcing, contract management, operational efficiencies and technology innovation.

• By engaging with internal and external stakeholders globally I supported successful contract negotiations, cost savings and solution-based service offerings.
• Key projects in the pipeline included department restructuring, small meetings solution implementation, enhanced reporting package, and meeting planning build-out.
• Direct report team focused on sourcing & contracting, operations, data reporting and analytics, technology platforms.

Spearheaded the growth and evolution of organization’s Global Strategic Meetings Management Program by collaborating with teams across 150+ countries and 8 business units to drive strategies, benchmark process improvements, cost leverage and enhance attendee experiences.

• Managed 20+ core agency and supplier partners globally for event sourcing, planning, production, and technology.
• Led the growth of the Abbott Advisory Council COE, fostering stakeholder engagement and aligning business objectives for successful event outcomes.
• Direct report team focused on program operations, data compliance and technology management; cross-functional leadership with regional teams in North America and Canada, EMEA, APAC for risk mitigation and cost leverage opportunities.

Recruited to lead the redesign and redeployment of the organization’s Strategic Meetings, Events, & Tradeshow Program.

• Identified scope, spend, and volume data to consolidate agency portfolio that aligned capabilities and cost leverage opportunities for sourcing & contracting, logistics management, tradeshow management, payment reconciliation, group travel, virtual library and technology platforms.
• Led enterprise RFPs, onboarding and implementation of global meeting & event, tradeshow and production agencies.
• Designed and launched the UHG Events Council to support the value proposition, collaboration on program enhancements and create a community environment for workstream benchmarking.
• Increased awareness and adoption from 40% to 90% including ongoing integration of acquired entities into the program.
• Internal teams led by influence with program components outsourced.

Promoted to lead the design and launch of the company’s inaugural Strategic Meetings & Events program across 6 business units

• Built the program by influence leadership across the organization promoting the value proposition, while direct report team focused on operational execution with other components of the program outsourced.
• Key stakeholder engagement initiative included designing and leading the Medtronic Events Council made up of senior level event leaders across the enterprise developing strategies, benchmark and collaborate on program utilization and enhancements for growth.
• Increased visibility and utilization of the program that led to an RFP resulting in buy-in, implementation and adoption of a single sourcing agency model.