Mari Kauppinen Pops Up As MD Of ITA Group ANZ

ITA Group, a global leader in engagement solutions, has announced the acquisition of Sydney-based Performance Incentives and the appointment of Mari Kauppinen as managing director of ITA Group’s Australia office.

The formation of ITA Group’s Australia office, headquartered in Sydney, builds on its existing client base to deliver events, incentives, recognition, loyalty, research and learning solutions in Australia and New Zealand.

Performance Incentives, founded in 2001, has solidified its position in the market with a diverse portfolio of channel sales incentives and incentive travel solutions, serving clients in the automotive, financial services and heavy equipment industries. As part of the acquisition, Performance Incentives will be integrated into ITA Group, forming the new ITA Group office in Australia. This integration brings together the expertise and experience of both entities, further strengthening ITA Group’s position in the ANZ market.

“When looking to grow, culture is at the top of our list, and we are proud to add a culturally aligned organization like Performance Incentives to the ITA Group community of companies,” said Brent Vander Waal, president and chief executive officer, ITA Group. “Over the past seven years, ITA Group has expanded our services globally through acquisition and partnership to deliver solutions and services in geographies that allow our clients and their customers to grow. This strategic expansion supports ITA Group’s growth goals and offers clients culturally relevant and locally managed engagement solutions to inspire and motivate employees, channel partners and customers in Australia and New Zealand. The move also benefits current ITA Group clients with a local presence.”

Since 2022, ITA Group global expansions have resulted in a 556 per cent increase in the number of participants served. ITA Group’s new and existing clients will experience the immediate benefits from the Australia expansion.

Mari Kauppinen leads ITA Group in Australia, bringing more than 25 years of award-winning B2B demand generation and category marketing expertise. She was most recently founding managing director for The Marketing Practice and was previously head of marketing, enterprise, commercial and channel at IBM. A seasoned presenter, nonprofit board member and mentor.

“I am honoured to lead the organisation and to provide great opportunities for ITA Group and Performance Incentives’ clients,” said Mari Kauppinen, managing director, ANZ – ITA Group. “By leveraging the expertise of our local team and collaborating with our global design experts, we can deliver the most creative and engaging solutions for our clients and their employees, channel partners, and customers.”

James Fielder, founder of Performance Incentives, said, “I am proud of what we have created and accomplished at Performance Incentives, and that we have found a partner with the same values and focus on customer success to continue to move our team and clients forward. This team and company have been an integral part of my life, and I look forward to watching their continued success as I pursue retirement and my other passions in this next chapter.”

According to Vander Waal, “This is a natural evolution in our strategy, and the next step on our path to continued growth. Any decision that helps us serve our clients better and positively impacts our team is a win.”

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