Leading global tourism and business events consulting firm, GainingEdge has announced that Ligia Gonzalez Padilla will join the company as Affiliate Consultant, Mexico and Latin America, effective November 1, 2026.
Gonzalez Padilla brings more than 15 years of experience in destination development, international congress bidding, strategic partnerships and business development, helping destinations and venues strengthen their competitiveness, attract international events and build lasting industry relationships. A highly respected professional within the global business events industry, she has extensive market knowledge and a strong professional network across Mexico and Latin America.
Her career spans convention bureaus, convention centres, hotels and international consultancy, including roles with the Guadalajara Convention & Visitors Bureau and Expo Guadalajara. During her time with the Guadalajara Convention & Visitors Bureau, she also represented Guadalajara within the BestCities Global Alliance.
In her new role, Gonzalez Padilla will focus on strengthening GainingEdge’s positioning and business development activities across Mexico and Latin America. She will also work alongside GainingEdge’s international team of consultants to deliver consulting and advisory services to clients throughout the region, particularly within destination advisory, convention and exhibition centre consulting, and market development and sales representation.
Her responsibilities will also include supporting international destinations and venues seeking to attract association meetings, corporate events and incentive groups from Mexico and Latin America, helping clients access new business opportunities through local market intelligence, industry relationships and targeted sales activities.
GainingEdge CEO, Steen Jakobsen, said that Gonzalez Padilla’s appointment represents an important step in the company’s international expansion.
“We are absolutely delighted to welcome Ligia to the GainingEdge family,” Jakobsen said. “She is a well-known and highly respected professional who brings an excellent combination of strategic insight, destination and venue experience, and strong industry relationships.”
“We are very excited about the opportunity to establish and grow GainingEdge’s presence across Mexico and Latin America. These markets offer significant potential, both for our advisory services and for supporting international destinations and venues seeking to develop business from the region. Ligia’s experience and extensive network, combined with GainingEdge’s global expertise, provide a strong foundation for this next phase of our development.”
Gonzalez Padilla said she is delighted to be joining GainingEdge and contributing to the company’s continued growth.
“Joining GainingEdge is an exciting opportunity to bring together my experience across destinations, venues and international business development with the expertise and global perspective of a team whose work I greatly value,” Gonzalez Padilla said.
“Throughout my career, I have seen firsthand what can be achieved when strategic thinking, strong industry partnerships and a deep understanding of local markets come together. I look forward to collaborating with the GainingEdge team to help destinations and venues across Mexico and Latin America strengthen their competitiveness, expand their international reach and unlock new business opportunities.
I believe this collaboration offers a powerful opportunity to connect global expertise with regional insight, delivering meaningful, lasting value for our clients and contributing to the continued growth of the business events industry.”
Gonzalez Padilla will join the GainingEdge team at the ICCA Congress in Panama City in November 2026, providing an opportunity to reconnect with industry colleagues, establish new relationships and introduce GainingEdge’s strengthened presence across Latin America.
