Issa Jouaneh
About Issa Jouaneh
Issa Jouaneh (age 49) is President, Connections at Emerald Holding, overseeing the company’s event, conference, trade show and brand assets. He joined Emerald in March 2021 as EVP of Emerald Xcelerator to lead market diversification through new shows, partnerships, and sub-expo launches; prior roles include 14 years at American Express where he was SVP & GM leading American Express Meetings & Events globally. He holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from McGill University and an MBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University . Company performance metrics that inform executive incentives include Adjusted EBITDA under Emerald’s Annual Incentive Plan; Emerald reported nine-month 2025 revenue of $330.7 million vs. $292.0 million (+13.3% YoY) and Q3 2025 Adjusted EBITDA of $12.8 million, underscoring a focus on profitability and growth .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emerald Holding (Connections business unit) | President, Connections | As of March 31, 2025 | Leads all event, conference, trade show and brand assets |
| Emerald Holding | EVP, Emerald Xcelerator | Since March 2021 | Led market diversification through new shows, partnerships, and sub-expo launches |
| American Express / American Express Global Business Travel | SVP & GM, American Express Meetings & Events (global) | 14 years (ending 2019) | Led global M&E, bringing scaled operational experience to live events |
| Exhibitions/Meetings & Events Startups | Founder/Leader | Oct 2019–Mar 2021 | Entrepreneurial leadership in industry start-ups |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Express / American Express Global Business Travel | SVP & GM, American Express Meetings & Events (global) | 14 years (ending 2019) | Led global M&E, driving operational execution in large-scale events |
| Two Exhibitions/Meetings & Events Startups | Founder/Leader | Oct 2019–Mar 2021 | Built and led start-ups in exhibitions and events |
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Base Salary | Target Bonus % | Actual Bonus Paid | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Agreement terms (effective Jan 1, 2023 amendment) | $450,000 (paid in CAD) | 100% of base salary | Not disclosed in agreement | Agreement via PEO; eligibility for executive benefits, unlimited PTO, expense reimbursement; severance upon certain terminations |
| 2023 actual (Summary Compensation) | $450,172 | 100% of base salary | $53,927 (Non-Equity Incentive Plan) | Option awards grant-date fair value $247,631 |
Performance Compensation
| Plan/Year | Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Incentive Plan (2023) | Adjusted EBITDA (determines bonus pool); individual performance factors | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Company emphasized Adjusted EBITDA target-setting; specific outcomes not disclosed | $53,927 (cash; 2023 NEIP for Jouaneh) | Cash (annual) |
| Equity (2017 Plan) | Stock options (time-based vesting; CIC acceleration) | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Grant-date fair value $247,631 (2023 options) | Time-based vesting; unvested options fully vest on change in control as defined in 2017 Plan |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership | 330,000 shares; less than 1% of outstanding (199,597,204 shares as of record date) |
| Stock ownership guidelines & pledging | Company maintains Stock Ownership Guidelines and a No Hedging or Pledging Policy; specific multiples and individual compliance status not disclosed |
| Change-in-control treatment (options) | Unvested options in Outstanding Equity Awards table become fully vested upon a change in control under the 2017 Plan |
| Vested vs. unvested breakdown | See Option Awards table below; RSUs not shown for Jouaneh in the 2023 year-end outstanding awards |
Option Awards (Outstanding at 2023 Fiscal Year-End)
| Grant/Type | Exercisable (#) | Unexercisable (#) | Exercise Price | Expiration | Vesting Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Options (grant footnote 10) | 30,000 | 45,000 | $5.75 | 3/23/2031 | Not disclosed |
| Options (grant footnote 10) | 30,000 | 45,000 | $6.00 | 3/23/2031 | Not disclosed |
| Options (grant footnote 10) | 30,000 | 45,000 | $8.00 | 3/23/2031 | Not disclosed |
| Options (grant footnote 11) | 15,000 | 60,000 | $3.70 | 12/1/2032 | Not disclosed |
| Options (grant footnote 11) | 15,000 | 60,000 | $6.00 | 12/1/2032 | Not disclosed |
| Options (grant footnote 11) | 15,000 | 60,000 | $8.00 | 12/1/2032 | Not disclosed |
| Options (grant footnote 4; 3/1/2023 grant) | — | 150,000 | $3.81 | 3/1/2033 | Five equal installments vesting on Mar 1, 2024–2028 |
Change-in-control acceleration: “The options shown in this column will become fully vested in the event of a change in control as defined in the 2017 Plan.”
Employment Terms
| Term | Details |
|---|---|
| Start date & agreement | Employment agreement dated March 18, 2021; amended effective Jan 1, 2023; employed through a third-party professional employer organization (Canada) |
| Base salary & bonus | Base salary $450,000 (paid in CAD); annual bonus target 100% of base salary, subject to performance goals |
| Benefits & PTO | Eligible for executive benefits; unlimited paid time off under Canadian employment standards |
| Severance | Severance payments upon certain terminations; specific multiples not disclosed in Jouaneh agreement section |
| Restrictive covenants | Perpetual confidentiality; 12-month non-solicitation, non-competition, and non-disparagement following employment |
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance alignment: Cash incentives are tied to Adjusted EBITDA under the Annual Incentive Plan, aligning with Emerald’s focus on profitability; 2023 payout was modest ($53,927), suggesting discipline around performance-based cash compensation .
- Equity structure and selling pressure: Significant option exposure with long-dated expirations (2031–2033) and staged vesting through 2028; options fully accelerate on change in control, which can create event-driven selling pressure but otherwise defer near-term supply as vesting is time-based .
- Ownership alignment and risk controls: Beneficial ownership is 330,000 shares (<1%); corporate no-hedging/no-pledging policy and stock ownership guidelines reduce misalignment risk, though specific guideline multiples and individual compliance status are not disclosed .
- Retention and competitiveness: The 12-month non-compete and non-solicit provisions, combined with market-based base salary and bonus target, support retention; severance exists for certain terminations, but specific economics for Jouaneh aren’t disclosed, limiting precision on change-of-control or termination payouts .
- Execution track record: Background leading global M&E at American Express and spearheading Emerald’s market diversification indicates operational credibility; company’s recent revenue growth (+13.3% YoY nine months 2025) and stable Adjusted EBITDA suggest a performance context where EBITDA-linked incentives are relevant .