Ovation Incentives, the London-based technology-focused performance improvement agency, has signed a strategic marketing alliance with GC Incentive, a leading US incentives and rewards company based in Omaha, Nebraska.  The agreement will enable customers of both companies to benefit from the combined technology, reward and motivation solutions offered by these industry-leading innovators.

The move is designed to take advantage of major trends facing the incentives and recognition industry.  With increasing numbers of US companies demanding global reward and recognition solutions and European companies seeking comprehensive US reward coverage, the alliance brings together these recognised market specialist firms to deliver a single-source solution.

The sharing of knowledge, technology and relationships between the firms brings a combined 36 years of customer experience to the marketplace, having successfully served customers in over 100 countries.  This strength of heritage will be evident as the companies begin to market their combined solutions in the coming months.

Jonathan Grey said the alliance with GC Incentives will extend the reach of Ovation Incentives, which he founded in 2001: “This alliance is a very natural fit for Ovation.  In GC Incentives we see a company that shares the same values of innovation and customer success that we endeavour to follow ourselves.  The business methodology behind our technology and product offerings are very similar, and I’m sure that our customers will see this alliance, and the strong connections that it brings, as a win-win for all.”

For GC Incentives, the opportunity represented by the alliance with Ovation Incentives is one that CEO Rick Buer said will provide strategic benefits to customers.

“We already know how important having a global footprint is to those who look to the incentives industry for leadership,” said Buer. “Working with Ovation Incentives is one more step forward in delivering that global perspective in our business.”

The alliance enables GC Incentives to market Ovation’s Encore platform for global employee recognition solutions, as well as their Universal Voucher System for global reward solutions. GC Incentives will make its GiftPass reward fulfilment technology available for use in the U.S.

As part of the alliance, Ovation Incentives’ Universal Voucher technology will be further developed to meet various client needs for both companies, an example of which would be initiatives to promote corporate wellness programs and sales incentive solutions.

Both companies have agreed to align their sales and marketing tools and assets for their mutual benefit.

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Jonathan Grey, Founder and CEO of Ovation Incentives, the technology-led global rewards and recognition specialist, has been named as the new President of the Incentive Marketing Association Europe.

Grey has been an IMA Europe Board member since the inception of the association eight years ago and succeeds Brian Dunne, Managing Director of Action Solutions, as President. The IMA Europe is part of a global IMA network of over 500 agencies and suppliers committed to promoting, creating, and managing the use of incentives and recognition programmes to improve business performance.

Since founding Ovation 15 years ago, Jonathan Grey has been an active participant in the business communities that seek to promote standards and foster relationships in the gift card and business incentive markets in the UK and Europe.

Grey says: “It is a tremendous honour to be appointed to the role of President of IMA Europe.  Under Brian Dunne’s leadership, IMA Europe has grown from strength to strength with members from the Atlantic coast to the Ural Mountains actively engaged in developing standards and driving results for all our clients and colleagues.”

He adds: “In the coming year, I hope to build upon the solid foundations that we have laid down for our industry and continue our traditions of bringing together great people from all over Europe to connect, learn and develop the next generation of incentive marketers.”

Brian Dunne comments: “I am delighted that Jonathan will be taking over the reins and I look forward to supporting him and the rest of the board in the role of Past President.” Dunne will also continue to serve on the IMA Global Board.

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