Gideon Rivlin founded Kenes Group in 1965 and served as its president and chairman of the board. Gideon Rivlin is one of the founding fathers of the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) and served as its president between 1981-1983.
A seasoned industry expert, Gideon received a number of honours – in 1990 he was elected Man of the Year in Tourism, an award granted by the President of the State of Israel. He also received the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) award in 2006 in recognition of his vision, dedication, and lifetime achievement in the Professional Congress Organisation (PCO) field.