PRESENTS
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The Iceberg is now identifying and celebrating the greater mass of hard-to-see business events legacies that lie hidden beneath the surface in a new podcast “Below the Waterline”. In the fourth of a series featuring significant meetings industry players, Iceberg founder James Latham catches up with BestCities Global Alliance Director of International Associations Jane Cunningham…
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Destinations’ medical expertise wins them association meetings. This global checkup includes oncology in Copenhagen and Lyon, ENT medicine in Brisbane, child cardiology in Washington DC, pain management in Dublin, medical physics in Adelaide, women’s mental health in Maastricht, oesophageal disease in Tokyo and obesity in Glasgow. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
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Many cities powering ahead in renewable energy have appropriate geographic or climatic conditions. But traditional oil and gas-rich destinations are also attracting meetings in the sector. Here’s how Abu Dhabi, Calgary and Singapore, plus Costa Rica, Norway, Monaco, Australia and New Zealand, are all meeting the shifts in power. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
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Germany’s second city, Hamburg, is “Port to the World”, and attracts maritime events as well as the renewable energies sector. Venue CCH (Congress Center Hamburg) reopens in 2020 to become the country’s largest conference facility. But the UK Institute of Acoustics drew on musical heritage for its own event. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
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Sheffield is the birthplace of stainless steel. Today the South Yorkshire UK city has a modern knowledge economy “making solutions to some of the worlds toughest problems”. World-class research centres and Marketing Sheffield’s ambassador programme are combining to attract targeted UK and international events. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
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Last month, just prior to IBTM World’s staging, the Iceberg partner’s inaugural Global Policy and Practice Forum was held in partnership with The Business of Events. Supporting the gathering were the Barcelona Convention Bureau, PCMA (the Professional Convention Management Association) and JMIC (the Joint Meetings Industry Council, which presents The Iceberg). The forum brought together…
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This year Glasgow Convention Bureau launched the People Make Glasgow Healthier campaign, taking the messages from a few key medical congresses out of the convention centre and into the community. The conferences were able to create a deeper legacy for the city, with for example 180 people receiving lifesaving CPR training, From Boardroom…
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Throughout its history, Manchester has played host to many global breakthroughs, including the first stored-program computer and the splitting of the atom. These days it is rising in positioning as a global conference destination, the value of its international association events almost doubling between 2011 and 2017. From Boardroom…
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Denmark has brought together its four largest meetings cities to launch a report on how to make international conventions more impactful for both associations and destinations. The starting point was a trawl of 500 publications globally on the topic, to collect the scattered legacy-driving content in one guidebook. From Boardroom…
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Malaysia hopes that its hosting of the 12th Asia Pacific Conference on Biomechanics in 2023 will help grow the field both nationwide and in the ASEAN region. Partners on the bid included the Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and the Ministry of Education. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
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The Iceberg is now identifying and celebrating the greater mass of hard-to-see business events legacies that lie hidden beneath the surface in a new podcast “Below the Waterline”. In the third of a series featuring major meetings industry players, Iceberg founder James Latham catches up with Sissi Lygnou, CEO, Operations and Development, at AFEA Travel & Congress…
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New Zealand has won its bid to host the 2023 10th World Avocado Congress. The five-day conference will bring the world’s leading avocado growers, researchers, marketers, tech innovators and investors to New Zealand. The bid was led by NZ Avocado, with a video message from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
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John H. Graham IV, President and CEO of the American Society of Association Executives, has died after a battle with cancer. Graham was both well known and highly respected across the association world. Legacies of his long tenure include more than doubling the Iceberg partner’s membership and starting the Diversity Executive Leadership Program. From MPI…
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ICCA, the International Congress and Convention Association, has officially opened the doors of its Association Community. Now association executives can join the Iceberg partner’s membership of convention centres, destination marketing organisations (DMOs) and professional congress organisers (PCOs). From Association Meetings International…
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The number of corporate travel buyers forecasting bigger budgets for 2020 is now at a five-year high, according to annual research from the Business Travel Show. 41 percent of buyers said they would have more money to spend on travel in 2020, a rise from 33 percent last year. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
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Industry mega-gathering Convening Leaders has just taken place in San Francisco’s Moscone Center. The organiser PCMA, the Professional Convention Management Association, gave details of its flagship event’s impact at a press conference, just after the signing of a partnership with the Abu Dhabi Convention and Exhibition Bureau. From PCMA…
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Famous for its giant Buddha and historic temples, the ancient city of Nara will open a new venue this spring in a bid to become one of Japan’s leading event destinations. The Nara Prefectural Convention Center will allow the compact city to host conferences for up to 2,000 participants. From Association Meetings International…
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As bushfires continue to cause devastation across all of Australia, the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre has become a disaster relief centre. It is offering transition assistance to evacuees from Mallacoota in East Gippsland, including access to food and water, medical support and other services. From News.com.au…
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The teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg may have grabbed more headlines, but meetings and events leaders also got to address some of the biggest sustainability challenges facing the industry during a panel debate at UN Climate Conference COP25 in Madrid. Article includes full video from the session. From Association Meetings International…
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The US Congress has just voted to renew funding and thus rescue the nation’s destination marketer Brand USA as part of a $1.4 trillion budget package. The reauthorisation comes with a changed funding structure, and a rise in the cost of America’s online visa waiver programme ESTA from $14 to $21. From Skift…
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A further raft of associations have signed up to hold flagship meetings at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, less than a year before the venue’s scheduled opening. Te Pae managers finished 2019 on a high with more than 50 events already confirmed, worth about NZ$30 million to the New Zealand city. From Association Meetings International…
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Associations Congress UK 2019 saw the event’s highest-ever association attendance drawn to Birmingham’s ICC for two days of education, engagement and entertainment. This included sessions on strategy, events, membership and education, followed by an awards lunch. From Association Meetings International…
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Edinburgh International Conference Centre is “on track” for “record sales and operating profits” in 2019 after hosting some of the world’s most high-profile conferences. EICC has also calculated that the economic impact the venue makes on the region lies at around £55 million. From Association Meetings International…
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Seoul is gearing up for a busy new year of international meetings, with six notable large-scale gatherings set to bring 17,200 participants to the city’s conference venues in the first half of 2020. The three biggest account for 10,900 of the total and are enjoying the destination’s event support programme PLUS SEOUL. From Boardroom…
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This project collected, analysed and synthesised the findings of all prior Joint Meetings Industry Council Case Studies to deliver a verdict on the broader contributions that conferences, congresses, trade shows, convention centres and bureaux deliver to destinations, communities, industries and economies. The cases were drawn from four continents: Europe, Asia, South America and Australia. The…
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The China-LAC Summit is an annual meeting organised by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). It is a key entrepreneurial event for companies from China and the Latin American and Caribbean countries. The Punta del Este Convention and Exhibition Center in Uruguay hosted the 11th edition of the…
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The EuroHeartCare conference is one of the most important platforms for driving research publications, exchanging ideas, and forming and deepening collaborations within the field of cardiovascular nursing in Europe. It aims to support healthcare professionals in delivering the best care possible to patients with cardiovascular disease. The 2017 edition was hosted by Jönköping University in…
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The study explores the benefits and barriers for individual researchers and universities when hosting research conferences. The study has been commissioned by the Danish Council for Research and Innovation Policy – an advisory body to the Danish Minister of Higher Education and Science. Thereby the study situates the hosting of research conferences as a potential…
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London Tech Week is a festival of live events taking place once a year across the United Kingdom capital. Having been held now for four years, it has become a key gathering for the ICT industry in London. It connects the entire tech ecosystem both within the city and beyond, shapes the future of the…
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Many international convention centres use sophisticated methods to measure the economic impact of business events in their host cities. Others recognise the importance of food in customer experience and promote programs like paddock to plate or food miles. ICC Sydney marries these two concepts together and takes them to a new level by measuring the…
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UFI, the global association of the exhibition industry, has updated its database of initiatives and projects from the exhibition industry that support the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. This resource showcases work done by organisers, venues, and service providers alike. It was initiated by the UFI Working Group on Sustainability and put together…
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Copenhagen CVB and Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance have conducted an in-depth piece of future research in a unique collaboration with future scientists and designers. Explore four immersive scenarios for 2040 that spell out potential futures for our industry. The report is accompanied by four audio narratives to make each of the scenarios real and…
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Working with sister associations the Association of Event Venues (AEV) and the Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA). the Association of Event Organisers (AEO) has compiled an economic impact study defining and measuring the significance of exhibitions to the UK economy. Using the Size and Scale Index for Events (SASiE) data, this new report was…
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The way people eat at events is changing. As populations around the world begin to understand the impact of their eating habits, we are seeing a massive change in what and how people eat. This chapter of the Beyond Food report series delves deeper into these trends, and into the emergence of the plant menu…
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The IBTM World Trends Watch Report by Rob Davidson and Ali Turner is an insightful compendium of data that crosses business, industries, economies and geographies within the global meetings and events industry. The IBTM World Trends Watch Report 2019 (IBTM World website) Virtual Experience Economy Set to Grow, Says IBTM Trends Watch Report (Meetings & Incentive Travel…
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During 2018 MeetDenmark, with consultancy GainingEdge, began a major project on outreach. The purpose was to identify how Danish destinations can create significant added value for the international associations coming to Denmark. The objective is to help associations achieve greater impacts in fulfilling their own goals and missions while also strengthening the value of visiting…
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Congress organisers at ESTRO, the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology, are requiring host destinations bidding for their events to help them connect with local communities and create lasting legacies in cancer care. They are doing so through the running of so-called “engagement projects”. Ideas for such initiatives, typically with stakeholder involvement from cancer specialists,…
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Would you accept a media blackout required by your keynote speaker? PCMA, the Professional Convention Management Association, has just done so for former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Media outlets registered for Convening Leaders were strictly forbidden from reporting her main keynote. From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…
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Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance has just staged its annual Forum under the theme “Exploring the Congress of the Future / Fortifying Impact”. Copenhagen Convention Bureau and BestCities published four future scenarios for congresses (see Research), and the CVB also launched its Legacy Lab. From Boardroom…
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In comes another year, and with it yet another list of trends to watch on the horizon. Events will deliver personalised experiences with the aid of artificial intelligence. Plus, sustainability, the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and flygskam (flight shaming) are also on the map, as is Q and A 2.0, Conversation and input. From PCMA…
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2019 was the year veganism went mainstream. In 2020 Veganuary, or going vegan for January, is bigger than ever. One Iceberg publishing partner is sampling fast food vegan options, went vegan at Associations UK Congress 2019, and will again at all 2020 events. From editor’s blog at Meetings & Incentive Travel…
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Convention centres let architects push the limits of creative design and pioneer innovative solutions. With seventeen decades of venue architecture behind us, the 1850 Bingley Hall in Birmingham being the first example, here are five extraordinary modern venues. Photo: R. Elton. From Association Meetings International…
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When an attendee posted video of a speaker’s lewd remarks at a financial services conference, it was actually the video poster who was breaking the rules, since the invitation-only event had a privacy policy. But the event in fact commended the poster and instead the billionaire panellist was barred from future events. From PCMA…
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Sustainability is high on the events industry agenda. COP25’s Events Industry Council panel discussed vegan menus, recyclable cups and refillable bottles. Britain’s Brexit is shaking up supply chains and may encourage local sourcing. Iceberg partner Positive Impact is engaging the industry in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
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Last December Mariela McIlwraith, Director of Industry Advancement at the Events Industry Council, went to the UN Climate Conference COP25 in Madrid. There she took part in a panel discussion on the role of the meetings sector in bringing people together to act on climate. From the Events Industry Council…
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If the music of modern life seems too allegro, presto or prestissimo, then perhaps an occasional adagio is a good idea. The so-called Slow Movement started off as a protest against fast food, and now extends to many aspects of contemporary culture. So why not also hold slow meetings? From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…
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For Iceberg partner MCI, seven key industry trends are emerging as the new decade begins: human-centred technology, a new meaning to “live”, the move from “event planners” to “event strategists”, the evolution of personalisation, trust and ethics in the data economy, the power of brands, and sustainability in action. From MCI…
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Events always mirror society, and major trends like globalisation have transformed the meetings sector in recent years. At the dawn of a new decade, German Convention Bureau MD Matthias Schultze looks at which trends we should follow, including sustainability and new borderless multisite meeting formats. From Matthias Schultze via LinkedIn…
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The AIPC Academy is the only comprehensive professional development program aimed specifically at international convention centre issues and opportunities. Updated annually to reflect the most current conditions, it is the best possible investment a centre can make in the development of fully professional staff ready to meet the facility management and marketing challenges of today…
The Great Ideas Conference is the place for association leaders to build core competencies for achieving innovation and share big ideas that will propel associations forward. You’ll get the space you need to explore innovative ideas in a relaxed, collaborative setting. The conference features idea labs, offsite experiential learning, learning circles, and preconference workshops presented…
Open to all UFI members and event professionals, each UFI Forum is dedicated to a specific topic in relation with an exhibition industry issue. Chaired by each respective Working Group chair-person, these one-day meetings are composed of speakers’ presentations, as well as round-table discussions and debates between the participants and presenters.
Held in conjunction with the Conference of the Association of Latin American Convention Centres, this full day event brings together a range of sessions and participants to ensure the broadest possible perspective on industry conditions and facilitate strategic development in this rapidly developing region within a global context.
Attend the Marketing, Membership & Communications Conference (MMCC) to learn the smartest communication strategies and latest technology tools to engage your members and drive results for your organization. Leverage what you learn from education sessions, solution providers in the exhibit hall, and fellow attendees to boost your effectiveness and help your association reach its goals.
Accompanying clients should be decision makers/influencers of an International conference and have between 800-3000 delegates. More information will be available in September 2019 and registration opens October 2019.
Where association executives and ICCA members come together to exchange knowledge, network and get the latest news. The AES covers all aspects of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of meetings and at the same time is a unique opportunity for suppliers to understand client objectives and business cultures, and for association executives to understand how to…
Driven by a powerful 12 year history of growing influence this event is recognized as a critical forum for international sales and marketing executives and the clients, suppliers and industry observers who each year help define key challenges and solutions in a collaborative environment. A “must do” preparation for the rigors and opportunities of IMEX.
IMEX in Frankfurt begins with a full day of free education on EduMonday. Whether you want to keep up with fast-changing event trends, explore event tech, polish your professional skills or connect with your peers, our groundbreaking free programme has it covered.
Open to all event industry professionals, the forum, entitled “Event Performance: Economic, Social and Environmental Impacts” offers valuable insight into industry best practices in the area of sustainable development. A series of workshops designed to facilitate knowledge exchange between the audience and experts will take place during this one-day meeting. Participants will also enjoy a networking welcome…
XDP is a two-day business-focused experience for association professionals and their key partners. You’ll work together to co-create powerful association events and experiences that attract the right audiences, get results, and increase the success of your conferences and tradeshows. XDP features learning, connections, and business, making it an indispensable event that delivers a positive return…
The International Summer University is aimed at professionals working within the trade fair industry and provides an interactive educational platform for the exchange of strategic and operational knowledge. Industry professionals from around the world form a learning community to discuss themes that are critical to the success of the industry.
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The Asia Pacific Incentives Meetings Event – AIME is the leading trade event for the meetings and event industry in the Asia Pacific region. AIME is when industry decision makers connect, create and do business across the whole Asia Pacific region.
Get the inside edge on BONDay to help your business soar! Business Opportunity Networking Day (BONDay) is dedicated to helping exhibitors bond and learn through networking, education and shared thinking.
In recent years, the global meetings industry has begun to recognise Africa as a sought after destination. Meetings Africa showcases Africa’s diverse offering of services and products where African associations and African meetings industry professionals can partner to help transform our continent.
The event industry’s biggest and most prestigious recognition programme; the only independently audited events industry awards programme. Organised by Meetings & Incentive Travel magazine, the awards event brings together all sectors of the business to reward excellence of service and product and to enjoy fantastic cuisine, fine wines, excellent live entertainment and raise funds for charity.
Over the past 14 years, the UFI Asia-Pacific Conference has become one of the exhibition industry’s most important gatherings for learning and networking. Each year, the UFI Asia-Pacific Conference attracts around 300 leaders from organisers, venues, associations, service providers and government bodies. The next edition of the UFI Asia-Pacific Conference 2020 will take place in…
The next ICCA Scandinavian Chapter Annual Meeting will take place in Gothenburg, Sweden from 04-06 March 2020. The event is open to ICCA members and for non-members by invitation only.
Brought to you by the most experienced name in MICE events, IBTM Asia Pacific provides a gateway to the Asia Pacific meetings, incentives, conferences and events market. Meet with a curated mix of industry suppliers and pre-qualified hosted buyers and be inspired by content that will elevate your events from great to world class.
UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry is proud to announce that the second Latin-American Conference will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina in the last week of April, 2020 at Centro de Convenciones de Buenos Aires. The event will be collocated with the 17th Expoeventos Latinoamerica, one of the major exhibition industry events in…
The worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events. Expect expert speakers, brand-new ideas and plentiful inspiration at 250-plus educational and networking events – and an exhilarating exhibition. Whether you want to keep up with fast-changing event trends, explore event tech, polish your professional skills or connect with your peers, our groundbreaking free programme has it covered.
IBTM Americas brings together the who’s who of the events industry to meet in Mexico City for two days of inspiration, networking and education. All under one roof! Don’t miss your chance to be part of IBTM Americas and connect.
UFI’s annual European Conference will be held in Goteborg (Sweden) in 2020. The conference is the most international gathering of 200+ European exhibition industry leaders, and it is also attended by colleagues from Asia and the Americas. This event is geared towards providing industry updates and insights from across the region, combined with quality networking…
Brought to you by the most experienced name in MICE exhibitions, IBTM provides a gateway to the Chinese and Asia Pacific meetings, events and incentives market with IBTM China. Our aim is to immerse you in a community that, through networking, education and career development, will leave you inspired to create better events for better business.
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Based in The Netherlands, Ben Goedegebuure serves as global general manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa for Maritz Global Events. In his role, Ben provides counsel and supports global strategic solutions for clients, and contributes to the company’s business development, industry presence and thought leadership efforts. In addition, he oversees the Maritz Global…
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Dieter Hardt-Stremayr was born in 1963 in the Austrian province of Carinthia. After business-high-school he studied Business Management and Business Education at the University of Graz. He started his career in tourism as a tour-guide to European cities for an US-based tour-operator who was specialized in student-travel. After finishing both studies in 1989 he worked…
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James has 25 years’ experience in event organisation and major venue management. He began as a conference organiser for UK-based Water Research Centre organising national and international events then made a move into venue management, joining Wembley Stadium Ltd as an event manager across Wembley’s Stadium, Arena and Conference & Exhibition Centre venues, managing international…
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Prior to joining BestCities Lesley was Head of Business Tourism for Marketing Edinburgh where her key focus was sourcing and bidding for national and international conferences for the city. Recognising the impact that conferences can leave in a destination, Lesley serves on a number of committees focused on raising the profile of Scotland as a…
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Elling Hamso is Managing Partner of Event ROI Institute and a leading expert on how to measure results from meetings and events. He spends most of his time as a trainer and consultant to event agencies, associations and corporate event planners across Europe. He is currently a member of the jury of European Best Event…
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Robin has over 25 years’ experience of the events industry with the last 20 focussed on the convention sector. His career in business events has led him from the SECC in Glasgow to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), where he has spent the last seven years diversifying and growing the venue’s conference and…
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Gillian Taylor has over 25 years experience in the meetings industry spanning from Australia to the Arabian Gulf. Currently, Gillian is Director of Business Development at the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (OCEC), an iconic landmark for Muscat and the Sultanate of Oman. A new hub for Business Events, and with the Oman Convention Bureau…
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Anja was born in Germany and spent her childhood in Africa, returning to Germany to complete her formal education. In 1978, she joined her then hotel manager husband, travelling and supporting him in several countries in the Middle East, Australia, Tahiti and Asia. During the past 20 years, she has held several senior management and…
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A founding member of ICC Sydney’s leadership team, Sam developed the communications and marketing strategies that have resulted in establishing one of the business events industry’s strongest brands. Story-telling, building emotional connection and strong stakeholder engagement have been core to ICC Sydney’s successful brand development throughout its pre-opening, launch and operational phases. Sam steered the…
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Geoff Donaghy is CEO of Australia’s premier convention, exhibition and entertainment venue, ICC Sydney, which since its opening has been successfully attracting local, national and international visitors with its focus on high quality events, local produce and commitment to service excellence. He is also the Director of Convention Centres for leading venue management specialists, AEG…
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Director of Tourism, Conventions and Major Events, Tracy Halliwell joined London & Partners from Visit London, the capital’s global marketing organisation. At London & Partners, Tracy heads up London’s Tourism division, managing the event solutions team and a proactive global sales team focused on attracting discretionary business, cultural & sporting events to the capital. At…
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With 32 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Schirmacher leads Experient’s strategic plan development and implementation, as well as industry presence for Maritz Global Events. He was awarded the company’s highest honor, the Pinnacle Award, in 2005, and was inducted into the Colorado Meetings Hall of Fame in 2011 with the Lifetime Achievement Award….
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