Held during the 2025 IMEX Policy Forum in Frankfurt, this high-level interview with urbanist, author and global advisor Prof Greg Clark CBE FAcSS provides essential geopolitical and socioeconomic context for understanding the future potential direction of Business Events and what destinations that wish to strengthen their competitive positioning need to do.
“A multiplication of opportunity in a multiplicity of places”
Prof Clark gives a high-level summary of geopolitical and socioeconomic trends and changes that will radically increase the opportunities for Business Events to become a powerful policymaking facilitator, and will open doors for industry leaders to gain a “permanent seat in place leadership teams” (which was also the theme of this year’s IMEX Policy Forum, at which Prof Clark was the keynote speaker). The future successful destinations will be “experience-rich and innovation-friendly”, an ideal mix to attract and create business events.
Further Reading:
Prof Clark recommends the following articles for those interested in learning more about this issue:
Primer on Distributed Leadership:
What Is Distributed Leadership? – The Essential Guide
Greg Clark, Harvard Business Review:
Global Cities Desperately Need New Leadership Models
Greg Clark, Connected Places Catapult:
The Century of Cities
Leo van den Berg and Luis Carvalho:
Towards Sustainable Urban Competitiveness? The Role of Organizing Capacity and Distributed Leadership
Brookings Institution:
Seizing the Moment for Place-Based Economic Policy
Harvard City Leadership:
City Leader Guide on Civic Engagement
