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Diversity and Inclusion: A Meetings Industry Roundtable Discussion

Few issues have dominated public debate over the past few years as much as those related to diversity and inclusion. Charged discourse is impacting every part of our culture, including the meetings industry. Last month five thought leaders gathered on a conference call to discuss the topic. From Successful Meetings…

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Panels Not Manels: Gender Equality at INBOUND 2017

INBOUND is one of the world’s most popular business events. Each year it attracts well over 20,000 attendees from more than a hundred countries to Boston. The audience is about 65 percent female, but unlike many other meetings the event’s speaker lineup is also diverse. So how did INBOUND make it happen? From Forbes…

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Legacy: Creation, Measurement and Advocacy

The term “legacy” is now becoming almost ubiquitous. Legacies are the broad set of outcomes ranging from advances in science and healthcare to creating new trade opportunities and empowering young people that far outweigh the financial impact of association meetings. The Iceberg also has a role to play in that. From Biz Events Asia…

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Trade Associations: Change Drivers, and Good for the Career

Trade associations are a great way to drive change within an industry. Joining one can also have a positive effect on your career. Carlo Zoccali, Account Director at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre, and also two term UK Chapter President of the International Live Events Association, says as much. From editor’s blog at Meetpie.com…

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ASAE’s Groundbreaking Approach to Early-Bird Event Pricing

At its Annual Meeting in Chicago, Iceberg partner ASAE unveiled a groundbreaking, or possibly foolhardy, early-bird pricing experiment to attract association meeting professionals to a future event. Register in advance, and pay nothing now. After you attend the event in April, you pay only what you think it was worth. From PCMA Convene…

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Three Questions: Vancouver Convention Centre’s Claire Smith

Claire Smith is Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at Vancouver Convention Centre, and also Chair of PCMA. Here she answers three questions: about how working with associations has changed for her over the years, about the kind of meetings her venue targets, and about the future of the association sector itself. From Boardroom…

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All Change for Associations: Ben Hainsworth

Association governance has changed dramatically in recent years and a key focus is on business sustainability, both financial and reputational. The latter is often part of any conversation about legacy. Ben Hainsworth has worked in the past for a large European medical society. Today he is Executive Director of Berlin-based PCO K.I.T. Group. From PCMA…

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Obesity Conference Creates Public Health Legacy

The 5th UK Congress on Obesity is taking place early in September at Newcastle University. The local organising committee was keen to leave a lasting legacy in the North East. So the Association for the Study of Obesity is also hosting a public event before the main conference begins. Photo: Sarah Cossom. From Boardroom…

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ESTRO: Counting Legacy in Lives Saved

The European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology is a non-profit and scientific organisation that promotes using radiation oncology to improve patient care in the treatment of cancer. There are more than 7,300 ESTRO members, which makes the group’s annual congress an opportunity to effect major change. CEO Alessandro Cortese explains. From PCMA…

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AIPC 2018: How the Global Affects the Local

Iceberg partner AIPC, the international association of congress centres, represents more than 185 venues in 60 countries. The AIPC Annual Congress fosters excellence in every aspect of centre management, and the 2018 event at ExCeL London saw about 250 delegates tackling the theme of “Strategies for a Changing World!”. From Boardroom…

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Meeting Design: Amid the Stress, Don’t Forget the Content

Planning meetings isn’t easy. So meetings about meetings remain popular and the search for new ways to improve the delegate experiences is never-ending. Meeting design has come a long way, but despite the innovative approaches available it pays to remember that content will always be king. From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…

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ETHA: Association Growth in Hub Partnerships

The European Thrombosis and Haemostasis Alliance was officially launched at the end of 2017. It’s a telling example of how international associations can expand their European and even global footprint by being more present formally in an association hub like Brussels. Thomas Reiser, Executive Director of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis, explains. From Boardroom…

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Looking Beyond the Tiers: Affordable Destinations

Tier 1 cities have much to offer meeting groups in terms of their connectivity and facilities. But all that bang takes a lot of buck. To make a big impact on a smaller budget, meeting planners should consider small and mid-sized cities. So how do you find big-city appeal in an affordable destination? From Successful Meetings…

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Three Questions: BESydney’s Lyn Lewis-Smith

Lyn Lewis-Smith is CEO of Business Events Sydney. She also devotes her energy to championing women’s rights. Here she answers three questions: about how bidding for conferences has changed and evolved over time, about emerging association meeting trends and creating value, and about hosting and participating in the Global Summit of Women. From Boardroom…

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Vegetarian Only Meetings: Further Sustainability Questions

When about 2,000 meeting delegates sat down for lunch at the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education Annual Conference, they were fed all plant-based food all conference long. In addition to the conference’s first-ever all-vegetarian menu, the organiser made another big move in 2017 by eliminating breakfast from the menu. From PCMA…

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Transforming Events: Seven Fears to Face

Fear has been described by the acronym False Expectations Appearing Real. Change is often accompanied by it, so here’s a look at seven fears that come up with big changes to meetings, conferences and trade shows. Can we can flip those fears around and think about transformation in a whole new light? From PCMA Convene…

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