IMEX’s Policy Forum 2024, titled “Good meetings” not “more meetings”, took place yesterday to explore why and how the business events industry should evolve from transactional to transformative thinking, with expert speakers emphasizing the importance of AI and employing Hollywood-style ‘elevator pitches’ to drive the future evolution of the sector.
An audience of more than 110 policymakers, event owners and organizers, suppliers, destination representatives, and industry association leaders gathered at the largest Policy Forum since its inception. One of the speakers, Colja Dams, Chief Executive Officer at VOK DAMS, began by highlighting the importance of AI. He said: “AI is changing the world and it will drive live events. The more digital the world becomes, the more content we’ll be flooded with and the crazier it gets, there will be only one means of communication that’s truly authentic – and that is live events.”
Bo Kruger, owner of Moving Minds, discussed strategies on how the industry can effectively communicate the power of events. He recommended drawing inspiration from Hollywood's ‘high-pitch concept’ where a movie’s premise can be succinctly outlined and easily pitched in just a few minutes. He explained that applying this approach to events could help better communicate their impact.
The importance of aligning events with their purpose and measuring event impact to demonstrate value were also key topics raised by expert speakers Tracy Bury, Founder & CEO, Operandi Consulting, and Nicola Kastner, CEO of Event Leaders Exchange.
- Photo (left): Attendees gather at Policy Forum. Download image here
- Photo (right): Jane Cunningham, Bo Kruger and Colja Dams. Download image here
Natasha Richards, Director of Impact & Industry Relations, IMEX Group, added: “2024 is a historic election year with elections in 50 countries. The outcome of these elections has huge implications for human rights, economies, international relations, the environment, and prospects for peace in an increasingly volatile world. Now, more than ever, the business events sector must be seen as part of the good future we all want to have. The pandemic has enabled us to reinvent business events - it’s now essential to consider if it is still acceptable for our sector to claim that “all meetings are good” and explore what constitutes a good meeting to future-proof our industry.”
The Policy Forum was moderated by Jane Cunningham, Director of European Engagement at Destinations International, and took place at the Frankfurt Marriott Hotel, as part of IMEX Frankfurt.
The IMEX Policy Forum was organized in collaboration with the International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC), City Destinations Alliance (City DNA), Destinations International, German Convention Bureau (GCB), the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and Meetings Mean Business Coalition, under the auspices of Events Industry Council (EIC) and the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC).
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