Just back from Berlin -- where I attended and presented at ACTE's Global Education Conference as well as StarCite's own European Leadership Symposium. What a great time, filled with networking events and meeting up with dear industry friends...and of course, benefiting from invaluable learning experiences.
First a few words about the ACTE conference, and then I'll save the news about our symposium for my next post.
At ACTE, I had the pleasure of participating in two panels, one hosted by Carlson that highlighted their recent study (StarCite partnered in the research) on meetings management opportunities, and then I moderated a panel on building risk mitigation procedures and strategies into SMMPs for companies. On the first panel, Herve Joseph-Antoine, VP, M&E EMEA, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, moderated, and he did an outstanding job. Sitting on the panel with me was Gregoire Boutin, Senior Manager, CWT Travel Management Institute. On the second panel about risk mitigation, I was the moderator, and the panelists and I discussed everything from the importance of setting policy and communicating it, to sourcing and contracting, tools and technologies, to managed payment and crisis management planning. Thanks to panelists Beate Christeleit, Corporate Travel Manager, Gambro Lundia AB; Jennifer Harper, Meetings Global Sourcing and Commodity Owner at Intel; and Kate Harris, Director of Strategic Meetings Management, EMEA for American Express. They did a fantastic job, and helped illustrate the importance of good risk management with personal examples and great information.
One thing I have to point out about this ACTE event is that I love that the educational sessions and case studies presented were all focused on the European marketplace. The approach gives attendees coming from outside the region a good education in the meetings management issues of EMEA, and it gives local attendees the chance to focus optimally on the challenges that they face.
During the conference, I also had the privilege of saying a few words before the co-hosted lunch on Tuesday, Oct. 5th, with our business partner, Orbitz For Business. Normally, executives from companies who sponsor large meals at conferences have a few minutes to pump up their companies, and a lot of times they do more harm than good by droning on and on endlessly. The result is that glazed-over look you see in peoples' eyes. Well, I learned about this early on in my career, and how important it is to keep it simple so that the audience can enjoy their glass of wine and meal. So, in my remarks, I made reference to that observation, and I gave it the "less is more" approach. Leaving the stage, the majority of that European audience laughed and applauded. People kept coming up to me afterward saying how much they appreciated that comment and my sensitivity around time.
At ACTE, StarCite also went live with our new pre-packaged SMMP for Life Sciences companies. This industry-specific strategic meetings management solution incorporates the best practices of StarCite’s array of top healthcare, pharmaceutical and life sciences clients, and is pre-configured to help companies adhere to increasing regulatory demands to track and report all expenses that involve health care professionals (HCPs). It was very exciting and created lots of buzz.
Another highlight of the conference was AirPlus International's presentation during a general session on its new whitepaper about travel management opportunities, challenges, and growth in China. There were fascinating findings about this third-largest business travel market globally (and destined to be the second largest by 2020). Thanks, by the way, to AirPlus for their lovely catered dinner in the terrace at the top of the dome of the historic Bundestag. I fulfilled a personal goal of walking to the top -- and at this private affair, I was able to do it without rubbing shoulders with crowds of tourists.
I really appreciate the way ACTE is embracing local and regional industry issues, and I admire how they're executing these international conferences. Next year: Paris. I hope to see you there!
First a few words about the ACTE conference, and then I'll save the news about our symposium for my next post.
At ACTE, I had the pleasure of participating in two panels, one hosted by Carlson that highlighted their recent study (StarCite partnered in the research) on meetings management opportunities, and then I moderated a panel on building risk mitigation procedures and strategies into SMMPs for companies. On the first panel, Herve Joseph-Antoine, VP, M&E EMEA, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, moderated, and he did an outstanding job. Sitting on the panel with me was Gregoire Boutin, Senior Manager, CWT Travel Management Institute. On the second panel about risk mitigation, I was the moderator, and the panelists and I discussed everything from the importance of setting policy and communicating it, to sourcing and contracting, tools and technologies, to managed payment and crisis management planning. Thanks to panelists Beate Christeleit, Corporate Travel Manager, Gambro Lundia AB; Jennifer Harper, Meetings Global Sourcing and Commodity Owner at Intel; and Kate Harris, Director of Strategic Meetings Management, EMEA for American Express. They did a fantastic job, and helped illustrate the importance of good risk management with personal examples and great information.
One thing I have to point out about this ACTE event is that I love that the educational sessions and case studies presented were all focused on the European marketplace. The approach gives attendees coming from outside the region a good education in the meetings management issues of EMEA, and it gives local attendees the chance to focus optimally on the challenges that they face.
During the conference, I also had the privilege of saying a few words before the co-hosted lunch on Tuesday, Oct. 5th, with our business partner, Orbitz For Business. Normally, executives from companies who sponsor large meals at conferences have a few minutes to pump up their companies, and a lot of times they do more harm than good by droning on and on endlessly. The result is that glazed-over look you see in peoples' eyes. Well, I learned about this early on in my career, and how important it is to keep it simple so that the audience can enjoy their glass of wine and meal. So, in my remarks, I made reference to that observation, and I gave it the "less is more" approach. Leaving the stage, the majority of that European audience laughed and applauded. People kept coming up to me afterward saying how much they appreciated that comment and my sensitivity around time.
At ACTE, StarCite also went live with our new pre-packaged SMMP for Life Sciences companies. This industry-specific strategic meetings management solution incorporates the best practices of StarCite’s array of top healthcare, pharmaceutical and life sciences clients, and is pre-configured to help companies adhere to increasing regulatory demands to track and report all expenses that involve health care professionals (HCPs). It was very exciting and created lots of buzz.
Another highlight of the conference was AirPlus International's presentation during a general session on its new whitepaper about travel management opportunities, challenges, and growth in China. There were fascinating findings about this third-largest business travel market globally (and destined to be the second largest by 2020). Thanks, by the way, to AirPlus for their lovely catered dinner in the terrace at the top of the dome of the historic Bundestag. I fulfilled a personal goal of walking to the top -- and at this private affair, I was able to do it without rubbing shoulders with crowds of tourists. I really appreciate the way ACTE is embracing local and regional industry issues, and I admire how they're executing these international conferences. Next year: Paris. I hope to see you there!
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