Leading personalities from both organisations will be engaging show visitors in discussions about ways in which the meetings and events industry can develop appropriate professional skills to serve the sector which is developing at a relentless pace.
The new Institute of Event Management and the European Federation of the Associations of PCOs have joined forces to present a dedicated Conversation Zone at The Meetings Show which takes place next week at Olympia in London.
Leading personalities from both organisations will be engaging show visitors in discussions about ways in which the meetings and events industry can develop appropriate professional skills to serve the sector which is developing at a relentless pace.
The IEM will be further developing the “big conversation” it launched with spectacular visual minutes at its last Stakeholder Meeting, at the NEC Birmingham.
Members of the UK-based Creative Connections team, who devised the graphic minutes packed with ideas and inspiration, will also be on hand to develop a Meetings Show Special.
IEM Chair Susan Spibey said: “Once the Institute is up and running with a comprehensive programme of qualifications related to industry skills and professional development, we may well be able to develop European dimensions with EFAPCO and its member national associations of PCOs.
“And we are also talking to the United Networks of International Corporate Events Organisers, UNICEO, about ways in which me might be able to work together,” she added.
“It is highly appropriate that Geneva-based UNICEO will be occupying the stand next to our Conversation Zone.
“The IEM has recruited an array of British industry leaders, keen to establish an internationally-recognised qualifications programme, and if we can secure appropriate funding in the near future we could look at an autumn launch. And in the meantime we’re focused on creating a powerful, joined-up approach to convince the UK Government that as the nation’s largest events organiser they should equally support the development of the IEM.”
EFAPCO’s President, Ivo Miksa, said: “I’m delighted EFAPCO is taking part. The Meetings Show attracts an impressive range of European participants and features an enterprising mix of business and educational sessions.”
“We have already discussed ways in which EFAPCO and IEM can work together. Indeed IEM leaders including Susan Spibey, joined us in Athens for the joint HAPCO-EFAPCO ThinkFORUM, hosted by our Greek members, earlier this year.
“Last year’s Meetings Show conference sessions highlighted new measures impacting the conduct of medical meetings – notably the new PHARMA code – and underscoring the fact that the PCO is NOT dead. We are operating in a fast-evolving sector and we are here to stay, with new services and new skills!”
By intriguing coincidence, both organisations are likely to play active roles during an education session next Tuesday morning when Portuguese PCO Linda Pereira will be leading a session titled “The PCO is Dead”. She intends to examine the modern-day and future role of the PCO in the context of new and emerging business models that impact the meetings and events sector. “What does the industry expect from PCOs and what new skills do they need to develop?”
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
