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  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 03/08/2013 • 1 Comments

    Scholarship Winner Finds Career Opportunities at EMEC

    Sophie Bunker was this year’s recipient of the MPI U.K. and Ireland Chapter Vanessa Cotton Memorial Scholarship, which afforded her the opportunity to attend the European Meetings & Events Conference (EMEC) in Montreux, Switzerland.

    “EMEC 2013 has been the biggest opportunity of my career so far,” she wrote on her blog. “It has given me that extra push and has reinforced for me that this is definitely the industry in which I want to [be]. I have met and now look up to a great amount of people, and if I can be as successful as they are, I will be happy.”

    Check out her blog, Voyage to Aotearoa, to read a robust account of her trip and the conference. And while you’re here, please let us know in the comments about your EMEC experiences. 



  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 01/23/2013 • 0 Comments

    The Power of Connectivity at EMEC

    The European Meetings & Events Conference (EMEC) is quickly approaching (still time to register!), and I thought it would be interesting to learn why certain speakers were chosen for the event.

    The opening general session, for example, features two great speakers: Bertrand Piccard and Doug Keeley. 

    "When we were going to Switzerland, his [Piccard] name came up right, front and center as the person everyone would really like to see as the keynote speaker of EMEC13," said MPI Knowledge Manager Miranda van Brück. "I personally missed seeing his speech when I attended EMEC in Brussels (MPI’s PEC-E was what it was called back then) and started to check videos on him online and read interviews with him and articles about him and was sold immediately." 

    She says that Doug Keeley was introduced through networking. 

    "Samme Allen (our U.K. and Ireland Chapter president) had seen him speak at the introduction of the Mark of the Leader in the U.K. and enthusiastically introduced us, and the rest is history," van Brück said.

    EMEC also offers several sessions that will elevate your professional and personal lives.   

    "I am enormously looking forward to so many of the sessions," van Brück said. "It is hard to put a spotlight on some when one has been so closely involved in the whole process. I am really happy that we have been able to persuade Alexander Osterwalder to join us in Montreux. I had try to bring him to one of our conferences in the past, but agendas never matched, till now! 

    "I am also very happy that Alise Long and her husband Roger will be presenting the session 'Connecting Your Global Company in One Single Event'," she continued. "Alise is a long-time MPI member and the 2012 RISE Award winner, and I find it fantastic that we can feature Alise, who is a corporate planner for DSM in her daily life at our conference. And again the power of connectivity. The connection with Alise goes back many years, when I worked as a sales manager for a conference hotel in the Netherlands and Alise was one of my main clients. We have delivered many great events together in the past, so I know how valuable it will be for our audience to hear her story and be able to learn from her."

    There are also some chapter sessions that are sure to spark engagement.

    "I am very proud that we will be able to feature some of the Best of the Best education of our chapters," van Brück said. "MPI The Netherlands and MPI Spain are sending their top scoring speakers to Montreux to have the EMEC13 participants experience where their local community back home was raving about. And to see the creativity that one of these chapters will be putting into the onsite promotion of this session is truly amazing. What a passion for MPI and their chapter!" 

    As I mentioned, there is still time to register for this great conference, and as a bonus, check out this video from 60 Minutes about Bertrand Piccard and his goal of flying a solar-powered plane around the world.



  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 01/14/2013 • 0 Comments

    Invest in Yourself: A Sneak Peek into The Solution Room

    MPI's European Meetings & Events Conference (EMEC) is quickly approaching, and there's still time to register. I suggest you do, because in addition to all the great presentations and networking, EMEC also offers attendees an exciting session called The Solution Room. It's interactive, peer-to-peer and participant-led session that puts you in the driving seat. 

    In the following video, MPI Knowledge Manager Miranda Van Brück explains during a Google Hangout how and why The Solution Room was created.



  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 11/27/2012 • 0 Comments

    Sophie Bunker Awarded 2012 Vanessa Cotton Memorial Scholarship

    Sophie Bunker

    Sophie Bunker is this year's recipient of the MPI U.K. and Ireland Chapter Vanessa Cotton Memorial Scholarship. Bunker is in her third year of a B.A. (Hons) Event Management Course at Leeds Metropolitan University and spent her last year on a work placement at Newmarket Racecourse.


    The winner was announced today by U.K. and Ireland Chapter President Elect James Samuel during the MPI cocktail reception at EIBTM. 

    “I am incredibly grateful to be given this opportunity," Bunker said. "It will be an invaluable experience. It’s important for me to attend EMEC, as I will be able to meet people from the industry and build up contacts for my future career as well as reinforce what I have been learning at university and during my placement. I would like to thank my personal tutors David Bassett and Sharon McElhinney for their help in my application and support during my work placement.”

    The scholarship is available to MPI member and non-member students currently attending a meeting industry related degree in the U.K. or Ireland. As the winner, it will provide Bunker with sponsored registration, accommodation and travel to the European Meetings and Events Conference (EMEC), which takes place in Montreux, Switzerland, Jan. 27-29, 2013.

    The Vanessa Cotton Memorial Scholarship was created in honour of U.K. event industry veteran Vanessa Cotton. The funds enhance the opportunities presented to those beginning their careers in the meeting and event industry, while creating a lasting legacy for the respected industry leader. Each collaborator in the scholarship, which includes ExCel London, Reed Travel Expo and the MPI U.K. and Ireland Chapter, have committed to the next five years, with plans to increase fundraising and send more students to EMEC.

    “We received a significant increase in applications from last year, and the quality was very high," Samuel said. "However, Sophie submitted a first-class application and showed she has a real understanding and enthusiasm for the industry. She is a worthy recipient, and we believe she will benefit a great deal from attending EMEC. I’d like to thank the judges and our sponsors for their support and allowing us to provide students with this exciting opportunity.”



  • Posted by Theresa Davis at
    12:00AM 02/07/2012 • 0 Comments

    A look back at how we re-imagined innovation

    More than 300 meeting and event professionals joined us recently in Budapest, Hungary for the European Meetings & Events Conference, and the experience left me enchanted with the city and inspired by the delegates.

    A powerful opening general session with couches and yoga balls amidst chairs for delegates to watch dance, live music, dynamic speakers and experience facilitated networking - all coupled with keynote speaker Sahar Hashemi who explained the importance of being clueless and taking leaps - was riveting.  A lady sitting next to me shared that we'd just "blown away 17 years of General Sessions" in her estimation.  And as I know that my feeble attempts here to explain what we experienced can never replace sitting in the room and feeling your hair tingle in excitement you can experience via video the general session online at http://bit.ly/WatchEMEC12 .

    As well as the opening session set the tone for EMEC 2012, each element along the way seemed to just get better.  The sustainability measures put into place through the Novotel Congress Center and the planning team were noted on many occasion from recycling efforts (battery drop offs at the elevators, back of house sorting of all bins) to the locally sourced foods the delegates enjoyed during their meals and breaks. Not to mention the great work delegates were able to do with Budapest Underguide to help feed the homeless within the city.

    Oh and the breaks!  Talk about putting innovation into practice.  Advised by Danish celebrity nutritional expert and chef Christian Bitz on catering choices, the event team in collaboration with the Novotel built out three really unique "coffee breaks".  Themed around Vitality, Brainfood and Artisanal each break transformed the MPI Cafe while the delegates were attending concurrent sessions.  When the delegates adjourned they were greeted with unique displays of unique food and beverages in a variety of choices around each theme. In the case of the Artisanal break - delegates opened session doors and entered into a vintage Hungarian marketplace to explore.

    As these unique elements blended together through the conference I feel confident saying that the delegates were truly able to experience innovative ideas being re-imagined as they learned.  And it is that experiential learning that can catapult them into activating many of these concepts, ideas or practices.  That was certainly the goal with the closing session known as "The Solution Room".  Facilitated by Ruud W. Janssen  and Mike van der Vijver (who made an early appearance at the OGS- see above), the Solution Room was a hit with more than 175 participants. Designed as an attendee-led session where each individual walks away with an actionable plan to implement towards their goals after experiencing EMEC, the Solution Room is an exceptional example of why face-to-face meetings can never completely be replaced.  Ruud has done an exceptional job of crafting a video that depicts what we experienced in Budapest.



  • Posted by Theresa Davis at
    12:00AM 01/29/2012 • 0 Comments

    The Energy of EMEC 2012

    There comes a moment before a major event when you just get the tingles.  Everything starts clicking and it's as if your actually bringing something to life.  Let me tell you readers, members and MPI fans, this is what is in the air in Budapest right now.

    I just came from the opening general session rehearsals and a little coaching with some speakers.  I'm so excited.  Also, in a hour from now we will be greeting our keynote speaker Sahar Hashemi for a luncheon with the EMEC 2012 press corp. Thrilled.  There is much to blog about and much to learn here, but I fear I'll never capture it all for the blog.  I suppose that's why it's always best to be live and living the event.  But for those that could not make it and are connecting to us digitally here are my recommendations.

    1. Follow @MPI & #EMEC12 on twitter

    2. Be sure to watch our flickr stream http://flic.kr/s/aHsjx3j6Na

    These will give you insights into the users experience and some "behind the scenes peeks" from the staff coordinating the event.

    And last but certainly not least, you can find the outstanding programs for a limited time at http://bit.ly/WatchEMEC12.  Our members will be able to access all of the content free in our Professional Development on Demand Portal in the future.

    For now I must sign off and host an amazingly talented leader and some very inquisitive press.

    Búcsú !



  • Posted by Theresa Davis at
    12:00AM 01/27/2012 • 0 Comments

    Final Preparation for EMEC 2012

     

    Upon arriving in Budapest, Hungary for European Meetings & Events Conference this year I was greeted with FREE Wi-Fi.  Then I arrive at the Novotel Hotel and was greeted with FREE Wi-Fi, then stopped into the Congress Centre and was greeted by FREE Wi-Fi.  This digital gal is excited!

    Once I looked up from checking in on foursquare and updating my twitter status I was also greeted by the beauty of this great city.  The buildings rise high and and the streets are bustling.  The gorgeous bridge over the Danube River at night was lit up like a beautiful chandelier in the city.

    Of course it's also lovely to see our European team mates again and I enjoyed the walk through of the Budapest Congress Centre. There's something about the space that has a great feeling of anticipation. As I ran into two of our speakers and they both commented on the great "vibe" of the centre.  I think it will be great to see the delegate's responses to the location as well as the Meeting Design experiment lounge and ohhhh the Opening General Session.  For those reading this who cannot attend, watch the twitter hashtag #EMEC12 and our Flickr stream for EMEC12.

    Tomorrow I will update from the media tour hosted by Hungarian National Tourism, and then more each day from EMEC 2012.  While you're here, be sure to bookmark this site: http://bit.ly/WatchEMEC12 for recorded sessions from the conference.

    All by best from Budapest!



  • Posted by Theresa Davis at
    12:00AM 01/16/2012 • 0 Comments

    Delivering on a Promise

     

    When you promise to deliver on ‘innovation’ in a dynamic city like Budapest to seasoned meeting and event professionals, it’s imperative that you deliver. And that is exactly what EMEC will do a few short weeks from now.

     

    Delegates will spend quality time among their peers and learn from some of the most unique and visionary speakers from across Europe. They will also encounter a Meeting Design Area with demonstrations of meeting-room innovations and opportunities to participate in a meeting-design experiment focused on the impact of physical positions on groups of participants. Other meeting design elements of the conference include sessions such as “Designing Interaction for High Attendance Events.”

     

    Elevating the mobile experience, MPI offers EMEC 2012 applications, now available on iPhone, iPod Touch and BlackBerry smartphones that allow delegates to evaluate speakers and sessions immediately, access social networking sites, direct message other delegates and maintain a customized diary for the conference.

     

    All of these elements and experiences are designed so European event professionals can experience live what they are learning about in dynamic sessions such as “The Revolution Starts Where?” and “Make Virtual Presentations Inspiring & Engaging.”

     

    While dining at EMEC, delegates will taste cuisine that honours Hungarian classics, which have evolved with modern cooking techniques and pairings. Attendees will experience firsthand the expertise of FlashPoint speaker and Master Class expert Chef Christian Bitz, who consulted on the entire event’s menus. Bitz is a Danish top-model-turned-guru-chef, author, speaker and television personality who has a master’s of science in nutrition and is passionate about making meetings better by choosing food that stimulates the brain. With Bitz’s guidance, the host venue will create four unique coffee breaks where delegates can experience healthy and local food. The themes: Vitality, Brain Food, Back to Nature and Artisanal.

     

    During the opening reception at the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts, delegates will experience Molecular Mixology, the latest innovation in the catering world. The practice manipulates states of matter to create new flavours, textures and visuals that enhance the drink and make the experience stimulating.


     

    Registration is open, and inspiration is just around the corner for those who want to invest time in their careers and join hundreds of other leading professionals in Budapest, 29-31 January at EMEC. More information is available at www.mpiweb.org/EMEC.



  • Posted by Theresa Davis at
    12:00AM 12/14/2011 • 0 Comments

    Get ready Europe...here we come!

     

    Serving a diverse European audience with a demanding appetite for learning and networking, EMEC 2012 will connect inventive thinkers inside and outside the industry at this annual conference held by Meeting Professionals International (MPI). Event delegates will experience, and experiment with, new meeting design formats and educational opportunities as never before. This enables them to take the time to explore new ideas and theories in a risk-free environment with colleagues before putting innovative new strategies into action.

     

    Those delegates needing to channel their entrepreneurial spirit will enjoy hearing from Sahar Hashemi, a British entrepreneur and the co-founder of Coffee Republic, who developed a £30 million turnover business. She first introduced the tea-drinking British market to U.S.-like coffee consumerism, has started innovative venture Skinny Candy and advises thousands of new business start-ups each year. But it’s Hashemi’s outlook on innovation in modern business that will prove most insightful for delegates, enabling them to look for unique opportunities they can leverage in their own business and leadership practices.

     

    Hashemi won’t be the only innovator on the main stage. Catch ground-breaking, Hungarian musical innovator Balázs Havasi—fresh from performing for 200 million at the Shanghai Expo. A TED global presenter and Guinness World Record holder, Havasi is known for his “most piano key hits in one minute” set at the Academy of Music Budapest and is described as an ambitiously thoughtful pianist and songwriter with a unique perspective when it comes to “re-imagined innovation.”

     

    Delegates who aren’t regular members of MPI will have a unique opportunity to experience some of the programming that takes place at the chapter level.  MPI capitalises on its chapters’ exceptional programmes, and has selected two from its “Best of the Best” competition to appear at EMEC. MPI France presents Mike Clanton and “Don’t Let Your Event’s Technology Zombie Control You!” focusing on successfully planning and executing technology-dependent events. Meanwhile MPI Netherlands brings Dr. Xander Kranenburg and “Beyond Digital Creativity - Mashup all your ideas,” with insights on techniques and tools that help professionals work more efficiently and enhance creative events.



  • Posted by Theresa Davis at
    12:00AM 11/15/2011 • 0 Comments

    Camaraderie + Exploration = Innovation. Re-Imagined.

     

    Every year I look forward to our annual European conference for so many reasons.  Primarily because I don't often get the chance to work face-to-face with my European MPI colleagues and it's great to be amongst such a diverse group of pros.  And also because it's always exciting to explore a new part of Europe I haven't seen, and get to mix it up in a different culture. 

    I think those are also two compelling reasons that many people attend the European Meetings & Events Conference - camaraderie & exploration.  And as we narrow in closer, and closer to 29 January 2012 I get more excited about how the team is delivering in those areas too.  All under the umbrella of Innovation. Re-Imagined.

    In recent email with our MPI Chairman, Sebastien Tondeur, he mentioned, "Innovation is key to social progress, economic development and, therefore, growth and job creation." So of course, that's incorporated in the latest press release my team and I sent out this week. <insert smiley face of your choice here>

    And it's true, but I also know that the word "innovation" gets bantered about so much in marketing and corporate lingo that it's often mind-numbing. So our wordsmith team here at HQ answered my challenge to come up with alternatives and countered me with 36 different words that also mean innovative. Some of my favorites that I think really apply to EMEC 2012 are:

    You'll see on the EMEC website that the delegate experience is organized under the topical areas Educate, Exchange and Experience, with a full slate of content  from 22 European speakers (and a few from North America) will explore special interest areas. Then, pulling from the best our European members have to offer, the Chapter Best-of-Best sessions will be choice content and speakers submitted by chapter leadership that reflect the needs specific to the European region, a design that has proven to be popular with EMEC delegates.

    Registration is available now, with early rates of €599 for members and €899 for non-members until 6 January 2012.



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