Associations UK Congress 2025

19:30 - 20:15

Welcome Reception & Delegate Registrattion

• Badging and Registration
• Welcome drinks reception
• Introduction to the congress days ahead
• Special networking overview

09:00 - 09:30

1. Plenary: Opening Session 

• Welcome and introduction to the congress
• Keynote: An AI Vision for Membership Organisations

09:30 - 12:10

Including a break
from 10:30 - 11:10

2. Harnessing the Power of AI in Your Organization

This engaging and interactive session is designed to equip organizational leaders and professionals with the strategic insight and practical frameworks needed to harness the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence. Grounded in the concepts from Harnessing the Power of AI in Organizations by Alan King, the session explores the five-layer integration model and the Human-AI-Data Dependency Triangle. Delegates will first receive a dynamic presentation unpacking key themes from the book, exploring how AI can empower decision-making, streamline operations, and unlock innovation.

Following the presentation, attendees will collaborate in table discussions, each focusing on one layer of the five-layer model. These group activities are designed to explore AI implementation within their own organizational contexts, analyzing opportunities, risks, and ethical considerations. Insights will then be shared with the full room, promoting cross-sector learning and reflection.

Key Takeaways

• Understand the foundational models for AI integration in organizations
• Explore real-world strategies for applying AI across different organizational functions
• Identify benefits, potential pitfalls, and ethical concerns of AI deployment
• Collaborate with peers to generate actionable insights for AI adoption
• Gain visibility into current sentiment through a delegate AI readiness survey

Session leader:

Alan King

CEO, ITAA.ai

Find out more

09:30 - 12:10

Including a break
from 10:30 - 11:10

3. Sponsorship & Partnership Strategies for Event Growth & Revenue

There is always pressure to maximise revenue and leverage partnerships for larger, more profitable and more effective events. The huge work that goes into a flagship event should produce revenue that reflects the work and the prestige of your association.

In this session senior events strategists will examine the current challenges and critical issues. From this session each delegate, whether from a larger growing organisation or smaller one, will learn new ideas to increase revenue and value.

• Challenges of providing value
• Challenges faced by delegates creating and delivering what sponsors & partners want
• Critical issues, facilitated discussion on how to address them
• Examination of successes in: Sponsor packages, Partnership models, Pricing policies
• Conclusions & Actions

Session leader:

Linda Pereira

Executive Director, CPL Events & Consultancy

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09:30 - 12:10

Including a break
from 10:30 - 11:10

4. Making Membership Matter - The IMPACT Framework for Growth, Retention & Engagement

In today’s competitive environment, Associations can no longer afford to take a piecemeal approach to membership. To truly create IMPACT, associations must rethink how they communicate, collaborate, and deliver value. This session will unpack the essential ingredients for achieving meaningful growth, retention, and engagement.

We will examine:

• Language that resonates – how the words we use shape perceptions, value, and trust
• The membership experience – mapping moments that matter to foster belonging.
• Getting the benefits offer right – aligning value with members’ evolving needs.
• Harnessing data, automation, and AI – making smarter, more efficient decisions.
• Collaboration over silos – why internal teamwork is the engine of external success.

Drawing on insights from our recent membership survey into the direction of travel for associations, we’ll highlight trends, opportunities, and practical steps to ensure your organisation is ready to thrive in 2026 and beyond. Participants will leave with actionable strategies & an action plan to create a culture of impact that resonates across their membership journey.

Session leader:

Lisa Collins

Managing Director, Dovetail Creative

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12:15 - 12:45

5. Using AI to power an Association's news feed

Learn how an end-to-end content service that blends journalistic expertise with AI-sourced stories, provides an association with relevant high quality news stories from around the world. 

Amplify is working with organisations including the AAE to source stories for its Spotlight news feed, providing members a highly valuable service.  The founders of Amplify, Alan Hunter and Michael Brunt, are both highly experienced with The Times and The Economist, explain how the service works and what it does for its clients, who range from associations to professional publishers, trade organisations and companies.

Speakers:

Alan Hunter

Co-Founder, HBM Advisory

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Michael Brunt

Co-Founder, HBM Advisory

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12:15 - 12:45

6. It’s good to talk: the AI Event tool that gathers collective wisdom and conversational intelligence

We've seen only a few genuinely valuable AI tools for events, and the event organisers are pleased to be including this case study on one of the most powerful available today: Natter.

During this presentation you will learn how Natter puts thousands of people into simultaneous conversations about a particular topic or theme, and then summarises the trends of every discussion in seconds. 

• How it is being used to understand what delegates - members or the sector are thinking, feeling, and doing about an area or issue

• How human interaction and authentic conversation innately leads to solutions and consensus

• How AI can then synthesise those findings instantly, as a seamless way to give everyone a voice across diverse memberships, at events, and beyond.

Two case studies will be used to demonstrate this:

• The conversation on 'AI and Associations', where 70+ association leaders globally talk about how it is altering the trajectory of associations

• Setting the strategic path of an association through a conversation amongst their membership to prioritise issues in their industry

Speaker:

Simon Shelley

Consultant & Advisor, former Global Director of Programming, BBC Studios

Find out more

12:15 - 12:45

7. From Strategy to Reality: AMOSSHE’s Digital Transformation with ReadyMembership

If you’re tired of hearing about “digital transformation” that never translates into real change, this talk is for you.

In this session, AMOSSHE shares how they used ReadyMembership to turn their strategic plan into tangible outcomes: stronger member collaboration, a powerful professional development hub, and a unified voice influencing their sector. Get ready for a practical, honest look at what actually worked.

Join Julia Jean-Baptiste, Communications Manager at AMOSSHE, and Cheryl Quin, Head of Business Development at ReadyMembership, to learn how AMOSSHE used ReadyMembership to turn strategic intent into meaningful, measurable change.

You’ll see how ReadyMembership:

• Brought together all member services, events, resources and communications in one platform
• Enabled members to collaborate, share knowledge, and engage in community spaces
• Created a central hub for professional development that showcases expertise across the sector
• Provided the data and reporting needed to demonstrate strategic outcomes and sector influence
• Shifted staff time from administration to delivering strategic value
• When technology, member experience, and strategic goals align, associations can unlock community power, improve services, and strengthen sector influence.

Speakers:

Julia Jean-Baptiste

Communications Officer, The Association of Managers of Student Services in Higher Education

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Cheryl Quinn

Head of Business Development, ReadyMembership

12:45 - 14:00

Lunch, Networking, Exhibition & Appointments

Take this time to network with other delegates, speakers and potential business partners

14:00 - 14:30

8. Transforming member experience through AI

Membership organisations hold vast amounts of valuable knowledge - from toolkits and policy documents to reports and training materials. Yet staff and members alike often struggle to find what they need, when they need it.

Join Alex Skinner, CEO of Pixl8 Group, to see how ReadyIntelligence uses AI to help your organisation work smarter and deliver more for members.

You’ll learn how ReadyIntelligence:

• Connects instantly to all your content sources
• Surfaces accurate answers in seconds - from webpages, documents, videos and your CRM and website data
• Reveals what content and topics members value most
• Delivers deep insights into your membership and creates user-friendly reports

Discover how organisations such as UKAI and REBA are already using ReadyIntelligence to empower their teams and improve member experience.

Speaker:

Alex Skinner

Co-founder and Chief Executive, Pixl8 Group

Find out more

14:00 - 14:30

10. Driving Member Benefits: How to help members win more business (at no cost to you)

You’ll learn how a simple education-and-support framework can drive measurable business growth for members, strengthen retention, and enhance the association’s value proposition. 

A results-based case study showing how this approach is helping associations drive tangible outcomes for members by increasing revenue and more enquiries, all without cost and minimal work.

Key takeaways:

• How to deliver “value-add” member benefits with minimal admin or cost

• Learn the proven 4-step framework: educate, empower and support members to grow

• Real-life examples of measurable business growth of members

• Discover how to boost renewals and recruitment of association members

• What’s worked (and what hasn’t) across multiple sectors

Speaker:

Laura Moxham

Managing Director, Your Business Angels

Find out more

14:35 - 17:30

Including a break
from 15:35 - 16:15

11. Building Your Capacity for Successful Digital Projects

Each year, most association digital projects succeed with in most of their aims, but a significant number fail completely with huge financial losses on tech spend and reduced revenue, and a larger number don't achieve more than mediocre success.

Success in digital projects depends on more than the choice of a good supplier. This session will examine the factors that make the difference between failure or moderate achievement and success.

You will be provided practical guidance specifically for membership organisations on preparing for successful change in digital projects.

We will examine:

• Project ownership and essential roles
• Ensuring project engagement and alignment
• Planning resourcing and managing capacity
• How to involve teams across the organisation, not just the project group
• Common pitfalls to avoid when preparing for a new digital platform

Session leader:

Ben Sturt

Managing Director, Chrysalis Digital

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14:35 - 17:30

Including a break
from 15:35 - 16:15

12. Successful Outsourcing of your Conferences & Events

Outsourcing the management of a flagship event or event series is an option for many reasons: resource availability demands it; you need to professionalise your events without employing more staff; you need to take advantage of a commercial opportunity or you decide to re-focus the association on other services. Associations that already outsource events want to get better value and performance. 

Outsourcing events has many challenges and risks, some unknown or considered unimportant to even experienced events specialists.

We will examine the critical issues and approaches that define success, including:

• The various models of working with Professional Conference Organisers / Event Management companies
• Alignment of Purpose & Objectives
• Balancing Risks vs Rewards
• Legal complexities over data and IP ownership
• Best practice in the outsourcing process

Each delegate will receive copies of a best practice guide to outsourcing.

Session leader: 

Rob Eveleigh

Managing Director, Brightelm

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14:35 - 17:30

Including a break
from 15:35 - 16:15

13. Creating Valuable and Reliable Content with AI

From member updates and marketing copy to research, reports and white papers, AI is transforming how associations produce content. But with opportunity comes risk: how can you ensure quality, accuracy and value while using AI to do more with less?

In this session, we explore how associations are harnessing AI tools to support their content strategies; practical lessons, common pitfalls and what it takes to build trust in AI-generated content.  We’ll examine the most pressing challenges you are facing, alongside real examples of what’s working well.

Michael and Alan will draw on their work with associations and experience as advisors to the publishing industry, and their experience at the globally recognised titles of The Economist and The Times.

• Learn how AI can support a range of content needs, from comms to commercial
• Gain understanding of the risks and how to maintain credibility and tone of voice
• Discover lessons from peer experiences and a real-world association case studies
• Leave with practical ideas to take back and apply

Session leaders:

Michael Brunt

Co-Founder, HBM Advisory

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Alan Hunter

Co-Founder, HBM Advisory

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19:30 - 22:00

Congress Dinner

Enjoy a drinks reception with three-course dinner, networking with your peers, speakers, delegates and other participants. 

09:00 - 09:25

14. Keynote: Launch of "The Chief Event Officer's Playbook"

Sasha Frieze, and award-winning producer of conferences and events, draws on her decades of experience across a wide range of events - association, media-owned, commercial and corporate. She has created the essential guide for CEOs, Event Directors and all events specialists in associations, societies, federations and other membership organisations involved in delivering successful events.

Attend this session for the opportunity to win one of 20 of the books.

09:30 - 12:10

Including a break
from 10:30 - 11:10

15. Transforming Association Education into a Strategic Revenue Engine

Association education programs occupy a unique position in the marketplace - built on a unique understanding of the profession or trade they serve and providing value to members that for-profit training programs cannot match. Yet many associations struggle to fully capitalize on this strategic advantage. This session will equip senior leaders with proven strategies and practical frameworks to dramatically increase education program revenue while simultaneously deepening member value and brand relevance.

Sharing real-world case studies, we will learn about innovative approaches to structuring and marketing your portfolio that will transform education from a commodity offering into a strategic differentiator. You'll discover how leading associations are using storytelling to create emotional connections with learners, or thinking outside the box to reach new audiences.

Through open discussion and group activities, we will explore decision-making frameworks for evaluating program viability and strategically actioning new initiatives. Whether you're looking to optimize existing education programs or launch innovative new offerings, you'll gain immediately applicable strategies to share with your leadership team and drive measurable results.

Key Takeaways:

• Strategic frameworks for evaluating education program viability and revenue potential
• Real-world examples of associations that have successfully transformed their education economics - increasing both revenue and engagement
• Marketing and storytelling techniques that build brand equity while driving enrollment

Session Leader:

Michelle Brien

Consultant

Find out more

09:30 - 12:10

Including a break
from 10:30 - 11:10

16. The Event Transformation Blueprint: 10 Steps to Transform Your Association Event Strategy

We live in an age of deepfakes and misinformation. Live events are where real people have authentic conversations. Where the trust is. And for associations, events are where members convene and your bigger purpose is delivered.

Events have the power to inspire world leaders, change government policy and redefine the conversation in sectors from architecture to zoology.

The Event Transformation Blueprint is at the heart of Sasha’s new book The Chief Event Officer’s Playbook. Understand the framework that will take your events from outstanding logistics to delivering genuine purpose  – for participants, across your organisations and your sector.

This interactive session led by Sasha Frieze – author and award-winning events producer, and producer of over 500 association conferences - will examine the essential strategies, models, and approaches to create events where insight meets influence. Events that become the go-to gatherings for your members and the wider sector. Expect a responsive format, shaped by who’s in the room and what matters to them.

Session leader:

Sasha Frieze

Managing Director, The Business Narrative, Author, The Chief Event Officer’s Playbook

Find out more

09:30 - 12:10

Including a break
from 10:30 - 11:10

17. A Modern Membership Proposition – Designing Value that Delivers

In an era where member expectations are rapidly evolving, many associations are rethinking not just what they offer, but why and how they deliver it. Getting the benefits offer right is no longer about listing perks — it’s about building a coherent, credible, and commercial proposition that aligns with members’ real-world needs - for now and the future. 

This session will explore how to design a membership offer that is both market-responsive and market-anticipative, balancing purpose with practical value. Drawing on first-hand experiences of reshaping propositions, we’ll look at how associations can modernise their offer and build long-term loyalty.

We will examine:

• Understanding member motivations – using data, segmentation, and member insight to identify what truly drives renewal and recruitment.

• Designing a modern value proposition – aligning benefits to professional, commercial, and regulatory needs, not just tradition.

• Creating tiered and flexible models – how to structure membership to reflect value across different segments and organisations.

• Monetising value – integrating training, CPD, and events into a coherent ecosystem that supports both income and impact.

• Delivering benefits that land – ensuring operational systems, communications, and CRM platforms reinforce perceived value.

Participants will leave with practical means for assessing and reshaping their own membership offer — from concept to delivery — ensuring their association’s benefits resonate, retain, and generate sustainable growth.

Session leader:

Dave Campbell

Independent Consultant

Find out more

12:15 - 12:45

20. From Instinct to Insight: The eoa’s Journey to Smarter Member Retention using Engagement Scoring

In this session, I’ll share how the eoa has transformed its approach to member engagement and retention through a digital-first strategy anchored in engagement scoring. As our membership doubled to over 820 organisations, we faced the challenge of scaling personalised support without losing the human touch.

We’ll explore:

• How we built a scoring model from scratch using meaningful data points across events, community activity, and benefit usage.
• The shift from instinct-based account management to insight-led prioritisation.
• How we tackled bias in organisational scoring to fairly compare SMEs and large enterprises.
• Real-world applications including our “At Risk” dashboard for proactive retention.
• Lessons learned, early impact, and what success looks like in the short, mid, and long term.

Speaker:

Mr John Beattie

Director of Membership & Operations, Employee Ownership Association

Find out more

Note: An interview around this project is also included as part of the 'Making Membership Matter' session on Monday morning.

12:45 - 14:00

Lunch, Networking, Exhibition & Appointments

14:00 - 16:00

21. Creating an Effective & Profitable Hybrid Conference

Associations have a duty, to their sector, to the professionals within it, and to their own mission, to provide learning and networking opportunities as widely as possible. Hybrid for your flagship events is essential to achieve this.

Hybrid was adopted by many associations on exiting the pandemic, and many jumped straight back to in-person without resolving the issues around delivering hybrid events.

In this session we examine what it really takes to run a successful hybrid conference - not an all-bells and all-whistles production, but an effective and profitable one. 

You’ll learn practical proven successful approaches to

• Stakeholder management
• Designing virtual lounges
• Live streaming and on-demand content
• Practical tips
• Supplier strategies
• Tech truths
• Budgets
• How to bake in sustainability and EDI
• What doesn't work

Dare to design and deliver a hybrid event that’s seamless, inclusive, and engaging for a wide variety of audiences! Walk away with actionable tools, insights, and the confidence to do so!

Session leader:

Sergio Gallego Schmid

Senior Events Manager, Business Continuity Institute (BCI)

Find out more

14:00 - 16:00

22. AI to Enhance Your Event Digital Marketing

Events marketing is changing fast – AI is reshaping how we market, engage audiences, and deliver impact. This interactive session will cut through the AI noise and show you strategies and how to use tools to support your event marketing, whether for large-scale conferences or smaller events.

Across two hours, we will address:

• Practical AI tools that save time on content creation, email marketing, and social media
• How to use AI for audience insights, personalisation, and boosting ticket sales
• Real-world examples of how event organisers are using AI successfully
• Ethical and creative considerations – making sure AI works with your human expertise, not against it

You’ll leave with fresh ideas, practical processes and the confidence to start using AI in ways that are achievable for small teams and scalable for larger organisations.

Session leader and trainer:

Edwina Mullins

Partner & Trainer, SocialB

Find out more

16:05 - 16:20

24. Closing Plenary