Each session is half a day with a refreshment break in the middle, except for those on Tuesday afternoon which are shorter with no break.
Sunday 9 June
2pm – 5.30pm
1. Medical Associations Meeting
1. Medical Associations Meeting
Medical Associations
Reimagining Your Flagship Event: Strategies and Solutions for Medical Associations
Executive Directors, together with their leadership teams around the world, have been operating in a highly volatile and uncertain environment, first having to cope with the covid pandemic and then with the ensuing economic slowdown, soaring inflation, and geopolitical disruption. In such a disruptive period, it’s no surprise that efforts to strengthen short-term resilience have dominated the agenda at many associations. Less obviously—but no less importantly— association’s leaders are having to address a range of organizational shifts that have significant implications for structures, processes, people, and their annual meeting. These shifts are both challenging and harbingers of opportunity, depending on how organizations address them.
In this session, we will learn about the major shifts and trends associations are facing with their meetings, and how to address them in the best possible way.
Objectives
- Identify the key pain points and opportunities for improving your annual event
- Learn from the successful best practices and case studies of medical association delegates
- Collaborate and network with other association executives who share similar goals and challenges
- Develop an action plan for transforming your annual event into a more engaging, impactful, and profitable experience
Session format:
- Icebreaker and introduction
- Event design evolution – what has changed after covid?
- Presenting association survey results
- Association case studies and discussion
- Break
- AI & I – are we ready for the AI revolution?
- Association case studies and discussion
- Action plan development
- Key takeaways and summary
Speakers
Ori Lahav
6.30pm – 7.30pm
Welcome Reception, Registration & Badging
Monday 10 June
9am – 12pm
3. Building an effective Strategic Partnership with your board
3. Building an effective Strategic Partnership with your board
Leadership & Governance
One of the unique and challenging aspects of serving as an association executive is building an effective partnership with your volunteer leadership. As the staff leader, you are often the continuity in the organization, but you also work for the board – a group that changes every year. Sometimes they are great partners, sometimes, there are challenges.
This session provides an opportunity to hear about effective practices that have be useful in building an effective partnership with volunteer leadership, gain insights from the experience of others, and ask questions about your unique circumstances in a safe space.
- Introduction
- Examination of the challenges faced by Executive Heads
- Critical approaches to keeping the board strategic and avoiding conflict with the executive and staff
- Ensuring the board's decision-making processes are informed and based on what's best for the association
- Break
- Governance and board management challenges specific to the now-online era
- Case studies by delegates demonstrating ways to navigate through specific challenges
- Conclusions
The format and content may be adapted to more closely match the requirements of delegates as provided in the input form.
Speakers
Jim Meffert
4. How to create Transformational Association Events that have your delegates booking early, your sponsors signing up and your sector on fire?
4. How to create Transformational Association Events that have your delegates booking early, your sponsors signing up and your sector on fire?
Conference & Events Strategy
Associations have purpose hard-wired into their very existence. But if you build it they won’t necessarily come.
As the world around us changes – cost increases, increasingly late registrations, global supply chain, geopolitical pressures, climate crisis, generational differences, shortening attention spans… how do you create an event that is both relevant to your audience and creates a significant transformation?
- What is a transformational association event?
- Who is the transformation for?
- What journey are your participants going on?
- What change are your defining and driving in your sector?
- How can you use narrative storytelling models to express the journey?
- How do you create an event narrative that succinctly articulates the change, the journey, the purpose and the difference your event makes?
- How do you design your transformation, journey and purpose into the participant experience?
- Case studies by delgates of transformational association events, presented to the room
- Break into groups to discuss your individual association’s event transformation and purpose
The format and content may be adapted to more closely match the requirements of delegates as provided in the input form.
Speakers
Sasha Frieze
5. Optimising Membership Engagement: Strategies, Metrics, and Real-World Insights
5. Optimising Membership Engagement: Strategies, Metrics, and Real-World Insights
Membership Strategy
In today's rapidly evolving landscape, associations face significant challenges in maintaining and enhancing member engagement, as shifting member needs and the rise of digital platforms transform how interactions occur. Identifying what true engagement means and measuring it effectively remain elusive for many organisations.
This session delves into the complexities of member engagement, emphasising the critical role of adapting to digital trends and understanding evolving member expectations. It offers a comprehensive view of the hurdles and opportunities that lie ahead, providing actionable insights into how to navigate this changing terrain.
Session format:
- Introduction
- Challenges in member engagement and determining what it is, presented by the Session Leader
- Analysis of the challenges specifically faced by delegates present, presented by the Session Leader
- Critical issues: facilitated discussion on how to address them
- Break
- Case studies by delegates of how they have solved challenges and added value, presented to the room
- Case study from the session leader, presented to the room
- Break into groups to discuss: Measuring, Increasing engagement (Business Member Organisations), Increasing engagement (Individual Member Organisations)
- Conclusions
The format and content may be adapted to more closely match the requirements of delegates as provided in the input form.
Speakers
Lisa Collins
6. Coaching – An introductory experience
6. Coaching – An introductory experience
Executive Skills
Have you been wondering what coaching is about or whether and how it could support you in your endeavours? If this is the case, join this taster session for a live experience.
We will expand on how and why coaching can be a stepping stone .. as well as do some practical coaching. In case you feel stuck with a question or problem, have a difficult decision to take or any other issue you wish to find a better solution for, bring it along!
Instead of giving advice, coaching aims at helping to break through limiting behaviours or thinking patterns to open up new possibilities and solutions. It can serve to develop leadership, to concretize future plans, to support motivation, clarity and self-awareness. In this session you can experience "hot seat" coaching and learn some coaching tools that you can use in any conversation.
Structure:
- Introduction session leader
- Short roundtable on motivation/expectation
- Introduction to the theory of coaching
- Coaching of a few individuals in front of the group
- Break
- Introduction into how to ask coaching questions
- Mini-speed-coaching sessions between participants
- Sharing outcomes & questions
Speakers
Lisa Kretschmann
12.15pm – 1.30pm
Appointments Session
2.30pm – 5.30pm
7. Association Data Analytics
7. Association Data Analytics
Association Strategy
Data and analytics are essential to driving your Association’s success. Your membership data contains invaluable insights into the behaviour of members and opportunities to increase engagement and revenue. This session will address the use of data in your Association, key technologies, what to measure and analyse, and how to forecast.
In this session, you will gain and understanding of:
- Tthe different uses of data – automation, reporting, prediction, compliance & audit and how mature your Association is in its use of data.
- What you need to measure and how to grow membership and engagement – renewal, recruitment, service usage, engagement scoring
- Common technologies used for data analytics – PowerBI, Tableau, Dashboards, Google Analytics
- How data can be used to predict the future and assess risk
- Considerations around ethics and the use of data
- AIs – ChatGPT, CoPilot, Tableau Pulse - and their use in membership
Session Format
Overview of Data
- Uses of data (automation, audit, analytics, prediction)
- Data Strategy
- Data and Ethics
- Table Discussion - Data Maturity Model and self-assessment (with group participation)
What to measure
- Standard measures - recruitment, retention, progression, engagement, cash flow, sensitivity, variation over time
- Case Study
- Table Discussion
Break
Technologies
- Overview of key systems
- Overview of key analytics tools
- Case Study – A data journey
- Table discussion
Prediction and forecasting
- Predictive modelling and risk
- Case Study
- Table Discussion
AI and it’s use
- ChatGPT, CoPilot, Gemini, Tableau Pulse, and current uses by membership organisations
The format and content may be adapted to more closely match the requirements of delegates as provided in the input form.
Speakers
Charles Veal
8. Associations & AI: How to get the most from AI for events, conferences, and members
8. Associations & AI: How to get the most from AI for events, conferences, and members
Conference & Events Strategy
Generative AI is set to revolutionize the way associations engage with members, plan events, and conduct conferences. The journey though is still in its infancy, full of challenges and opportunities. We aim to demystify the application of AI, focusing on harnessing its power to innovate and enhance the association experience.
In this practical session, we explore AI from a practitioner's perspective, working on actionable insights rather than just a technology discussion. The interactive session includes delegate case studies, and a collaborative breakout to develop your organization's approach to effective and ethical use of AI, now and into the future.
- Introduction
- Session Leader's vision for the future of AI and events - with the challenges
- A walkthrough of the practical applications of Generative AI
- Facilitated discussion on areas of opportunity in events, conferences and membership
- Case studies by delegates showcasing effective and reliable use of AI
- Breakout groups to develop an action plan for AI utilization and envision future possibilities.
- Conclusions
The format and content may be adapted to more closely match the requirements of delegates as provided in the input form.
Speakers
Mark Turrell
Stéphanie Kioutsoukis
9. Online Communities: Value, effect and the effort to create and maintain them
9. Online Communities: Value, effect and the effort to create and maintain them
Membership Strategy
McKinsey called community the “big idea” in marketing for the decade and there are many reasons why ‘online community’ has become so much more than a buzzphrase for member associations.
But getting the ingredients right for successful online communities requires blending art, science and most importantly, effort.
This session highlights member organisations generating value from placing community at the heart of their member offering. But it also acknowledges and addresses challenges around setting up and resourcing member communities.
We address the governance and data trade offs that associations make when using ‘free’ platforms (WhatsApp, Facebook, LinkedIn etc.) and the impact on member data, GDPR risks and other governance challenges. And we look at some of the private community platforms being used by member organisations.
Whether you have existing online communities or plan to create them, you’ll leave the session understanding how to create optimal online community conditions for different member types. You also have a framework to launch, create and sustain engaged and valuable long term member communities.
Session format:
- Introduction
- Challenges and opportunities of Online Communities presented by the Session Leader
- Challenges faced by delegates in the room, presented by the Session Leader
- Critical issues, facilitated discussion on how to address them
- Break
- Case studies by delegates of their successful communities and the challenges faced / overcome
- Case study from the session leader, presented to the room
- Break into groups to discuss: Private Community technologies, Setting up a community from scratch, Community Engagement, Volunteer-run communities, Governance and Legal issues
- Conclusions
The format and content may be adapted to more closely match the requirements of delegates as provided in the input form.
Speakers
Michelle Goodall
10. Retain & Gain – how to retain and recruit members in trade federations
10. Retain & Gain – how to retain and recruit members in trade federations
Membership Strategy
Trade federations are relying on a sound membership base for both their advocacy work and for the budget needed to run the organization. Retaining existing members and – ideally - attracting new ones is thus an absolute priority for a healthy association.
This session will help trade federation staff to better understand the risks and “whys” of losing members and developing practical strategies to delight members in order to secure a stable (and happy) membership base, as well as examinging our challenges and strategies to attract new members.
During this session, we will address:
- Why do members quit? What has triggered their decision?
- Taking stock: what are the tangible benefits your membership currently receives? Why are they crucial for them? (What they would miss out of not being a member?)
- How to go the extra mile: What does it take to make our members delighted about the services you provide? What works and what doesn’t?
- What kind of members do you / could you target - the ideal client/target group?
- How to be an ambassador of your association - how to best reach out and “pitch” to potential members
Session format:
- Introduction
- Delegates introduce themselves to their table (not to the room)
- Challenges faced by delegates in the room in terms of retaining and recruiting members, presented by the Session Leader
- 2 case studies (on retainment)
- Critical issues, facilitated discussion on retainment
- Break
- Case studies by 2 delegates on membership recruitments
- Break into groups to discuss the cases and own solutions
- Facilitated discussion on recruitment / how to be an ambassador
- Conclusions
The format and content may be adapted to more closely match the requirements of delegates as provided in the input form.
Speakers
Lisa Kretschmann
5.45pm – 6.30pm
Appointments Session
Tuesday 11 June
8.30am – 11.30am
11. Global vs Local issues: Challenges within a multinational association
11. Global vs Local issues: Challenges within a multinational association
Leadership & Governance
Technology, the ability to connect virtually, globally, global supply chain challenges, sustainability efforts, certification, regulations, etc. The challenges facing multinational associations are becoming more and more of a challenge. But the ability to deliver impact for a global industry or profession is greater now more than ever.
During our session, we will dig into the unique challenges facing associations representing perspectives from multiple nations, regions, jurisdictions. This will be an open and engaging session where we can ask questions, explore ideas that have been effective is delivering success and learn from each other.
- Introduction
- Balancing unique local issues with a desire for global consistency
- Understanding how to collaborate and not compete with each other
- Break
- How to bring the wide range of perspectives into decision-making in authentic and impactful way
- Understanding what we can do, and what we cannot do
- Conclusions
The format and content may be adapted to more closely match the requirements of delegates as provided in the input form.
Speakers
Jim Meffert
12. What's in it for me? Effective Conferences & Events Sponsorship & Exhibition Strategies
12. What's in it for me? Effective Conferences & Events Sponsorship & Exhibition Strategies
Conference & Events Strategy
Across industries large and small, more and more great brands are investing in sponsorships. In tandem, the types of sponsorships and available opportunities are changing at a rapid pace as well. However companies are driven by data collection, ROI and VFM. That means tracking value and return on investment has never been more challenging, nor more important.
Today strategic communication is at the heart of value-driven sponsorship and even the most deserving causes and content must meet the corporate objectives. It is also an increasingly ferocious and competitive landscape in continuous mutation. So how do sponsors measure impact and maximize return on investment? Traditional methodologies are antiquated. With the rise of social media sharing and OTT delivery, a complete data set is not just important, it’s essential. Of additional importance is understanding the new and evolving sponsorship landscape.
This session will explore not just the change in sponsorship opportunities but also the change in placement quality.
- Introduction
- Challenges with providing value presented by the Session Leader
- Challenges faced by delegates creating and delivering what sponsors want, presented by the Session Leader
- Critical issues, facilitated discussion on how to address them
- Break
- Case studies by delegates of their successful approaches and offerings
- Break into groups to discuss: Sponsor packages, Exhibitor value, Online packages, Successful Pricing policies
- Conclusions
The format and content may be adapted to more closely match the requirements of delegates as provided in the input form.
Speakers
Linda Pereira
13. Understanding member's needs, the board's priorities and executive's focus: Resolving disparities
13. Understanding member's needs, the board's priorities and executive's focus: Resolving disparities
Membership Strategy
In today’s rapidly changing landscape, only change is constant – and associations need to adapt better and quicker than ever before. Members’ attentions are being pulled in a million different directions which means that all associations have to work not just harder but also smarter in keeping them engaged. Steering an association in the right direction is paramount to its success, but, as association leaders, how do we know what our members really want and need? How do we overcome challenges around conflicting member needs, board priorities, and our own executive focus? How do we manage mismatched expectations?
This hands-on session explores the changing dynamics and topical challenges around member and board needs and expectations, mapping out journeys and solutions towards agile, efficient association strategies.
The session will leave you with a clear understanding of your own and your association peers’ challenges around engaging members and your board, and how to address them in an agile, transparent way – with concrete, immediate takeaways to implement in your association.
Session format:
- Introduction
- How can you scope out and understand member needs? Presented by the Session Leader
- What hurdles do you have to overcome in understanding conflicting needs and mismatched expectations? Presented by the Session Leader
- Critical issues and how to address them. Facilitated discussion
- Break
- Case studies by delegates of successful approaches and solutions
- Case study from the Session Leader
- Discussion and case studies from delegates, presented around the table / Topic tables
- Conclusions and takeways
The format and content may be adapted to more closely match the requirements of delegates as provided in the input form.
Speakers
Raisa McNab
14. From pain to gain: Strategies for success in CRM
14. From pain to gain: Strategies for success in CRM
Membership Strategy
In this session you will learn how to get the best out of your CRM for association success. Ben Sturt, a leading digital and data consultant with deep expereince in the Membership sector, will facilitate, inform and educate.
You'll uncover the foundations to setting up a successful CRM project, get to recognise common pitfalls and how they can be avoided. As you assess your business and review your CRM and whether to replace or improve, you'll almost certainly start to notice key themes where improvements can be made, both quick wins and longer term strategies. In the session we'll pick up on some of those key themes and how you can make some quick wins and planned longer term strategic improvements.
Session format:
- Introductions
- Presentation on the issues by the Session Leader
- Analysis of the delegate's situation by the Session Leader
- Issues and facilitated discussion
- Break
- Case studies presented by delegates
- Group discussion on key themes
- Conclusions
The format and content may be adapted to more closely match the requirements of delegates as provided in the input form.
Speakers
Ben Sturt
11.45am – 1pm
Appointments Session
2pm – 4pm
15. Association Success Stories: Projects from the Association Success Awards
15. Association Success Stories: Projects from the Association Success Awards
Association Strategy
A selection of Finalist projects in the International & European Association Success Awards are presented for delegate's to learn how they also can improve, develop or transform their organsation, services, events and other activities.
Projects are in the categories of:
- Digital Transformation
- Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative
- Sustainability
- New Events
- Event Developments
- Successful Long-standing Events
- Association Videos
- Podcasts
- Effective Campaigns
- Education or Professional Development Offerings
Speakers
Anca Urdea
