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Sherrif Karamat, CAE
PCMA is on a quest to create the best roadmap for supporting business events organizers in this time of disruption both within our industry and all around it.
We are passionate about this work because we know that face-to-face meetings are catalysts for economic and social progress. We talk about this a lot and I know you believe this, too: The best events, the ones that inspire and transform, are key drivers for business results and they improve our world.
With the success of our industry come challenges. Our participants’ expectations rise, adding pressure on us as organizers to constantly innovate and enable deeper engagement. Barriers to entry fall, inviting growing competition for face-to-face events and alternatives to in-person exchange.
These challenges and changes require the PCMA team to think deeply about what we’re doing, and how we can provide the best service
to you and all stakeholders in the industry. PCMA prides itself on being a champion for business events and the place where industry professionals can look for the resources and tools to enhance their own careers while advancing their organizations.
We know we can’t stand still. That’s why we’ve embarked on a research project — a listening tour, really — to best understand how to leverage our expertise, experience, and connections for the greater good.
Working with innovative business thinker Peter Sheahan and his consultancy, the Karrikins Group, we are asking members, partners, and event organizers on the outer edges of our industry to share where their businesses are headed so we can better evolve. I’m gratified to say that many of you have provided enthusiastic input, helping point us in the right direction for education and training needed for the years ahead.
We hear a need for tools to develop higher-level experience design, to continue providing game-changing content, and for data analytics to really make a difference in the way you organize and produce events. We’re committed to providing these tools for business events organizers throughout 2019 and beyond.
We are resolute about growing the business events industry in Asia Pacific, where 25 percent of all global flights originate, and in EMEA. PCMA will continue to engage future leaders in business events by supporting student initiatives, including the Singapore MICE Challenge and the North American Student Competition, held for the first time in 2018.
In October, we gathered disparate industry leaders to participate in a discussion to identify key forces influencing the business events industry over the next three to five years. We’ll share more about what experts discussed about social impact, emotional intelligence, and design in the February issue of Convene, so we can continue to help you plot your future path.
Next in Line
Speaking of future leaders, don’t miss PCMA’s annual 20 in Their Twenties class roundup. In their own words, these stellar professionals talk about why they find their work rewarding and what changes they foresee in the future of live events — from gender equity to virtual reality to Big Data.