ICCA Events Manager Sina Bünte will leave her home in Amsterdam, Netherlands, next month for a special reason. She’ll be headed to Nashville to take the stage along with 19 of her colleagues as they are honored as the 20 in Their Twenties class of 2018 at PCMA’s Convening Leaders. Here’s a peek into what makes her such a standout.
What do you like most about your job?
I’m very much a social person who enjoys meeting new people and getting to know other cultures. It gives me a clearer perspective about how the world works, and to be living and working in one of the world’s most prominent social and cultural melting pots — Amsterdam — amplifies this innate thirst. I feel very lucky as well that my job provides me with the opportunity to travel and see more. I get to meet many of our members several times a year, and so to me, they become like my own ICCA family.
From an organizer’s point of view, I really thrive on project management and project coordination. Working with an international team with various stakeholders to create great events has its many perks and challenges. However, nothing beats the adrenalin rush and pure excitement that I get to experience when I arrive on site and see all the months’ worth of preparations actually come to life. Watching the participants enjoying our events, gaining knowledge, and making new connections is a very gratifying experience.
What’s the best day you’ve had in the meetings industry so far?
I’ve had many great moments, but if I have to mention one in particular, that would be the last day of our conference in Japan this year. I was tasked to see through the whole event alongside managing our department, the speakers, and local partners. With 150 participants, it was the biggest conference so far that I’ve autonomously dealt with. It was a very successful conference, and to receive positive feedback and clear confirmation about what a success it was from members and other stakeholders made me feel proud and humbled at the same time. Moreover, at ICCA we create events for both professionals who are new to the field and seasoned experts in the industry. This aspect makes it equally challenging and refreshing, since involving both audiences in the whole equation results in learning and deeper understanding of the industry we’re in.
Where would you like your career to go?
My ultimate career goal is to become an events designer: a professional consultant for companies and associations who can help improve their meetings strategy and offer fresh new ideas for increased engagement and interaction. I would like to be an expert in the latest technology trends that can be used for events in order to keep on reinventing.
Additionally, I’ve always enjoyed helping people. Having said this, I would also like to teach at the university level someday, especially in central Europe, where there is a lack of event-management courses at public universities. Lastly, I’d like to generate more interest in association meetings management and make this industry more attractive to students, who potentially will be the future leaders of our field.