AIPC’s inaugural Future Shapers pitched its solutions to the challenges faced by the convention centre management industry at the AIPC Annual Conference in Budapest. In the finale of the nine-month accelerated leadership program, Team EventShaper and Team Optimum competed to convince the industry’s CEOs and leaders to choose its proposed solutions to challenges currently faced by the industry. The two teams were judged by a panel and the audience at the conference, resulting in a tie. Both ideas have since received interest from venue and industry technology to invest in their ideas. AIPC chairman Greg O’Dell said the association had set out to provide its members with a leadership program for senior managers: “Not only have we created a hugely beneficial resource to our members, the outstanding ideas presented at the conference will also leave a meaningful legacy for our industry at large.” “The ideas, business papers and project plans that were presented to our members through the conference have delivered us a pathway to a more automated, collaborative, meaningful way to plan events and communicate with our clients,” he added.
The ideas
EventShaper: a collaboration and event management portal built by venue experts for event management professionals. EventShaper provides integrated, end to end services including booking, communication, event design and account management planning tools using real time data. Optimum: a venue business optimisation solution which assists sales teams within Convention Centres to streamline approval processes and reduce resources needed for RFPs. AIPC CEO, Sven Bossu said the AIPC Future Shapers provides members of the convention centre management industry a boost in their leadership journeys, whilst also providing an in-depth training service to AIPC member venues and legacy making solutions to the industry at large. “The AIPC Future Shapers program followed a rigorous application process that included a video pitch, a short essay and a commitment to an intensive leadership program designed to fast track the career progression of senior leaders.” Bossu said. [H2] The three phases Phase 1 – Lecture series: a lecture series self-evaluation and development workshops with leaders from within and aligned to our industry. Phase 2 – Mentoring: the participants were matched with mentors who are CEOs of the AIPC membership. Led by the Future Shapers, the guidance and advice provided by the mentors was invaluable to their growth and provided a panel to test their ideas against. Phase 3 – The industry challenge: Future Shapers split into two teams to workshop business solution ideation, business case development and project implementation planning. The graduates of the 2022 AIPC Future Shapers program are as follows:
- Stephanie Martin, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
- Mathew Haynes, ICC Sydney
- Dagmar Brožová, Prague Congress Centre
- Sandra Rae, ICC Sydney
- Saba Al Azki, Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre
- Sanny, Bali Nusa Dua Convention Centre & Bali Nusa Dua Hotel
- Danielle Henn, CSIR International Convention Centre
- Genevieve Lim, Marina Bay Sands
- Belinda Haas, Swiss Tech Convention Centre
- Dawn Lauder, Scottish Event Campus
- Jacqueline Tran, Javits Center
- Mounira Pichori, VIParis
