'New work' at IMEX Frankfurt

IMEX, the worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events, returns to Frankfurt from 21–23 May 2019, with exhibitors and planners set to meet with over 3,500 suppliers from every sector of the global meetings and events industry. IMEX’s pre-show education day, EduMonday, will take place on 20 May and includes She Means Business – a conference celebrating the role of women in the meetings industry. The EduMonday programme offers learning opportunities in both German and English. Organisers say the 2019 edition of the show will also feature many of the content ideas and feedback received this year. Topics such as diversity and inclusion, collaboration and co-creation, as well as the circular economy, will all be explored. “We know that the German market has its own business drivers and priorities, so we’ll be addressing these in our programming. ‘New Work’ is just one example. It describes the challenge many companies face in adapting established business models to suit today’s new world of work and the expectations of a younger, more purpose-driven workforce. This is a big topic given Germany’s mature economy,” says Carina Bauer, IMEX Group CEO. “We’ll also be integrating specialist education streams into the show, with workshops designed for association executives, corporate event planners and live event agency planners taking place on given days so that they can be blended more easily with exhibitor appointments. Experiential continues to be a huge trend so we’re looking to develop our Live Zone offering too,” continues Bauer. Also returning for 2019, having been trialled in 2018, is the Agency Directors Forum. This allows a select group of senior planners from small to mid-size meetings and live events agencies to engage in high level peer-to-peer discussion. IMEX will also be offering dedicated professional development and networking programmes for association meetings executives plus corporate meetings and events professionals. Registration is free and opens at the beginning of January 2019. www.imex-frankfurt.com