The Big Interview
What do
you do in your
free time?
I’m an avid water-skier, so when
the weather cooperates where I
live in Scotland (which is not often
enough!), I can be found on the
water with family and friends.
participate in events and provide
support on a daily basis to a vast array of
organisations. The challenge is to ensure
we don’t overstretch our resources for
the sake of it, or for fear of saying no. We
will be more strategic in the decisions
we make and the projects we take on.
Does IAPCO work to
promote legacy projects?
In a word, yes. I would qualify this,
though, as the term ‘legacy’ has been
used in so many different guises and
contexts over the past several years in
our industry. If by legacy you mean “do
we try to make the world a better place?”,
then you bet we do! I suppose the next
question would be — how?
Prior to my joining IAPCO, our mascot
Ticky the Turtle was born and has
been spreading the message to rid the
global meetings industry of single-use
plastics. Ticky is our way of promoting
UN sustainable development goal #14
(‘Life Below Water’) in a subtle manner,
while asking organisations across the
meetings supply chain to be more
proactive in their support. To date, 40
organisations have taken the pledge
and are committed to reducing single-
use plastics.
We are very proud to support the
Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC)’s
initiative in collecting submissions to
highlight the industry’s UNSDG activities.
In addition, we lend our support to the
World Obesity Federation’s Healthy
Venues campaign.
How can association event
organisers achieve meaningful
legacy from their events?
Meaningful legacy means different
things to different people, and to
different stakeholders. Let’s be honest
— sitting governments are looking for
positive stories and statistics that they
can use to deliver during their term.
Unfortunately, this is still primarily
based on immediate economic impact
from a meeting or congress being in a
city. It is much more difficult to measure
long-term legacy.
When planning our IAPCO Annual
Meeting and General Assembly, as well
as all of our EDGE Seminars around the
globe, we take the time to map out our
legacy objectives as part of the strategic
planning process, rather than a ‘bolt-
on’ afterthought. However, we are still
learning and, to be honest, could do
more in this regard.
Most destinations, venues and service
providers in the meetings supply chain
have policies and programmes in place
that can be accessed and utilised by
associations for their meetings and
congresses. I would recommend all
association executives be clear on their
own internal CSR policies and strategies,
and then communicate these openly
with destinations and service providers
well in advance.
I believe that any legacy objective,
however grand or ambitious, is only
achievable and measurable if it is clearly
defined at the outset.
www.aenetwork.co.uk
Where did
you grow up?
My family moved from the
UK to Singapore when I was just
four years old, so I was fortunate
to experience a very multi-cultural
environment at an early age and
loved every minute of it. We then
moved to Canada in the early
80s where I finished secondary
school and university, before
launching a start-up in the digital
marketing space and another in
the corporate events sector.
What’s your
go-to karaoke
song?
Well, that’s an easy one…Hothouse
Flowers – I Can See Clearly Now!
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