Leader
Contents
Chief writer’s letter
A CHANGE IS GONNA COME
HAS AN EVENT ever changed your life?
Given you a brilliant new idea for
a start-up? Inspired you to cycle to
work? Perhaps, even, introduced you
to your future life partner?
I’m willing to bet that all of us who
have been in the industry for some
time could point to an event we’ve
attended which had a significant
impact upon our lives, or on the world
at large. But the problem with legacy
– our topic this issue – is that it’s
difficult to quantify.
There’s no easy way to demonstrate
to a board of investors the benefit of
a legacy initiative, but the impact of
an event is not measured in money
alone. After a year and a half in the
industry, the events that last in my
memory are the ones that introduced
me to new friends, new places and
new ideas – not the ones with the
highest exhibitor retention rate.
The world of association events,
which often crosses over with
academic circles, arguably has more
of a responsibility to showcase legacy.
These events deal with potentially
world-changing research, but if their
messages don’t spread further than
the conference halls, they won’t
Editorial
Editor:
Martin Fullard
Chief writer:
Stuart Wood
Business
Managing director:
Julian Agostini
Group publishing
director:
Liz Agostini
amount to much. On page 10 we meet
event tech start-up Kubify, which is
helping to spread the word.
For our cover feature, we speak to
Danish pHD student Thomas Trøst
Hansen, who is writing a thesis about
event legacy. Hansen is partnering
with the tourist board of Copenhagen
on a new Legacy Lab project, which is
intended to bridge the gap between
association event organisers and
research communities in the region.
Elsewhere, we meet IAPCO’s new
CEO Martin Boyle, and offer some
Agony Aunt advice to an eventprof
facing down the spectre of fake
conferences.
Events are a business, to be sure
– but they can be a powerful tool for
change, too. Enjoy the issue.
Designer:
Kateryna Smirnova
Production manager:
Elizabeth Nixon
Subscriptions
Subscriptions executive:
Matthew Williams
Know what I mean?
page 5
The future of history
page 6
Lasting legacy
page 8-9
Writing on the wall
page 10
Head of the family
page 13-15
Get with the programme
page 17
Dear Rob…
page 18
3
Digital
Website:
aenetwork.co.uk
Stuart Wood
Chief writer,
Association Event
Network
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