Interview
Igniting the AI Spark to break barriers
CMW TALKS TO CHANTAL STURK-NADEAU , NEWLY APPOINTED VICE-PRESIDENT OF SPARK AND PCMA INSIGHTS
W hat excites you most about your new role ? After 25 + years leading a DMO and an NTO , I can now leverage my knowledge and expertise with an industry association leader . I have been a PCMA member for a long time and been on their Board where I could see first hand how the team worked . Sherrif [ Karamat ] is always looking ahead and when he saw the opportunity to leverage AI for our industry , he wasn ’ t afraid to take a risk and develop a tool that could help event professionals , but also find a way to make it accessible for all .
I look forward to continuing my journey in helping elevate our industry with Spark AI as it is a tool that helps event professionals seeking to stay ahead in an increasingly AI-driven industry .
I am responsible for developing , executing and overseeing the enterprise business and brand of Spark , along with other initiatives and their consulting arm with PCMA Insights . This will allow me to collaborate with joint venture partners on strategy , product development , marketing , business development and monetisation of the business areas of responsibility .
“ AI isn ’ t going to take your job , someone using AI will .”
Below : AI can enhance event planning , personalisation and attendee engagement
What opportunities do you see in merging AI with the event management industry ? Merging AI with the event management industry provides opportunities for automation , data-driven insights and enhanced experiences . Event professionals can streamline operations , gain audience insights and deliver superior experiences by leveraging AI tools .
AI is currently shaping the way events are planned , executed and experienced . It enhances event planning , personalisation and attendee engagement . All things that are critically important for the meeting professionals to meet their goals .
How do you plan to incorporate a global perspective into your work with Spark and PCMA Insights ? PCMA has been setting the stage for global expansion already with regional directors in the EMEA , LATAM and APAC regions . I will work alongside each regional director to expand awareness of Spark benefits through business development , marketing initiatives and educational platforms ( Labs , Workshops , event sessions , etc ) in each market while collaborating with different audiences and recognising their stage of AI adoption .
For those who may not be familiar with Spark , please elaborate on what makes it stand out ? Various AI products are available , but for those looking to incorporate it into the overall event planning strategy , it is essential to ensure the respective platform is compliant to your organisation ’ s data policies . That ’ s where Spark comes into play as the industry ’ s first generative AI platform designed for event professionals by event professionals . What also differentiates Spark is the unique industry data behind it , and a user ’ s own data , which remains private .
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