Conference & Meetings World Issue 100 | Page 10

Show preview Imagination on show in Frankfurt IMEX PUTS EDUCATION AND IMAGINATION TO THE FORE IN FRANKFURT MEX in Frankfurt aims to bring together 14,000 industry professionals again in May for a show, that Group CEO Carina Bauer promises to be, “a melting pot of ideas, connections and shared experiences that can only happen when meeting face to face”. This year, 3,500 exhibitors from 150 countries are expected. Key exhibitor announcements will include Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre’s Economic Impact Study results, Peninsula Hotels’ new Global Art Programme and the launch of exclusive experiences for Eurostar clients. New Discovery Zone Imagination is IMEX’s Talking Point for this year and will inform show content, including the Discovery Zone, which will showcase the latest in experiential concepts and event technology. A talking robot, holographic show and 360-degree photography booth, plus an interactive art mural, are among some of the surprises in store. Attendees can explore the great outdoors while dining indoors at the show’s food court and can kick back with table football, table tennis and other games for some rest and relaxation. EduMonday Learning opportunities will begin with EduMonday, an afternoon of free professional education taking place the day before the show, on 20 May. Anne Kjaer Riechert, Co-founder and Managing Director of ReDI School of Digital Integration, will deliver a keynote at the She Means Business conference, designed to celebrate the role of women in the events industry. For the first time, MPI (Meeting 10 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / Events, Microsoft, says: ““Live events form a core part of Microsoft’s offering and the company’s investment in them is on the rise – they’re regarded as key to building and maintaining customer relationships. Our Global Events Team manages over 100 events each year and imagination is a core component of our event design process.” Professionals International), will be offering high level education sessions during EduMonday, covering event marketing, risk management and inclusivity. Erwin Steijlen, who was a huge hit at MPI’s recent European Meetings and Events Conference (EMEC) will bring his show-stopping presentation on ‘The Power of Music’. Event professionals are also invited to Association Day & Evening, to share best practice and connect with peers. ASAE, ICCA and MCI have all collaborated with IMEX to create an interactive programme, delivering three Learning Labs covering Leadership, Imagination and Knowledge. The Agency Directors Forum is designed for small to mid-size meetings and events agencies focusing on People & Talent Management, Keeping your Leadership Skills Smart, Technology for your Business and Diversity, Collaboration, Transformation. There’s also education and networking exclusively for corporate/in-house meeting and event executives at Exclusively Corporate which will include speakers from the International Olympic Committee, Barclays, Cisco and KPMG. Bob Bejan, General Manager Global ISSUE 100 IMEX takes place in Messe Frankfurt, 21-23 May 2019. Registration is free of charge. Young planners set to roar Young professionals will learn ‘how to put the roar into their career’ in the Rising Talent sessions, which will offer personal development education for planners under 35 years old. Other sessions focus on how to develop leadership qualities, and career advancement strategies, and also the impact of associations and their conferences on destinations detailing the importance of legacy. With 250 learning sessions in both English and German taking place at the show, there’s no shortage of opportunities to update knowledge and contacts. Sessions are designed across 10 tracks, including business skills, creative learning, research and trends, sustainability and wellbeing. New for this year is the Red Lab where experts from outside the events sector will deliver fresh perspectives in sessions. The importance of mindfulness in talent management will be presented by Jan Esswein, one-time monk and popular author in Germany. Emotional engagement in event design is explored by experts including James Morgan, Founder of Event Tech Lab. There’s also a new Event Innovation Lab, by EventManagerblog.com – an immersive event planning training workshop aimed at high-performance agencies and corporate event teams.