What we do must matter more
ICCA CEO SENTHIL GOPINATH SAYS INNOVATION IS KEY TO MAKING 2023 A DYNAMIC AND SUCCESSFUL YEAR
I t ’ s been a busy start to 2023 . This revelation will not necessarily take anyone by surprise , as the excitement and activity levels we witnessed last year indicates the industry is very much back on track , in terms of generating and attending in-person meetings .
The start of the year allows many of us the opportunity to explore industry trends and use what we learn to help shape our own working strategy . Of course , we always think well ahead but , as we know , the unexpected can sometimes deflect our long-term objectives . Or at least give us a more immediate objective to focus on . But we are nothing if not resilient . Early January – which already feels like an age ago - – afforded me the opportunity to define the levels of positivity and focus on what the ICCA team requires to best serve our membership . We continue to set exacting standards for ourselves and create an environment where we support , challenge , and inspire one another to be the best we can be .
2023 is going to be a busy year . In fact , it ’ s already been remarkably busy with ICCA on-the-ground activity in the Middle East , Australia , South Africa and Asia Pacific . In March it ’ s Scotland ,
“ It is not the time to consolidate ; it is the time to be bold .”
Above : Senthil Gopinath and Canada . April sees us in Portugal , Finland , and France … and then we head to Frankfurt and that great industry gathering , IMEX . Add in a Presidential Survey , new website development , a 60-year report , and a Board Meeting in Panama . So , lots to do . And I wouldn ’ t have it any other way .
As mentioned earlier , the start of year allowed me to brief my team fully about the thoughts , feelings and insights that will shape our 2023 . My key share is venues are busy , but there is nervousness out there because uncertainty remains . Complex issues around global unrest , financial challenges , professional skills and recruitment , accessibility for all … combine to present us with one simple truth : what we do must matter more . Never has the need been greater to be bold and show our members our value proposition as thought leaders , instigators , advocates , and champions of a major global industry .
We must listen to our members and use their hopes and aspirations as a working brief , so we create dynamic new narratives that will fire their imaginations . We must focus on innovation . I am excited to say , to bolster this commitment , ICCA is working on a high-visibility partnership to showcase innovation at our upcoming global events . I ’ ll reveal more , nearer the time .
Innovation requires creativity , application , and a genuine desire to do things differently . We want to be agents of change , not just for our industry but for society in general . That is why Legacy is integral to how an event is planned , where it is staged , and what it achieves . Our commitment to knowledge sharing and building trust allows us to focus more on the power and potential of innovation . It ’ s what I told my staff in January . Let us be the innovators .
2022 was a time of great excitement and relief . 2023 will be very different . It is not the time to consolidate . It is the time to be bold . To push onwards . To innovate .
ISSUE 123 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / 9