EVENTS
ORGA N I S I NG E V EN T S
Meetings and event industry news for EAs
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
Welcome to the second Organising Events
addition to Chief of Staff magazine. In a
continued effort to dial you into the event
industry, we have included some key headlines
from the world of events. Andrew Heibl
introduces the idea of event legacy, we cover
news from topics that are resonating in the
industry, and event management expert Libby
Scrafft discusses the power of delegation.
CONFERENCE ORGANISING TIPS
Delegating is key
Libby Scrafft, Managing Director of VMS Event &
Conference Logistics, has more than twenty-five
years of industry experience and outlines the key
to conference success.
Content and delivery are both key to a successful
conference. The organiser not only has a responsibility
to develop the big picture and make sure the event
meets the desired outcomes, but also to make sure that
the conference runs smoothly and efficiently.
The main focus of an organiser should be on what
the content consists of, when it’s presented and who’s
delivering it. These key decisions can’t be delegated
or outsourced, and they will shape every aspect of
the conference. On the other side is delivery. There
are many logistical aspects of a conference, such as
contracting a venue, space allocation, agenda, timing,
food & beverages, accommodation, registration,
transport, communicators, speakers and more.
While the organiser needs to have a hand in
both the content and delivery of a conference,
their primary focus should be on the former. The
organisational aspects—the delivery—can be delegated
to professionals. They have experience, systems and
processes to provide a flexible and cost-effective
service, allowing an organiser to focus more on the big
picture, and less on the nuts and bolts.
VMS provides support to over 400 events a year from
20–600 delegates for single and multiple day events. S
44 Chief of Staff | Issue 3 2019
EVENT SUPPLIER NEWS
Anurak Community
Lodge takes home
environmental award
Anurak Community Lodge, in Surat Thani province,
southern Thailand, has won the 2019 SKÅL Asian Area
Environmental Award. Set in six hectares of tropical gardens,
the lodge acts a secluded nature hideaway and activities
base for the nearby Khao Sok National Park. Guests engage
in responsible minimal-impact tourism activities such as
hiking, river kayaking, cycling, rafting, jungle cooking and
exploring nearby Chiew Larn lake. At the lodge, single-use
plastics such as bags, bottles and straws are banned. It has
a recycling station, composting zone, and uses grey water
from the laundry on its vegetable and herb garden. S
Pink events company
goes green
Brisbane-based event planning company, Arinex, has gone
green by strengthening its sustainable practices. Banning
single-use plastics and carbon offsetting its conferences are
among the initiatives being rolled out. The changes will save
up to 2000 plastic cups at an average 500-person conference
managed by Arinex, as well as a reduction of printed
materials by up to 70 percent.
“We are usually known for our trademark pink uniforms,
but now we hope to be recognised as green too. We all have a
responsibility to ensure we are as environmentally conscious
as possible, which may inspire others to reduce their own
footprint too,” Roslyn McLeod OAM, Arinex Founder and
Chair said. S