NGL
NGL Grant team 2024 getting to grips with impact of AI
EW talks to senior marketing and communications manager at ICC Sydney , Lesley Gurney , one of UFI ’ s current crop of 2024 NGL ( New Generation Leaders ) Grant recipients
Congratulations on being one of the recipients of the 2024 NGL Grant . What does this recognition mean to you ? It is an incredible honour . Personally , it was validation that the UFI judges saw my passion for this industry and dedication to this AI project . Professionally , this recognition opens doors to new opportunities and collaborations and will allow us to make meaningful contributions to our industry .
How do you plan to leverage the insights and opportunities from the NGL Grant to drive innovation within your organisation in Sydney ? I ’ m hoping our learnings and AI solutions presented will serve as a catalyst to further drive strategic integration of artificial intelligence across operations at ICC Sydney and the broader industry . I ’ m excited
NGL Grant programme what we can uncover as a group and am already learning so much . As a marketing department , we ’ ll be embracing AI technologies to implement more data driven strategies to inform our campaigns and gain deeper insights into client and attendee preferences and behaviours . For the wider organisation , I hope we can utilise our AI learnings to elevate event experiences and optimise operations .
The NGL Grant focuses on the strategic and operational potential of AI in the exhibition and business events industry . What impacts could AI have in this field ? AI is having a significant impact across various sectors and industries for several reasons , whether its predictive capabilities , personalisation , or efficiency it ' s reshaping business models , creating
The UFI NGL programme is a talent accelerator programme . This year ’ s mission is to assess the strategic and operational potentials of AI in the exhibitions and business events industry .
The mission was developed through discussions with industry leaders , support from the UFI team , and an in-person workshop during the UFI European Conference , 11-13 June in Zurich , Switzerland .
Participants are now working through a seven-month long project which ends with a group presentation at the UFI Global Congress in Cologne , Germany , 20-23 November 2024
Right : Lesley Gurney
“ AI is having a significant impact across various sectors , whether it ' s predictive capabilities , personalisation , or reshaping business models , it is creating new opportunities and challenging traditional practices .” new opportunities and challenging traditional practices . I can ’ t give too much away here , as we ’ re still in the project discovery phase , but make sure you attend the UFI Global Congress in Cologne to find out !
How do you plan to collaborate with your fellow NGL grantees on the AI-focused project ? We had the opportunity to meet with some of the previous NGL Winners and it was inspiring to hear their experiences . We can ’ t wait to unpack our AI project over the coming months .
With a diverse mix of industry departments and global representation in this year ’ s NGL team , our goal will be to synergise efforts , explore new AI frontiers and deliver an impactful result at the UFI Global Congress .
What advice would you give to young professionals in the exhibition industry who aspire to be future leaders and potentially receive the NGL Grant ? My advice for young professionals would be just keep striving for advancement and self-improvement , commit to continuous learning and build a strong , supportive network . If you see an opportunity go for it , you never know where something will lead you . Also , seek out mentors and take ownership of your professional development . EW
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