Explain the role of MPI in Europe.
MPI appointed me as President of MPI’s European Council on July 1st this year. The European Council is the regional representative body of MPI’s members in Europe, Middle East and Africa. In my role I am responsible for providing recommendations on opportunities for development and growth of MPI in the region.
In May MPI launched a new vision to build a truly global meetings and events community. My duties are consistent with this strategy, which basically means continue on our path of growth – currently we are achieving nearly 20 percent annually which is unprecedented and our goal is to be at 5,000 members in 5 years time.
In Europe, MPI is already the largest meetings and events industry association with more than 20,000 members in 11 country-chapters.
Discuss the progress made by MPI since its 1972 foundation.
MPI has had a global presence since its first international chapter was opened in Toronto in 1978. We now have members in 65 countries in 68 chapters around the world. Our new vision and ongoing strategy has been, created by MPI members for MPI members. It will deliver added value to our members and to the wider meetings industry in general, by broadening the knowledge, connections and marketplace base through partnerships with planners and suppliers. By having a presence in the emerging regions of the Middle East and Asia, meeting professionals will have access to a more diverse and globalised network of resources that will ultimately make them and their businesses more successful. As a meeting professional who may not travel, the wealth of information gained through those members who do, to these emerging areas, will undoubtedly help others in their business.
How have you been going about raising standards among your members and other sectors of the meetings industry?
This really is an ongoing mission. In building the presence we have today around the world, we have always looked to continually move forward rather than stand still. Our new vision and day to day strategy has meant a number of innovations over recent months. For example, the launch of a members MPI Wiki accessed via the website provides every member with a consistent resource of free information on various subjects. We have also introduced a Blog so that members can interact with each other and debate issues or put forward a point of view. Both of these initiatives fulfil one of our key visions – to increase the community spirit whilst continually providing higher degrees of educational and networking opportunities.
We recognise that in a global industry our members also need to be plugged into global conversations and perspectives. And whether they aspire to one day become a strategic leader to meet their customers’ needs or be the very best at what they do right now, we are committed to taking MPI’s educational offerings to higher ground.
Equally, the MPI business model depends on our chapters delivering knowledge, connections and marketplace opportunities to our members and the meetings community.
What is the benefit of an MPI membership?
Membership is all about being part of the industry community both intellectually and physically, on both an international and regional scale. The MPI of today is very different from the one of the past and we recognise that our success in gaining more members is totally dependent on the resources and innovation we provide on a day to day basis to support both an individual’s personal objectives and those of their business.
Just some of these benefits include:
Accessing our community connections to knowledge, relationships and marketplaces around the world – we are the largest!
Access to a website that includes the meeting industry’s fi rst wiki where knowledge is created and shared by members. It’s interactive as well so members feel connected.
Accessing the many new MPI educational products and marketplace experiences – we will continually deliver more value to all stakeholders and higher levels of member satisfaction.
Tell me your organisation’s key goals for the next 12-18 months.
MPI is undertaking a comprehensive overhaul of all of MPI’s knowledge platforms – our publications, our Website, our event – toward the goal of increasing member success. Using programs activated by our partners or through the MPI Foundation we will deliver more compelling knowledge to our members and also to our chapters.
The result will be products and services that are relevant to our member community and globally inspiring for those members who wish to pursue a lifetime pathway to success.
Our goal is simple-elevate our conversation with our members and elevate their experiences with MPI with the ultimate objective of aiding your success.
What are the challenges faced by the meeting professional on a daily basis?
Meeting and event professionals must be concerned with realising the objectives of the meeting or event and the ROI of the event. Once those two goals are met, the rest is easy.
How do you view the role of the meeting professional in the current environment?
In today’s business environment of tightening budgets, creating a meeting or event that meets the objects and ROI is the biggest role of the meeting and events professional.
When is a meeting professional required?
A meeting and event professional will give an organisation the confi dence that the objectives and ROI will be met. These professionals have the knowledge and connections to make it happen, stay in budget and have the attendees leaving with the messages they want.
You have the prestigious title of Certified Meeting Professional CMP. What are the benefits of using a CMP to organise an event?
Meeting and event professionals who have the CMP designation show their commitment to advance in the meetings industry. Worldwide over 10,000 individuals have already received this designation which is initiated by the Convention Industry Council. They have taken the time to invest in their careers by getting this designation. They have learned cutting-edge practices, best in show knowledge and collaborated with the very best in the industry to learn all they can to meet the objectives and ROI of their organisations.
How do you see the conferencing industry moving over the next five years?
According to FutureWatch 2007, the definative market trends study for the global meetings and events industry, the industry is expected to grow for a fourth consecutive year, signalling a global economy that is strong, thriving and moving quickly to meet a variety of internal and external challenges. Planners expect to manage more meetings and see larger budgets in dollars and as a percentage of the total organisational or company budgets. Budgets are expected to increase by 21 percent for association planners and 18 percent for corporations, while spend per meeting is expected to increase by only 8 percent and 4 percent, respectively.
Globalisation is on the rise in all areas of the meetings industry. Client-side planners, meetings management and services companies, and especially hotel and resort companies expect to increase their global presence. Meeting Professionals International (MPI) was founded in 1972, and is now the meetings and events industry’s largest global community. It delivers human connections through its 68 chapters.