EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR FOR ESTONIAN MEETING PROFESSIONALS 14 November 2013 Nordic Hotel Forum
SPEAKERS
Benita Lipps, Da Vinci Institute Benita Lipps (Belgium) is the Executive Director of the DaVinci Institute - a European network and consultancy promoting smart innovation through collaboration. With a background in non-profit management, Benita has more than 10 years of experience in managing European congresses, events, projects and networks. She is a board member of the European Society of Association Executives (ESAE), a member of the Society for Culture and Cultural Politics (Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft) and a co-founder of the European Gender Summit. Before joining the DaVinci Institute, Benita was the Head of the Conference Unit at the European Science Foundation, where she developed the ESF Research Conferences Scheme, creating quality assurance mechanisms and new partnerships, new series and new meeting formats. She is regularly invited to speak about association leadership, event and congress management and acts as independent evaluator to the European Commission.
Christoph Raudonat, VALO Business Consulting Christoph Raudonat is a management professional and consultant, focusing on change and reputation management, organizational social responsibility (OSR) and leadership development. His firm, VALO Business Consulting, specialises in supporting non-profit organizations at management level and facilitates the marriage between for-profit and non-profit approaches in management to promote organizational excellence across the board. As part of his work at VALO, he is also the Director of the European Society of Association Executives (ESAE), a non-profit organization with the goal to
provide education and networking opportunities for association professionals. Based in Brussels, Chris is deeply anchored in the international business and non-profit sector, having worked in the past for the International Young Lawyers Association (AIJA) as Executive Director as well as The World Bank in East Asia and the Pacific as Program Manager for Social and Human Development. Leadership, organizations and behaviour have been the main focus areas of his work and studies during the past years. Chris holds several degrees in Social Psychology, Law and Economics as well as an MBA from Henley Business School.
Paul Kennedy, Kennedy Integrated Solutions Paul Kennedy is Director and Owner of Kennedy Integrated Solutions a meetings industry consultancy. His consultancy focuses on destination, event and venue strategic business development and his client list is principally international. He is currently Strategic Business Consultant for the Slovenian, Sicilia and Vilnius Convention Bureaux, The Meetings Show UK and the Convene and Conventa Trade Shows as well as being Chairman of the Centaur Travel Group. Paul is very well known throughout the global meetings industry having been Group Exhibition Director for Reed Travel Exhibitions global portfolio of meetings and incentive events. Paul restructured and expanded this business to become the leading group of industry B2B events in the world taking place annually in Europe, Middle East, Asia, Australasia.. Each of the shows was award winning and had enjoyed a sustained period of growth. Paul is also well known for his period as Managing Director of the multi award winning Commonwealth Conference and Events Centre winning a total of eight UK awards. Paul ensures his businesses have been, and are, very close indeed to the clients and market they serve and ensures a close focus on strategic supply chain management. Paul has served on a number of boards and panels including four years of the Board of Directors of Meeting Professional International (MPI), and the UNWTO Steering Committee on the economic impact of the meetings industry. In June 2000 Paul became the first ever European to win an MPI International award as Leader of Tomorrow and then the first
person ever to win both this award and the Marion N. Kershner award as Chapter Leader. He was voted UK Meeting and Incentive Personality of the Year Award in 2001 a year in which he was awarded and presented with the Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Paul was placed in the Top ten of the C&IT magazine Power 50 of the leading figures in the UK conference and incentive industry for three successive years 2006-08, and also in 2008 placed in the top ten of the most influential people in the global meetings industry. Paul has an extensive network of international contacts on every continent as well as direct access to communities of international and domestic buyers through a cadre of buyer recruitment specialists with whom he works. A regular speaker and presenter Paul has presented as far a field as the USA, Canada, Australia, China, Singapore, the UAE, Oman, Jordan and in over a dozen European countries. Paul is a judge for the UK Meetings Industry Marketing Awards, and has been a regular columnist for magazines in the Europe, Africa, The Middle East and Asia. Paul has a degree in Economics, a postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies and is a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Management and the Institute of Leadership and Management. His company is a member of ICCA.
John Martinez, Shocklogic Global
John is passionate about events’ technology and innovation that would simplify the life of event organisers. He has worked in the events industry for over 25 years; as a PCO John was the MD of Congrex Holland and Chief Technology Officer of the Congrex Group. He has worked on a large number of international conferences, giving him a wealth of hands-on experience and knowledge in how to apply current technologies to the events industry. He founded Shocklogic in 1997, a specialist provider of events-specific software and technology. Currently John and his team support event organisers across the world to deliver events of up to 35,000 attendees.
Ralph Blundell, ralph blundell strategy consulting What people say about Ralph’s speaking “He has a gift ... (he) makes complex ideas understandable and meaningful.” “What he said has really made me think - I’m going to check my moral compass.” “It was like a conversation ... (I’ve) never experienced that before. Brilliant.” “Changing minds is easy, he touches hearts.” “Campfires are inspirational storytelling by innovators. Ralph sums it up.” “He cuts through the jargon ... makes business human.” “Consistently the best guest speaker we use.”
Once described as a “business guru, leadership guide and forward thinker...” Ralph prefers to say he is fortunate to be inspired by many wonderful people and experiences, and that his gift is to tell stories that make sense and pose the right questions. The founder of ralph blundell strategy consulting, Ralph has been privileged to work alongside world class clients in 9 sectors and with exceptionally gifted colleagues. In his consulting work and as a member of ebbf and other global business networks, he sees the best and worst of corporate life and leadership. Ralph has strong views about the rights and responsibilities of business and our ability to do great things, and is shocked by ntion people pay to the global powerhouse that shapes our world. Uncompromisingly critical of deliberate wrongdoing, and equally frustrated by undeserved and misinformed prejudice, he believes that business is at a turning point but has lost its way. There is genuine recognition that bad old habits have to change but precious little idea about what to do instead. “Businesses and organisations of all sorts and sizes are transforming what they do and how they do it” says Ralph. “The best leaders, their staff, clients, shareholders and communities are blazing a new trail ... the evidence is all around us. It’s time to wake up and create a new prosperity”.
Ralph challenges, inspires and entertains, and provokes thought and debate. His style is very interactive and he aims to engage his audiences in conversation. “There is nothing I welcome more than curiosity, questions, and downright disagreement; after all the best ideas arise from constructive conflict and the thoughts of many�. You can find out more about his consulting practice at www.ralphblundell.com