Strategy Development in the Hunter

COVID-19 disruption continues globally. What to do when there seems you can do nothing? Create opportunities and forge ahead with new plans.

Regional NSW, who themselves are still struggling after the summer of bushfires, offered the ideal setting for the bi-annual Strategic Meeting of senior ICMSA minds. Championed by Managing Director Emma Bowyer, the four-day program provided a fantastic framework for all Directors’ to meet to consolidate and strategise plans for ICMSA. The 2020 meeting was intense, exciting and super-charged with business strategy for ongoing planning. The management team emerged with a renewed sense of confidence and strong desire to put plans into immediate action.

Restructuring for Growth

One of the major outcomes of the Directors’ Strategic Management Meeting was determining that we needed a new role within the organisation to keep us focussed on implementing our updated strategic plan. Thus, ICMSA veteran Selina Moscatt has shifted gears and has taken on the new role of Director Business Strategy and Kate Stevens will become our sole Director Conferences.

Selina Moscatt	Kate Stevens	Tarnia Luck

A Standout Recruit Joins a Standout Team

We recently welcomed Tarnia Luck to the ICMSA team, bringing with her over 17 years of corporate communications and event experience. Tarnia has had a successful career thus far in a variety of roles, particularly with the St George Bank and Westpac Group as the National Program Manager Reward and Recognition, Corporate Relations, Human Resources.

Tarnia is a welcome addition to the Brisbane team and will work on major international events, recognising the strengths she will bring to the projects being managed by ICMSA. Tarnia will work on the World Association on Infant Mental Health Congress in 2021, the World Mining Congress in 2022, the World Congress on Down Syndrome and the International Congress on Mathematics Education, both in 2024.

Announcing the Launch of the ICMSA Internship Program

At ICMSA we are always turning towards the sun and this month also see the launch of our internship program, to be based in our Sydney Office. Applications for the program are available on the ICMSA website.

If you or someone you know has a passion for the events industry, is looking for an opportunity to start at entry level, wants to gain experience working with Australia’s leading PCO in the event management sector or is undertaking a degree requires that completion of a work placement, then head to our website and share the link.

Triumph for Medical Students

In our last issue we advised that our first virtual conference was in the planning. On 25 June MDSCx 2020 came to life with over 1,400 attendees participating online through a bespoke website which provided the portal for the four day, 16-stream program consisting of over 120 speakers. Six different virtual conferencing software platforms were required to deliver the seamlessly integrated program. ABC studios in Sydney were utilised as well as an ICMSA hosted studio in South Melbourne.

The aims of the Organising Committee were to ensure a seamless switch from the traditional in-person conference to a fully virtual conference, which emulated the best aspects of an in-person conference and had added elements that were only achievable in the virtual realm.

ICMSA individually adapted the program to best suit each session and allocated it to the corresponding delivery method, to achieve the highest quality outcome.

Industry Leadership

As an invited member of NSW Business Events Taskforce Recovery Panel, ICMSA Managing Director, Emma Bowyer, had the privilege and opportunity to work with Minister Stuart Ayres on the NSW Government Business Events Recovery Taskforce to develop guidelines to assist in economic recovery, recognising business events as an important pillar to this goal.

Together with several industry giants including Business Events Sydney CEO Lyn Lewis-Smith (Chair), ICC Sydney CEO Geoff Donaghy, representing BECA, Matt Pearce, Talk 2 Media and Past Chair of Exhibition and Event Association of Australia, the group developed and presented a plan to Premier Gladys Berejiklian and her taskforce on a “Protocols and Guidelines” Plan to re-activate NSW Business Events. Stay tuned for more announcements shortly.

Emma is devoted to the recovery of the industry and is featured in this week’s MICENET magazine for her tenacity and will continue to pave the way forward.

Emma also led a team to visit the ICC Sydney to explore the new infrastructure created by the Convention Centre to support ICMSA’s future events.

When Experience Matters

ICMS Australasia manages projects from concept through to final audit, providing expertise in attracting delegates, sponsors and exhibitors; budget and cash flow control, business and scientific program development; information, presentation, communication and staging technology. From idea generation to post-event evaluation we provide expertise, creativity and proven delivery outcomes.

If you are interested in planning a hybrid event, need help delivering a virtual event or want to bid for a new event, then pick up the phone or send us an email.

Our experience will matter.