Skift Meetings Podcast

This episode features Brecht Putman, Senior Association Manager North America at VISITFLANDERS & Karl Vrancken, Research Manager Circular Economy at VITO The conversation focuses on the Circular Economy. Here are a few of the topics we cover: What is the circular economy? Why Flanders, as a destination looking to attract business events, is focused on the circular economy Some of the key events ta...

This episode features Ren Akinci, executive vice president, people and culture officer at Emerald, in a conversation around diversity, equity and inclusion. Here are a few of the topics we cover: Pay transparency creates equity in a company College degrees are no longer a requirement Steps to take to ensure everyone feels included How to make DE&I a focus Skift Meetings is defining the future of b...

This episode features Lisa Messina, chief sales officer at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), in a conversation around challenges and growth. Here are a few of the topics we cover: How Covid Delayed the Opening of Caesars Forum Trifecta That Will Help Attract Even More Business Events Record Breaking 2023 Breaking the Glass Ceiling as a Woman Developing Talent Skift Meetings...

Our latest report, Event Technology Made Simple, is designed to provide business event professionals with a clear and concise summary of what event technology platforms have to offer today. In this episode take a closer look at: Why we created this report The current landscape of event technology The changes to features and functionalities The deal-breaker features we identified Skift Meetings is...

This episode features Geneviève Leclerc, Co-Founder & CEO of #Meet4Impact, in a conversation about measuring the impact of business events. Here are a few of the topics we cover: Working with impact starts with questioning the destination selection process Why societal impact includes everything (sustainability, DEI, legacy, etc.) The link between social innovation and the impact of business event...

This episode features Anca Platon Trifan, founder, creator and CEO of Tree-Fan Events & head of Events: Demystified podcast, in a conversation about increasing female representation in event production. Here are a few of the topics we cover: Working from the bottom up in AV Partnering with competitors or co-opetition is the secret to success  The challenge of normalizing women in event production...

Virginie De Visscher is Senior Director of Business Development at Destination Canada Business Events. This conversation focuses on sustainability, collaboration, turning obstacles into opportunities. Here are a few of the topics we cover: Adopting a strategic approach to improving their practices Sustainability belongs to all Change is uncomfortable but we must all embrace it and the discomfort o...

David Kliman, owner of The Kliman Group and co-founder of Event Leaders Exchange (ELX). The conversation focuses on  belonging and the power of language plus more. Here are a few of the topics we cover: The need to speak the language of the c-suite and understand business objectives How event program consolidation is linked with corporate culture Why community and belonging are what makes events g...

Julie Coker is CEO and President of the San Diego Tourism Authority. The conversation focuses on the importance of community and mentorship and what it's like to break barriers and pave the way for others. Here are a few of the topics we cover: Why boycotting a destination may not always be the right move The need for inclusivity to be intentional The importance of diversity, which should always b...

This episode features Paul Van Deventer, CEO of MPI (Meeting Professionals International). The conversation focuses on proving the value of meetings to the wider business world. Here are a few of the topics we cover: How the events industry only started to learn how to tell its story after coming under attack from politicians during the 2008 financial crisis how the absence of meetings proved thei...

This episode features Panos Moutafis, co-founder and CEO at Zenus. The conversation focuses on Zenus AI. Here are a few of the topics we cover: The power of using video to study human behavior The advantages of using AI for understanding human behavior Why Zenus opted not to work with Personal Identifiable Information How the Zenus device and system works Why events offer a unique challenge with b...

Annette Gregg, CEO at SITE discusses once-in-a-lifetime experiences, trends in incentive travel, female leadership and personal missions with Skift Meetings editor-in-chief Miguel Neves. Here are a few of the topics we cover: The SITE Global Conference as a example of once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for participants How to address the imbalance of female leadership across the meetings industry Th...

This episode features Eric de Groot, managing partner and meeting designer at MindMeeting in a conversation about meeting design. Here are a few of the topics we cover: 6 reasons to use meetings, which is different to the objective of the meetings Why understanding people is so important to meeting design The importance of combining different ways of thinking to become a meeting designer Why meeti...

This episode features Kemp Gallineau, CEO at Groups360 and Drew Pinto, global sales distribution, and revenue management at Marriott International. The conversation focuses the newly announced partnership between Groups360 and Marriott International, which allows instant booking for small groups. Here are a few of the topics we cover: The benefits of instant booking to both hotels and customers Th...

This episode features Tommy Goodwin, vice president, government affairs for the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA) The conversation focuses on advocacy in the meetings industry. Here are a few of the topics we cover: Fully welcoming international exhibitors and attendees back to the U.S. Sustainability and climate change Promoting government involvement in developing the industry’s future wo...

This episode features Kai Hattendorf, CEO of UFI. The conversation focuses on global trends for the exhibition industry in 2023. Here are a few of the topics we cover: The importance of data in making a business case for trade shows The recovery and reopening of China Adopting a year-round customer approach to Moving the needle on sustainability A thought-provoking vision for the future of trade s...

This episode features Ken Holsinger, senior vice president of strategy at Freeman. The conversation focuses on attendee research. Here are a few of the topics we cover: Asking questions to large number of people live is very powerful Why it’s important to matching sentiment data and behavior data  Overall attendance is now tracking at 84% across sectors, was 65% in the Spring Business and personal...

This episode features Tim Flors, chief customer officer at Groups 360 and Oral Muir, vice president partnership development and global distribution at Hilton.  The conversation focuses on how group bookings are evolving and how the integration and partnership between Groups360 and Hilton is leading the way. Here are a few of the topics we cover: An high-level overview of how global distribution wo...

This episode features Clemi Hardie, head of pencils (CEO) at Noodle Live. Here are a few of the topics we cover: How RFID technology captured her attention and imagination, kickstarting Noodle Live Why they chose note to pivot to developing a virtual event platform during the pandemic and instead focused on reinventing their product and processes. The importance of ensuring a work/life balance for...

This episode features Marta Gomes, ICCA President and Deputy Executive Director Sales Division at VIPARIS. Here are a few of the topics we cover: The convention model for VIPARIS and Paris' position as a global business city Creating real partnerships with associations & the clients of ICCA members The need for the meetings industry to build back better and what this might mean for the ICCA model...

This episode features Al Hutchinson, CEO and president of Visit Baltimore and chair of Destinations International. The conversation focuses on the obstacles facing the industry and how important it is to come together to contribute to long-term solutions. Here are a few of the topics we cover: How the role of destination management companies has changed. Dealing with systemic racism in the industr...

With our 2023 Event Trends Summit just around the corner, we are taking a closer look at the nine trends that we will be looking at. Before we bring on our expert speakers to give their view on the trends for the year ahead, this preview identifies the trends and showcases some of the related topics. Based on the data we collected and analyzed in our State of Business Events report we see nine key...

This episode features event technologist and educator Nick Borelli. The conversation focuses on the challenges with event technology and how a human and planner-centric approach is needed to event tech to succeed. Here are a few of the topics we cover: Radical differences between planners and event technologists Unique and stress-inducing needs to event planners when it comes to technology Why we...

This is a special episode of the podcast focused on an update of the event tech sector. It was inspired by Skift Meetings editor-in-chief Miguel Neves' visit to the Event Tech Live 2022 trade show. Some of the themes covered are: The size of the event tech market after the Covid bubble Who was at the show and who was missing How education and event tech work well together The complex sales and mar...

This episode features Andrew Fleming-Brown, managing director at SWG3. The conversation focuses on venue sustainability and the power of being community led. Here are a few of the topics we cover: The community that built SWG3 and balancing for-profit venue hire and culturally led projects The Development of the area into a vibrant quarter with a clear environmental policy SWG3's unique heating sy...