The questions we continue to hear from members are around events – how do we do it, when do we return to face to face, what will the pricing look like, how is consumer confidence, what should I be thinking about, where does the risk sit?
To help guide us through this new environment, we are pleased to welcome to the AuSAE screen a line up of event specialists: Alison Gardiner, Director of Sales, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Tom Meredith, Director, Outstanding Displays, Robyn Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, Meetings & Events Australia and Michelle Blicavs, CEO, Association of Consulting Surveyors, the panel will be facilitated by Sarah Markey Hamm, CEO, ICMS.
During this live event, each of our panellists will share their perspective on the new events world and what we need to be thinking about from an organiser perspective at each level of execution.
Our panel will discuss:
- Guidelines and checklists to consider as we return to face to face events
- The importance of having open and honest conversations with your suppliers
- Delegate safety messaging and marketing
- General safety measures and who takes the lead on what
- The future of events – where will the need sit for our members
Our panel will discuss the return to face to face events from each of their unique perspectives (venue, hire, PCO, industry and association executive), giving you a complete overview of the events experience and what you need to be focusing on and asking during this time.
Meet the Speakers
Robyn Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, Meetings & Events Australia
Robyn Johnson is Chief Executive Officer of Meetings & Events Australia, the not-for-profit organisation representing 600 members in the events sector. MEA offers professional development and educational programs, accreditation and recognition. It provides a forum for members to discuss current issues to improve the delivery of events. Prior to this role Robyn was the managing director of her own event management company that organised international and national conferences for the association, government and corporate sectors.
Tom Meredith, Director, Outstanding Displays
Tom has Bachelor of Business qualifications from Griffith University, and has forged a career in the events industry having held senior leadership positions with Stadiums Queensland, Moreton Hire, and Independent Schools Qld, before establishing Outstanding Displays in 2013 with his business partner David Coulthard. An experienced Project Manager, Tom has well developed skills in project planning and logistics, and has successfully delivered large scale exhibitions, outdoor events and custom stand builds throughout Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the USA.
Michelle Blicavs, Chief Executive Officer, Association of Consulting Surveyors
Michelle Blicavs CAE is the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Consulting Surveyors for the State New South Wales and National industry body.
Michelle has been employed in the Association sector for 8 years and as a volunteer in the Not-For-Profit sector all her life, including Chairman of the Top Blokes Foundation since 2010. In 2019 Michelle was elected to the Board of AuSAE and in December became a Certified Association Executive as part of the AuSAE Taskforce seeking to bring greater recognition and training to the Association sector in Australia.
Alison Gardiner, Director of Sales, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC)
With more than 20 years involved in research and the business events sector, Alison Gardiner is one of the most experienced specialists working in the meetings and events industry in Australia.
Alison commenced her career in her native Scotland in research centre administration and continued this direction on arrival in Australia, expanding her interests to include a more marketing-focussed environment in business tourism
Previous to her joining the team at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Alison turned to the science and technology sectors to apply her marketing and sales skills to research and to commercialisation of intellectual property. Alison’s research and academic sector knowledge and experience covers many industries, including speech technology and IT, nursing and allied health, mining and exploration.
In her role as Director of Sales, Alison is responsible for harnessing and enhancing the strong sales and research expertise of both the International and National Convention Sales Teams whose activities result in the securing of 65% of Brisbane’s conference wins as well as driving the strategic agenda for the Corporate Sales Team.
Alison developed and leads the Centre’s very successful Convention Advocates Partnership, a group of eminent Australian scientists, researchers and academics who work with the Centre to attract international conferences to Brisbane and who to date have assisted in securing 101 conferences for Brisbane with an economic benefit to Queensland of $138 million.
Sarah Markey-Hamm, Chief Executive Officer, ICMS
My father founded ICMS in the dark ages of the professional conference organising industry. I emerged into the light of ICMS in 1993 after serving my “apprenticeship” of related industry experience. Value for clients has been and always will be the core of my business thinking. I relish in master planning, developing and implementing innovative events, concepts that inspire, stimulate and engage audiences.
To date, I have been Chair of ICCA Australian National Committee and have also held positions on the ICCA Meetings Advisory Group. I’ve been a board member of Business Events Council of Australia (BECA), past President of the Meeting Events Australia (MEA) Victorian Chapter. I am currently a Council member of the International Association of Professional Congress Organsiers (IAPCO).
I am passionate about supporting my husband and children in their endeavours, watching the AFL and skiing when I can!
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