Keynote Speakers

André Wiringa, Reverse Thinking, 10th April

CXO of Performance Solutions, the Netherlands

André Wiringa, born in 1958, has a marketing and hospitality background (BSc at Hotelschool The Hague, Netherlands, and MSc at Florida International University, Miami, USA).

André has worked in management positions for various top Hotel chains including Marriott Hotels, Holiday Inns and Hilton International. In 1987, Wiringa founded Hospitality Marketing Partners, a training and consultancy firm that originally focused on the development of the hospitality industry.

More and more international companies in retail, banking and automotive assigned projects to Wiringa’s firm, however. Therefore the company (name) was transformed into Performance Solutions (PS) at the start of this millenium.

PS helps building powerful context, and helps activitating desired brand Xperience at point of sale. PS focuses on creating a lasting culture change. In essence the context is the company. The soul. The heart. The starting point. It all originates here. So this is where we begin.

André Wiringa is the mind and engine behind the Reverse Thinking model, which has influenced/changed the way of thinking and acting of leading brands such as Nokia, Nike, Renault, Ford, ABN AMRO, Holland Casino, NH Hoteles, Golden Tulip Hotels and various international airports.

"It is my passion to help people and organisations make conscious choices. Everyone is responsible for his/her own development and performance. And for the experience that belongs to it. Development is a journey. And we like to be your guide."

Conor Kenny, Reimagining Sales, 11th April

Conor Kenny & Associates, Dublin, Ireland

Conor Kenny’s skill is in locating and growing the talent in a business. He excels in getting the best from people. Conor has worked in marketing, sales and people-development for 28 years.  An expert facilitator, speaker and motivator, Conor has worked directly with many of the world's leading brands; Baileys, Guinness, Hennessy, Tullamore Dew and Smirnoff, and leading International hotel groups and casino groups in Las Vegas and in the UK have called on his expertise. He has also worked with independent nightclub and leisure operators at home and abroad.

In 2002 he founded Conor Kenny & Associates. Today, Conor and his team are advising many of the UK and Ireland's leading hotels, hotel groups, independent hospitality operators and businesses in the service sector.

Conor, a passionate teacher and writer, is a regular contributor to numerous industry publications and in Summer of 2009 he became an official syndicated columnist for 15 global industry websites including Cornell University. In the same year he was appointed a Business Advisor and Marketing Mentor by The Irish Government’s Tourism and Development Authority. Conor is an honours graduate of University College Dublin, a keen marathon runner and just loves writing his daily Blog.

Breakout Speakers

Guy Bigwood, Dispatches from the Frontline of Sustainability, 10th April

MCI Group Sustainability Director, Barcelona, Spain

Guy’s mission is to increase the sustainability of the events industry. He is responsible for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at MCI, the world largest integrated event and association management company. With over 800 staff in 5 continents, Guy runs one of the most comprehensive CSR progammes in the industry. Recognized as a “green leader”, and one of the 50 most influential people in the meetings industry, Guy is a pioneer and expert on creating sustainable events and destinations.

Guy manages a global consulting team that advises the UN, associations, corporates, governments, convention bureaus and venues worldwide. Guy’s social, environmental and business focus has positioned MCI to become a leading global organizer and consultant of environmental, social and governance events (ESG), including over 12 climate conferences and the historic UN Climate Change Conference COP15.

He is the incoming president of the Green Meeting Industry Council, and involved in the APEX, BS8901-ISO and GRI Standard processes. When not working, Guy is to be found in the mountains rock climbing, exploring the remotest parts of the planet or tending his organic garden at his home in Barcelona.

Elena Vender Caldarelli, Green Meetings: Unleash your CSR, Build your Team, 11th April

Kontiki Incentives srl, Milan, Italy

Elena Vender Caldarelli studied at the IULM University in Milan and got a Master at La Trobe University in Melbourne. In 1994 Elena started her career as event manager. In 2000 Elena Caldarelli founded with a colleague her own incentive house. Kontiki Incentives arose from the desire to offer new programmes and motivating experiences to corporate events. Design and management of motivational programmes, team buildings, events and incentives are the core business of the company.

In 2009 Site Italy nominated Elena Caldarelli green member thanks to her expertise in charity and green team building and her involvement in green events. In 2010 Ecoeventi is released by Elena Caldarelli, Annamaria Ruffini and Stefano Ferri, a book about the strategic values of a green commitment in the mice industry, that was awarded with a special mention during the Bit2010 – International Tourism Exchange in Milan - Italy

Rob Davidson, Social Legacy, 11th April

Senior Lecturer in Business Travel & Tourism, Course Leader: MA Conference & Events Management, University of Westminster, London, UK

Rob Davidson is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Westminster which he joined in 1998, after spending nine years in France teaching at two universities and at the ESSEC-Cornell Institute of Management in Paris. He specialises in the conference and incentive travel sector, and he writes widely on this subject. He runs his own consultancy, and has undertaken research for many high-profile MICE organisations. At EIBTM each year, he launches his annual report on trends in the conference and incentive industry.

In 2005, he was nominated Meetings & Incentive Personality of the Year, at the Meetings & Incentive Travel Awards ceremony in London. For the past four years, he has featured in Conference & Incentive Travel magazine’s list of the 50 most influential people in the UK conference industry. In 2009 he was the first recipient of the Huggability award from Ovation Bear!

Miranda Ioannou, Boosting the Value of Businesses and Events using Social Media, 11th April

Managing Director, SCS Ltd, Cyprus

Known as the driving force behind “unleash potential”, the factor for development of positive, energizing motivation, Miranda Ioannou is a visionary strategist with broad experience in diverse industry sectors such as the meetings industry, non-profits, IT, publishing, and large scale projects. With an academic background in International Business, Marketing, PR, HR, IT and strategic meetings management, Miranda has more than 20 years experience in multinational organizations, the global meetings industry and the association management business in Cyprus, EMEA and the US.

Miranda helps organizations, governmental agencies and associations develop their conferences and their offerings/services, promotes the use of effective meetings as the major means of actively developing strategic business, and is very committed to developing the meeting industry in the Mediterranean area. As a consultant to the EU Commission for technology, SMB and e-enablement, Miranda promotes the role of meetings in the development of stronger ties, effective networking and synergies for the future. Miranda lectures on strategic business, management, HR, new media and meeting industry topics.

Martin Lewis, How to Create the Best Possible Image for your Business – the Key to Fantastic Media Coverage, 10th April

Managing Editor of Meetings & Incentive Travel Magazine, Managing Director of CAT Publications Ltd, London, UK

CAT Publications is a unique organisation that specialises solely in magazines, directories and a web site portal serving the conference and incentive travel markets.

Martin gained his experience as a journalist in a broad spectrum of positions after starting as a sports reporter and arrived in the conference business by accident in 1981. With colleagues he launched Meetings & Incentive Travel magazine in 1987 – voted the UK’s number one meetings magazine every year for 15 years - and formed his own company, Conference And Travel (CAT) Publications.

CAT Publications now also publishes Association Meetings International magazine, the Worldwide Convention Centres Directory, www.meetpie.com and organises The Meetings Industry Marketing Awards and The Meetings & Incentive Travel Industry Awards, which has raised more than £700,000 for Save The Children.

Martin also launched National Meetings Week in the UK, a campaign which has been replicated throughout the world and founded Meetings Industry Meeting Needs, the meetings industry’s own registered charity. The Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) presented Martin with the industry’s first ever Profile & Power Award for services to the meetings industry.

Rodolfo MUSCO, Motivation? Let’s Talk about It!, 10th April

President, Motivation & Events, Milan, Italy

Rodolfo Musco, a graduate in Economics (Fulbright Scholarship), has been a marketing manager in multinational corporations and has organized motivation campaigns, corporate conventions and incentive travels since 1965. In 1977 he joined a full incentive marketing company, and in 1979 set up his own business. Since then he has planned and managed over 1150 meetings in 5 continents and about 350 motivation campaigns. Rodolfo Musco teaches meeting management and is professor of Marketing Management at Milano-Bicocca University.

As a journalist he has produced over 950 articles on incentive, motivation and meetings issues. He is also author of various publications in the business tourism sector including ‘Theory and Practice of Incentive’. Rodolfo Musco has lectured in Europe, Africa. America, Near and Far East. He holds CMP, CMM and ROI Institute professionals certifications.

He is active in Site, is past president of the Site Italy Chapter, and was co-chair programme for the Site International Conference in Vienna. Also active in MPI, in 1989 he started the first MPI chapter outside North America. For Federcongressi, the federation of 6 meeting industry associations in Italy, he has been responsible of Professional Development and has chaired its Ethics, Education, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Professional Standards and Certifications committees.

Tasso Pappas and Linda Pereira, The Art of Sales & Negotiations - A two way street for a win-win collaboration, 10th April

Tasso Pappas, CITE

TP Consultancy, Greece

A native of Athens, Greece, Tasso has accumulated over 35 years international experience in tourism and the meetings, incentive and conference business. He has travelled in over 60 countries and held management positions in various international companies. In 1993 he created CIB Performance in Belgium, which, under his leadership, became an international DMC leader in the market. In 2003 he sold CIB Performance and now offers his services to the meetings industry as an independent consultant, trainer and speaker.

He has actively participated in the development of the meeting and incentive market, and has held various volunteer Board positions in industry associations such as ABITO (Association of Belgian Incoming Tour Operators), WATA (World Association of Travel Agents) and Site, of which he as International President in 2000. He is currently President of the Site Greek chapter.

In 1995 he received the EIBTM/ITME European Incentive Travel Personality of the Year award, and in 1996 became the third European to receive the prestigious CITE designation. For this he wrote the thesis ‘To Be or not To Be a DMC’ which has now become a successful book and seminar.

Linda Pereira

Owner, CPL Events, Portugal

Linda Pereira is the major shareholder and founder of three successful companies dedicated to international congress management and provision of services to meeting planners, with representation in Lisbon, Manchester, and Madrid and more recently Cape Verde. Linda is also a qualified educator and international speaker, and she has spent time as a professional Interpreter and advisor.

Respected internationally as a speaker she has lectured extensively in Europe and the Middle East. She also lectures and coordinates the Masters in Strategic Event Planning at the Estoril Hospitality School, and is an invited lecturer at Temple University, Westminster University where once a year she lectures a Master Class in “Strategic Meeting Planning & Management”. She recently adapted the content of the Masters course to the European Market and organises an annual intensive hands-on one-week educational seminar for the Portuguese Market, which is now attracting students from other countries.

Linda Pereira was consultant to the Azores Convention Bureau for 3 years, consultant to Sochi Convention Bureau for 2 years, and is currently consultant to the Estoril Congress Centre, and UNOTUR in Cape Verde. In 2006 she was voted one of the top 5 most influential figures in national tourism in Portugal and in 2009 she was the recipient of the Business Spirit Award in Portugal.

Mary MacGregor, Smart Buyers – Sound Programmes, 10th April

VP Business Development, BCD Meetings & Incentives, USA