Event planners have in the past been known as professional conference organisers, meeting managers and meeting planners. And there are literally hundreds of them in Australia!
Thumb through Meetings & Events Australia’s “Who’s Who in Meetings & Events” or let your fingers do the walking in places like the Yellow Pages and you soon discover the number of people calling themselves event planners today. So while tracking one down might be easy enough, when you’re entrusting them with organising your meetings and events – perhaps even spending hundreds of thousands of your company’s hard-earned dollars – knowing who they are and what they stand for isn’t the kind of thing you’re going to be able to get from a company name and a mission statement.
Anybody involved in devising, organising, creating and implementing meetings and events probably have a good understanding of the pleasures and pitfalls of the business. If your event planner doesn’t have good negotiation skills (for venues and suppliers), if they don’t have their head around contracts, if they don’t have a working knowledge of risk management and occupational health and safety practices, and if they don’t understand sponsorship opportunities, leveraging, marketing and delegate boosting then it may be time for you to seek out another more experienced professional practitioner.
To give prospective clients a head’s up on professional conference organisers mice.net has introduced this “know your event planner” concept where we have profiled some event planners and their companies who you may have already heard of, and others who fly “under the radar”.
The companies profiled on the following page were placed on a first-come first-serve basis. In such a competitive market it’s good to see therefore, that these organisations value the opportunity to stand above the crowd and give readers a snapshot of what it is they do.
With over 13 years of experience working in hotels and with destination management companies, I truly enjoy this industry. As the general manager of Directions for the past 4 years I passionately lead the C&I team of 12 true professionals including 3 travel consultants. At Directions we manage a diverse range of conferences and events including road-shows and incentive travel programs within Australia and internationally. We are fortunate to have a client base who love to pioneer countries before they become the trend.
Over the past 4 years I have explored 37 counties and operated over 60 programs. My most challenging program was in China over 3 years ago as we were stranded on a plane before take-off for four hours whilst the government were threatening to launch a missile!! My most memorable program was Botswana and Zambia. I thoroughly enjoy the diversity of the conferences and incentive programs we work on and sharing so many special destinations and experiences with our clients and their guests.
level 1, 11 mathieson street, camperdown, nsw 2050. p: +61 2 9565 6500 f: +61 2 9565 6567 e: susane@dcim.com.au www.dcim.com.au
Louise Telford is a corporate event specialist having managed hundreds of events during her career. Her experience has spanned many years in the hospitality/meetings & events industry including 3 years with InterContinental Hotels Group holding the position of wedding events manager. Louise’s contribution to the hotel events business has been recognised by numerous awards. With a firm background hospitality operations, Louise knows the business of conferences and events from the ground up. It was this experience, her creativity and her passion for the industry that inspired her to establish Elle Conference & Event Specialists sharing this “insider” knowledge with corporate meeting bookers.
Elle Conference & Event Specialists pride themselves on personalised service- taking time to understand each individual event needs. Louise and her team are on hand to organise everything from small events for 15 guests right through to large scale conferences across Australia and abroad. Elle Conference & Event Specialists are your one point of contact for your event, accommodation, travel and event themeing.
Elle Conference & Event Specialists – turning the ordinary into extraordinary! www.elleevents.com.au e: louise@elleevents.com.au
Ray Shaw AMM, AFMEA, MPRIA, AJA, B.Bus Comm is Chairman of Event Planners Australia with offices in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney and representation in Perth. He organised his first meeting in 1974 and started Intermedia (forerunner to Event Planners) in 1979. Ray and his team have managed some of the country’s most complex national and international meetings as well as opened gold and coal mines, new buildings, product launches and special events.
Ray is known very much as a big picture, no-nonsense, creative, business savvy, hands on and quick thinking owner. He is supported by a loyal and skilled team headed by Suzanne Best, General Manager who has been with him 25 years, Fran White, Financial Controller, 15 years, Jan Shaw, Executive Consultant 15 years, Stephanie Gurr, Executive Consultant 7 years, Lisa Grant, Guest Services, 7 years and Catherine Reilly, Client Relations, 7 years. It has, and always will be a team effort to design and deliver exceptional meetings and events. Motto – Never let the client down.
adelaide, brisbane, melbourne, sydney, perth. www.eventplanners.com.au p: 1300 365 976
Meet Sarah Markey-Hamm, one of this dynamic industry’s quiet achievers who declares her passion and driving force was inherited from her father, Barrie Markey. Working through the ICMS ranks, Sarah commenced her career as a part-time receptionist 20 years ago whilst studying and working in five-star hotels. In 2001, Sarah undertook responsibility of the overall management and day to day running of Melbourne Head Office and branch offices in Sydney and Brisbane. Sarah said one of the highlights of this industry is the amazing people you meet from all over the globe. “One of our clients has run 15 conventions with us from 250 - 4,500 delegates and is a leading specialist in his field, now that is dynamic!”
When asked her goals and aspirations, Sarah said they are quite simple “I am doing my dream job, sounds nerdy I know, but I love what I do. If someone could share their secret to the ideal family-work balance, my life would be perfect.”
84 queensbridge street southbank vic 3006 australia p: + 61 3 9682 0244 f: + 61 3 9682 0288 e: sarah@icms.com.au www.icms.com.au
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