Mark Cooper, a Brit with more than 25 years’ seasoning in the global meetings industry, was appointed CEO of the International Association of Conference Centres (IACC) in late 2012. He recently shared his thoughts on IACC, the meetings industry and more with Meetings Focus.
There was a concerted effort during IACC’s CEO selection process to consider a leader who has experience in the meetings industry outside of North America, where your membership is growing at its fastest rate. What can you say about the future direction of IACC regarding the emphasis you place on North America?
During the recruitment process—and all that I was told in that period and since by President Peter Stewart and others on the committee recruiting the CEO and the board—it was clear that IACC was looking for a global leader who would be based in a global city, delivering global benefits, but not specifically inside or outside of the Americas. It was believed that the officer leading the association would deliver greater benefits if based in a global city and all that can provide.
There has never been a question over diminished effort supporting our primary membership, simply that we are globalizing many of our efforts to benefit every chapter, including the Americas. All chapters will continue to receive the support and be given the opportunities a truly global organization can provide. We have seen increased attendance at the European conference by those from the Americas, as an example. PageBreak
What do you see as your greatest challenge as IACC’s leader moving forward? And how do you intend to overcome it?
IACC, like every association, must continue to deliver membership value to ensure member satisfaction is increased, and renewal is not based on the perception of value—because it is obvious to all. The global and chapter boards and I want to put much of our effort into delivering this value. Engaging with members and delivering value is high on my daily list of activities.
What can you tell me about the current status and future importance of IACC’s Emerging Trends Committee?
Emerging trends are critical to any organization and IACC is no different. Our Emerging Trends committee has been very important for us in identifying trends. The challenge is, once identified, what do we do with them? We have four primary committees which operate globally, and each is very interested in emerging trends and will be taking trends and building appropriate actions into their work.
IACC has built upon its specific venue facilities criteria to include an experience-focused element in its quality standards. How will that affect meeting planners considering an IACC property?
Our meeting environments continue to be extremely important to us and the backbone of what we have been. Our challenge, and the challenges for meeting planners, is that the learning environment is changing and we are best placed to meet the challenges that brings.
Look at universities and look at the way adult learning and the environments which are needed to support that learning is changing around the world, and how technology continues to change the way people engage with each other personally and professionally.
IACC believes passionately in the meeting environment, which must be fit for purpose, and that it is not always easy to build rigid criteria around and be flexible enough to meet changing planner needs. It is also easier to copy, and other event venues have been very good at copying many of the world-class innovations that were developed by IACC. Copying those initiatives is very flattering and IACC is proud of [their] efforts to improve their meeting environments.
What they cannot copy is the experiences that come from an IACC meeting environment that is supported by dedicated, on-site professionals focused on meetings, working with planners to deliver the best meeting experience, which also delivers the best outcomes for the client, all within the Complete Meeting Package.
Our promotion of the meeting experience in no way diminishes our belief in the meeting environment. Having the world’s best meeting environments requires the best physical environment and the best support and other benefits that create the IACC meeting experience. Planners will continue to have confidence that our dedicated meeting environments and our professional staff will deliver the best outcomes for them. PageBreak
What can you tell us about your plans for growth in the future, both in the U.S. and around the world?
Growth will come from increased member value and improved promotion of the IACC Meeting Concept, of the best physical environments, the best support staff and technology, and the flexible Complete Meeting Package. Improved communication of membership value will also help us achieve growth. Globally, which includes the Americas, we have improved representation of members at trade shows, we have improved the RFP process, which drives planner enquiries to our website and members, and we have great educational programs and great networking opportunities. We will also collect and distribute global data and trends to our members.
[Editor’s note: As this issue was going to press, IACC formally announced the launch of their new Australia-Asia-Pacific chapter; visit www.meetingstoday.com for more details.]
In your vision for IACC’s future, how would you sum up the ideal experience for a group using an IACC venue?
The word “experience” speaks to so many different levels of what an IACC member delivers to its customers. The experience our professional staff brings to the table, the experience being part of a global association brings to the latest trends in meeting environments and technologies, and the experiences that our customers have when using our member properties. Our members are dedicated to meetings, and everything we design and deliver is focused upon making them the best in the world.
What gets you the most enthused about the meetings and events industry, and heading IACC?
I think there is a lot to get excited about and to be passionate about when working in the meetings industry. Personally, some of this is born from seeing the significant contribution IACC venues make in relation to our clients achieving success from their events and the responsibility that comes with it as well. I never tire of being in venues and being surrounded by people who have come together to develop themselves and improve their businesses.
I think my passion in IACC also comes from a strong personal belief that I have achieved so much more from being a part of IACC as a member over the years than I would have without it. I have learned so much from attending events and building strong business relationships that helped me in my career, and and it is this personal experience which motivates me in my role today. I have seen many other colleagues, who like me have stayed in the industry as a direct result of self-development and building strong relationships globally, and I think any association or organization that can boast keeping the best people in the meetings industry is making an incredibly worthwhile contribution.
