London: The inaugural Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Global Medical Meetings Summit, held at ExCeL London last month, has been heralded a huge success by the organisers and delegates. ExCeL London and London & Partners hosted 50 senior medical meeting professionals over three days to enable them to meet and discuss the future of their industry and businesses.
Eight countries were represented in the delegation as the summit addressed key trends and issues that will shape the future of medical meetings and association congresses. This was the first in a series of PCMA medical summits to be held around the world.
Welcomed by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson underlined the importance of the sector to the city and showcased why it was the leading events capital of Europe. A gala dinner at Lancaster House, hosted by Secretary of State Maria Miller MP, was the highlight of the social programme, with other evening events across the Capital showcasing both traditional and contemporary, cutting-edge London.
Educational Summit
The ‘international idea exchange’ gave delegates from across Europe and North America an insight into unique issues and restrictions facing the medical world, with a strong focus on how to deliver value and knowledge at meetings.
Participants at the Summit discussed:
- How to deliver tacit knowledge that attendees must see to believe
- The value an association can bring in the future when so many resources are available online
- How data and privacy issues will impact their current and future audience members
Technology was a recurring theme with keynote Magnus Lindkvist, trend spotter and futurologist, sharing ideas on the quickening pace of progress in technology. In his session, Lindkvist challenged associations to create or compete and that those that created would see more success.
These themes continued as PCMA looked to move the education into how these trends affect medical meetings. Deborah Sexton, President and CEO of PCMA commented: “Medical meeting organisers in North America and Europe are navigating unchartered territory. The Global Medical Meetings Summit helped facilitate leaders from both continents work to understand how compliance codes and restrictions will impact their attendees and members.”
“More medical meeting attendees are engaging via virtual platforms,” Sexton continues. “In order to ensure success in the future, medical meeting planners must recognise how to help remote audience members be part of the face-to-face event, too.”
James Rees, Executive Director, ExCeL London added: “It was an honour to host such a senior delegation of medical meeting planners. London was the natural home to host this event and it was a fantastic opportunity for the city’s stakeholders to come together to demonstrate why our capital is fast becoming the number one destination of choice for such events.”
Rees continued: “We already have a strong track record of delivering successful medical meetings. This year we are hosting 20 national and international association congresses, all of which have attracted record numbers. The summit further reinforced how London and its stakeholders are aligned to not only deliver medical meetings but continues to invest in clinical funding, research and development so that our city is recognised globally as leading the way in medical excellence across all fields.”
