BVEP Blog

Testing Time
- Details
- Category: BVEP Blog
- Published: 17 March 2020
- Hits: 836
Author – Simon Hughes
“We have a simple message to all countries – test, test, test,” WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference in Geneva. He described the pandemic as “the defining global health crisis of our time.” There is no doubt that we are all being tested – tested to the limits across the global event industry. In the UK however we are not all being tested for the virus (unless you are already ill or in hospital, a care home or prison). But from a business continuity point of view the test that we are being subjected to is unprecedented. Across every sector in our diverse industry, our trade associations are working flat out to provide advice, share best practice and information and support their members as best they can in a really fast moving and dynamic crisis.

Guest Blog - Your industry needs you!
- Details
- Category: BVEP Blog
- Published: 22 March 2018
- Hits: 1180
By Nick de Bois, chair, Events Industry Board
(originally published on ConferenceNews)
The UK Events industry Board was formed in January 2016 as the government advisory board on the UK Events and Exhibitions sector. Its job is to: advise the Government on how to successfully implement their Business Visits and Events Strategy; look for ways to improve and promote the UK Events sector; and finally, to act as a sounding board and point of dialogue between Ministers and the industry.

Here’s looking at you kid!
- Details
- Category: BVEP Blog
- Published: 19 February 2018
- Hits: 1106
By Simon Hughes, Vice Chair BVEP
I wonder what Humphrey Bogart would make of it all? The year started badly for the organisers of the Presidents Club Charity Dinner, when the FT published the results of their investigation into this 33 year old event. Past tense now though after the undercover reporters from the FT revealed details of how the 130 hostesses were treated – from the instructions about the clothes they should wear to the appalling behaviour they were subjected to by some of the guests. Groping, lewd comments and invites to bedrooms made the headlines. These in turn made some of the charities that benefitted from the money raised refuse to accept the donations.

Partner Blog - How an association is using Purpose and Values to provide direction
- Details
- Category: BVEP Blog
- Published: 09 November 2017
- Hits: 1180
By Heather Lishman, Association Director, ABPCO
One of the most important and rewarding parts of running any organisation is listening to your stakeholders and reacting to their needs. It is however even more rewarding when you are part of an association where the feedback is coming from an involved membership. With this in mind the Association of British Professional Conference Organisers (ABPCO) holds a membership engagement survey every year to see what we can be doing better. Over the past few years it has seen us become more efficient, more profitable, deliver greater education opportunities and add new events to the calendar. However, this year’s message included a clear need to be more holistic and consider our purpose and core values.

Guest Blog - Advise : Advocate : Act
- Details
- Category: BVEP Blog
- Published: 09 November 2017
- Hits: 1165
By Nick de Bois is Chairman of the UK Events Industry Board
@nickdebois
How the UK Events Industry Board is Delivering the Governments Vision for the UK’s Business Events Sector
Last week the first ever Business of Events Senior Leadership Forum was held in London’s magnificent QEII Conference Centre. Bringing together representatives from across the private sector, government and VisitBritain, along with many other DMO’s and influencers, this event marked the next step in the collaboration between government and industry to help drive the UK as a destination of choice for major international congresses, exhibitions and conferences. I was delighted to attend as the Chairman of the governments UK Events Industry Board, which is the permanent body made up from private sector and government to advise ministers on what steps must be taken to deliver on the shared vision for the growth business events here in the UK, and the expansion of our international export business.