Conference Report

2007 Annual Conference, Exhibition and Dinner The Future of Our Associations 6 Feb 2007 Welcome Dinner; 7 Feb 2007 Conference and Exhibition The Commonwealth Club | 25 Northumberland Avenue, London, WC2		supported by
We welcomed nearly 80 delegates to the Commonwealth Club for an interactive and information-packed day focusing on the major issues that affect the future of our profession. Research, legislation, strategies, changing perceptions and opinions – the way associations interact with members and do business is changing daily. Our expert line-up of speakers on the front line of our profession sparked a day of practical conversations about what’s happening in association management today and how we can shape our own future. Staying well-informed is key to shaping strategy and to keeping your association vibrant and relevant – an idea underlined by Iestyn Foster of PARN (Professional Associations Research Network), an organisation whose mission is to produce and disseminate research. Interpreting research and understanding market data was a theme picked up later in the day by Ben Page of Ipsos MORI. His extensive work with the public sector provided thought-provoking examples of changing perceptions and the influence of the media - with some genuinely surprising results that illustrated just how perceptions are shaped and audiences are influenced. Directors, Committees, Boards, Members and stakeholders - these are individuals whose needs and expectations are at the core of our profession. Responding to their increasingly complex needs depends on an effective human resources policy which today needs to take into account a growing focus on Diversity – the focus of a talk by Mark Slattery, (HR Insight). Simon Randall, senior partner at Lawrence Graham LLP, looked at how changes in legislation and policies affecting charities and non-profits ensure transparency but can also place more demands on organisations – a trend likely to have a major impact on the governance of your association. A focus on outsourcing by Jennifer Jenkins, Managing Director of MCI in the UK and Director of the International Board of the MCI Group, looked at ‘human capital’ from a different angle. She predicts that outsourcing based on roles rather than job descriptions offers increased flexibility and cost control, helping associations meet shifting needs in the marketplace. The day ended on a high note with a presentation on professionalisation by Michael Anderson, President and CEO of the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE). His own experience of the journey from Secretary and administrative support provider to Chief Executive Officer and pro-active leader mirrored the path associations need to take to stay relevant. CSAE’s effective qualifications programme was the basis for further discussion – a model for similar qualification and certification programmes for the UK market. The black-tie Welcome Dinner on the evening of the 6th offered a chance for delegates, supporters and speakers to kick off the informal debate which initiated an inspired day of open discussion on how we continue to change, adapt, and meet the increasingly vocal needs of members and stakeholders. Attendance topped last year’s levels at the Institute’s most successful annual event.		View presentations made at the Annual Conference: Introducing the Professional Associations Research Network When to Speak and When to Shut Up Emerging Trends in Outsourcing Diversity: What It Means For Your Association What Makes a Good Association Manager Become Recognised as a Professional? Corporate Governance – The Regulation of Modern Enterprises
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