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Impatient to be at IBTM World 2018? The first news arrives…

Impatient to be at IBTM World 2018? The first news arrives…

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Although you will have to wait until November 27 to go to Fira Barcelona for the three days of business and training that is IBTM, we bring you some fresh news, such as the first star speakers who will talk about the core themes in this edition: creativity, innovation and technology. This year, the IBTM team has promised to be so inspiring in their knowledge program that they bring nothing less than Duncan Wardle, former vice president of innovation and creativity at The Walt Disney Company, and Dex Torricke-Barton, who worked on the communication strategy of SpaceX, Facebook and Google. We also know the names of those who will be part of the jury for the most anticipated awards in the MICE industry during the event, the Tech Watch Awards. Read on...

Duncan Wardle, the Disney world applied to MICE

Wardle, former vice president of innovation and creativity at The Walt Disney Company, will go to Barcelona to lead the flow of innovation, technology and creativity of the training program of this edition, which will begin on Day 2, under the title ‘Piensa diferente’ (think outside the box). Wardle will tell us about his 25-year experience as a leader of a team dedicated to generate creative ideas, in order to show how to take advantage of creative thinking in a way that allows us to generate unexpected and far-reaching business results.

In this edition there will be 54 sessions that will cover eight themes for inspiration. In addition to the ones already mentioned above – innovation, technology and creativity – industrial trends will also be discussed; commitment and experiences; protection and security; sustainability and CSR; professional development, recruitment and welfare; business development and strategy; and digital marketing.

Dex Torricke-Barton, everything you should know about new technologies

The former SpaceX communication manager, Facebook and Google executive, will be the exciting second speaker this year. He will kick off Day 3 with a conference entitled ‘How technology will transform the meetings and events industry’. Dex will take the audience to the Facebook boardroom, the Elon Musk open concept cubicle, the famous Googleplex and, finally, the UN itself to share their ideas.

He will share his experience working for some of the most innovative and technology-driven brands in the world and assess the emergence of macrosocial trends, including the rise of globalization and nationalism, as well as the development of specific technologies, such as virtual reality and the live broadcast, to predict what technologies will be established and how they will alter the functioning of the meetings, work and business sector permanently.

Dex managed executive communications on Facebook and was the editor of Mark Zuckerberg’s speeches. He also worked with Elon Musk on SpaceX; with the co-founder of Google, Larry Page; with the former CEO of Google, Eric Schmidt; and with the Secretary General of the UN, Ban Ki-Moon. Dex left his position as communications manager of SpaceX in 2016 to focus on a social change project called Onwards, founded in partnership with a group innovators from Sillicon Valley. He is currently writing a book that examines the impact of technology on solving social divisions around the world.

New exhibitors that you will want to know

The IBTM World edition of 2018 comes with new exhibitors such as Sixt, Hong Kong Tourism, China a la Carte, Alternative Athens, Global Passenger Network, Tourism New Zealand, Standard Hotels and the creative technology company Codemodeon. Returning exhibitors include Hyatt Hotel Group, Hilton, Kempinski Hotels, Germany Convention Bureau, Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau, Slovenia Meetings, Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau, VisitScotland and partners, Barcelona Convention Bureau, among many others. On the other hand, the buyers that have already confirmed their attendance include Samsung Electronics, Química Montpellier, SC Johnson and Grant Thornton.

IBTM World Tech Watch Awards

These professionals will be part of the jury for the most anticipated awards at the fair: Corbin Ball, founder of Corbin Ball Associates, Dahlia El Gazzar, founder of DAHLIA + Inc, Padraic Gilligan, managing partner of SoolNua, Ruud Janssen, founder of TNOC and co-founder of EMG, Michael Shapiro, senior editor of meetings and conventions, and James Morgan, founder of Event Tech Lab. This year the selection criteria will focus on innovation, business model, and value for the MICE industry.

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