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Photo Credit: IMEX Frankfurt

She Means Business, a Conversation for All

The conversation around diversity in the global meetings and events industry has broadened significantly in recent years and IMEX has expanded the scope of one of its signature events, She Means Business (SMB), accordingly.

Now titled, She Means Business, a Conversation for All, IMEX together with partners tw magazine and MPI are now inviting everyone, no matter how they identify, to take a fresh look at diversity, gender equality and female empowerment. An expanded programme now offers sessions on all three days of IMEX in Frankfurt.

Ulrike Tondorf, Head of Brand Activation and Engagement at Bayer AG; Tanja Auernhamer, Head of Association Communications at bvik; Christian Woronka, Director of Vienna Convention Bureau and Juliette Wangalachi, Event Manager at Solar Promotion all examine what lies ahead in Future of work: Diversity’s role in creating the work culture of tomorrow. Sponsored by Meeting Destination Vienna, this panel will be moderated by Jessie States, Vice President Meeting Professionals International, MPI.

Crises, resilience and social barriers

Mental health is another strong focus of the She Means Business three-day programme, which will feature an open exchange on how to respond to crises and build resilience. Social barriers are also examined by speakers including Professor Dr. Ing Carsten Busch, President of HTW Berlin, in Breaking the Glass Ceiling.

Carina Bauer

IMEX Group CEO

Carina Bauer explains: “What started off as a small, female-focused event for the business events industry, has now grown to become a broader movement for all people, regardless of gender identity, to discuss how we as an industry can be more inclusive. Everyone’s invited to shape this conversation. The debate about inclusivity and diversity remains as important as ever and poses real challenges for the global meetings industry. We’re proud and excited by the partnerships and speakers we have in place who have created this timely and powerful programme.”

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Photo Credit: IMEX Group

Kerstin Wuensch, Editor in chief of tw magazine, is part of a panel presenting research into women in the events industry. Results of a new survey will be compared to findings from a similar study in 2017. The intention is to highlight what has changed (and what hasn’t) as well as the current business issues around gender equality.

Kerstin explains: “The pandemic has brought about inequalities between women and men. This makes it more difficult to achieve Goal 5 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG): Gender Equality. At She Means Business we want to exchange ideas about diversity and gender equality and start to work together.”

She Means Business, a Conversation for All takes place during IMEX in Frankfurt, 31 May – 2 June 2022. The business events community can register here for free. 

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