Speakers at the seminar WHAT MAKES A MEETING DESTINATION SUCCESSFUL? will be the key players in the industry

Bruce Redor

Bruce Redor is the Senior Associate for Europe, the Middle East & Africa at GainingEdge - a company that offers services ranging from destination management to convention centre feasibility studies, from sales and bidding support to education and training. Bruce was a member of the management team that built and operated EuroDisney in Paris, where he set up Disneyland Paris Business Solutions. From there, he took on the job of Chief Executive at the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Lyon, where he was instrumental in turning the city into one of Europe's leading business-travel and leisure destinations. Over the last few years, Bruce has worked with some key players in the travel industry, including Expedia, Inc. and Lufthansa Airplus, GmbH.

Steen Jakobsen

Steen Jakobsen is a director of Copenhagen Convention Bureau and actively engaged in the global meeting industry. He is on the Board of Directors of the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA) and on the Board of Directors of the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC). Steen was chair of BestCities Global Alliance from 2003 - 2007 and today he serves on its Management Committee. Steen was co-chair of MPI's European Professional Education Conference in Copenhagen in 2007 and he was also a leading force behind the development of Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Protocol. Before joining Wonderful Copenhagen CVB, Steen worked for the Danish Government at the Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs.

Ulrike von Arnold

Ulrike von Arnold is Deputy Director of the Vienna Tourist Board's Vienna Convention Bureau and a Member of the Board of Directors of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), where she represents the Sector Destination Marketing, which comprises the City Convention Bureaus as well as regional and national convention bureaus. She has been with the Vienna Convention Bureau since 1995 as Marketing Manager for Germany, Italy, Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries, and has been Director Christian Mutschlechner's deputy since 2004. Before joining the convention bureau, she worked as Marketing Director for Radisson SAS International Hotels Copenhagen and Meeting Manager for SAS International Hotels.

Dirk Elzinga

Dirk Elzinga is the Managing Director of Convention Industry Consultants (Pty) Ltd in Cape Town, South Africa. This company assists governments and other initiators or owners with the development or repositioning of convention centres. He was previously vice president of one of the biggest PR consultancy firms in the Netherlands and general manager of the RAI Congress Centre in Amsterdam. On behalf of the RAI he became managing director of the Maastricht Exhibition and Congress Centre, and then the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Dirk has served as a board member and chair person in the Netherlands Convention Bureau and the Amsterdam Convention Bureau. Until 2003 Dirk was vice president of ICCA and chairman of their Category Congress Centres. In 2010, Dirk became regional chairperson and national board member of the Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa and of the Exhibition Industry of South Africa.

Peter de Merlier

Peter was born in Belgium. He is a pharmacist and holds a master's degree in the science of environmental sanitation, both achieved at the State University of Ghent. He worked at UCB Pharma and then he joined Abbott Laboratories. In 1998, Peter moved to Prague as Business Development Manager for Central & Eastern Europe. In 2002, he was one of the founders of CZECH-IN and is responsible for strategic planning. The company is specialized in providing Corporate & Institutional Event Management and Association Management Services. Peter is representing his company to the International Congress and Convention Association; he is Board member of the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce of the Czech Republic and Chairman of the international organization (Ant) ARCTIC MATTERS.

Ivo Miksa

Ivo has 20 years' professional experience in the congress industry. Since 1992 he has been working with the PCO GUARANT International (Partner since 1994). He has participated in all aspects of conference organizing - from project organizing to marketing and sales, and now works as the Director of Strategic Projects. Ivo has worked on the successful candidacies of such large meetings as the IMF Conference in 2000 (17,500 pax), Hypertension in 2002, EULAR, WPA 2008, UEGW 2004 (9,800) and IAC 2010. He was member of the Board of Directors at INCON (International Network of Conference Organisers) and currently serves as Vice President of PCB.

Caroline Mackenzie

Caroline Mackenzie began her career in hotel management with a boutique country house chain in the UK having graduated with a degree in hotel management and administration. Since then she has worked in various sectors of the meeting and events industry. She has also spent over 10 years working within the Professional Conference Organiser (PCO) agency environment, in operational, general management and development roles, providing management support to national and international Associations in the UK and internationally. Caroline has worked for the international PCO and AMC Congrex Group for over 10 years, and is currently the Director of Business Development for Congrex Holding BV.  One of her areas of focus within the Group is advising clients on Strategic Destination Selection and working with CVBs and venues international in implementing group-wide Framework Agreements on behalf of its clients.