IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leader Forum comes to India for the first time!!

“Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future” – JF Kennedy

Our children are our greatest legacy; we nurture, teach and groom them to be the future leaders of our countries and the world. We pass on to them the lifetime of experience we accumulate for they alone will be the pillars of humanity.

The Future Leaders Forum program that is jointly run by IMEX, MPI (Meeting Professionals International) and MCI, has been developed to encourage the best and brightest students to develop successful careers in meetings industry. Approximately 5,500 students have attended one of over 80 forums that have taken place globally since 2003. Over 90% of participants have said they are more likely to enter the industry as a result of the Future Leaders Forum.

The focus of FLF programmes is on providing the students with opportunities that are not available in regular academic education. It provides students with current industry perspectives from active meeting professionals and also provides the students with knowledge and tools that will help them in their transition from academic education to professional life.

Seeing the potential of the market The Future Leaders Forum was brought to India this year by the IT&CM India in collaboration with and under the guidance of Priti Khanna, Managing Director, MCI Management India. Some of the mentors at the round tables were Miguel Neves- IMEX, Deepika Chowdhry, founder of Candid India and the IMEX sales representative for India, Chander Mansharamani- Vice Chairman- ICPB & Managing Director- Alpcord Network, Deepali Bhatia of Taj Hotels, Resorts & Palaces, Naveen Chhiber – Orient Express Travel Pvt. Ltd.

Since its inception in 2003 nearly 5,100 students have gone through the programme and 2011 alone saw 900 students pass through its hands. The India 2012 IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum is the 12^th such event to take place this year. A series of lectures and presentations from various leading meetings industry professionals were attended by over 60 students from a varied number of educational institutes in the Delhi National Capital Region.

The future leaders were also able to capitalise on the opportunity to interact with senior professionals from the industry in round-table discussions on the different career opportunities open to them including association management, hotels, conference centres and corporate events.

Darren Ng, Managing Director of TTG Asia Media said: “We are passionate about being part of initiatives that hone the future of the MICE industry. The IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum is an excellent platform that achieves just that by engaging bright, young, local minds who are pursuing an education in this domain.”

Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, further added: “The Future Leaders Forum is a key initiative within the IMEX calendar. In collaboration with MPI and MCI, our goal is to support the overall development of future talent by delivering valuble information and education.”

The IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum was held on the 22^nd of August and hosted by the IT&CM India event. The IT&CM India event came on the heels of the seventh edition of the India Convention Promotion Bureau’s (ICPB) Convention India Conclave. The two events were held as a series of MICE and corporate travel events organised by TTG events, part of the TTG Asia Media. These events offered international and Indian buyers and exhibitors a chance to exclusively interact, showcase and procure business from each other for mutual benefit.

Vice Chairman, ICPB, Chander Mansharamani put the Future Leaders Forum into perspective and said: “The Indian MICE sector is showing significant growth and looks poised to expand even further. ICPB understands the future manpower requirements in MICE and would like to get the best of students in the fast growing sector.”