Ljubljana Talks 2023
Listen to all episodes, including a special series filmed at IMEX Frankfurth.
Why did SITE choose Slovenia? - LJUBLJANA TALKS #24 (Kevin Edmunds)
In the 24th edition of Ljubljana Talks, Jan and Gorazd were joined by Kevin Edmunds, SITE President. SITE hosted its Incentive Summit Europe 2023 in Slovenia, and Kevin discussed how they decided to select a pioneering destination that prides itself on its sustainable approach.
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IMEX Wrap-up with Padraic Gilligan & Boštjan Horjak | LJ TALKS at IMEX 2023
This year, Gorazd Čad, the Editor in Chief of Kongres Magazine, and Jan Oršič, the Head of Convention Bureau at Ljubljana Tourism hosted a three-day live stream during IMEX Frankfurt, talking to some of the biggest names in the industry. News and predictions from the event industry, business, tourism, neuroscience and behavioural science, the latest trends, and technologies, they covered it all. The second day ended with a wrap-up by Padraic Gilligan, Chief Marketing Officer at SITE & Boštjan Horjak, CEO of Liberty Adriatic.
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The current landscape of Events in Ukraine: Yuliia Katynska, Olena Pavlyuk | LJ TALKS at IMEX 2023
On the first day of IMEX in Frankfurt, Gorazd and Jan were joined by Yuliia Katynska and Olena Pavlyuk from the Lviv Convention Bureau to talk about Ukraine's events industry as it thrives amidst the backdrop of conflict. Despite the challenging circumstances, Ukraine's event organizers continue to forge ahead, showcasing their resilience and determination to bring people together.
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Where the Industry Stands and What's Next? Steve O'Malley | LJ TALKS at IMEX 2023
On the first day of IMEX in Frankfurt, Gorazd and Jan were joined by Steve O'Malley, COO of Maritz Global Events Steve O’Malley is the Enterprise Vice President & COO of Maritz Global Events. He is a past Chair of the MPI International Board of Directors (2019 &2020), helping to drive the future of the association and the industry in that role. He is a past President of the Site International Foundation and was awarded the Richard Ross Past Presidents award by Site Global in recognition of outstanding service to the incentive travel industry in 2019.
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How to achieve sustainable success? Christopher Salem | LJ TALKS at IMEX 2023
On the first day of IMEX in Frankfurt, Gorazd and Jan were joined by Christopher Salem of CRS Group Holdings LLC. Chris Salem is a Business Acceleration Strategist, Keynote Speaker, Award-Winning Author, and Radio Show Host dedicated to empowering business leaders and organizations through emotional intelligence. His book, "Master Your Inner Critic / Resolve the Root Cause – Create Prosperity," became an international bestseller. He co-authored "Mastering the Art of Success" with Jack Canfield. He hosts Sustainable Success on Voice America Influencers Channel and Business Influencers on Tal Radio for the Touch-A-Life foundation.
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Human nature of kindness: Hard science behind the soft skill: Janet Sperstad | LJ TALKS at IMEX 2023
On the first day of IMEX in Frankfurt, Gorazd and Jan were joined by Janet Sperstad, CMP - Fellow at Madison College. Janet Sperstad, a seasoned professional with 25+ years of experience in meeting and event management, is renowned for her global contributions. As the Faculty Director of Madison College's Event Management Business Solutions and a faculty member of their prestigious Event Management Associate degree program, she has shaped the field through her expertise. Ms Sperstad's career spans leadership roles in Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations, and owning her event management firm.
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CEE Insights by Kadri Karu, Estonian Convention Bureau | LJ TALKS at IMEX 2023
On the first day of IMEX in Frankfurt, Gorazd and Jan were joined by Kadri Karu from the Estonian Convention Bureau. Kadri, a founding board member of the Estonian Convention Bureau since 2008 and its Managing Director since 2011, also lectures on destination marketing and conference organizing at Tartu University. With 27 years in the industry, including 13 as a professional conference organizer, Kadri has arranged numerous international congresses.
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Elevate Your Business to New Horizons by Hosting Events at Sea: Shawn Sawyer | LJ TALKS at IMEX 2023
On the first day of IMEX in Frankfurt, Gorazd and Jan were joined by Shawn M. Sawyer, President & Creative Director of Cacique International Ltd. Cacique International Ltd. redefines extraordinary experiences in the MICE market. With 25 years of trailblazing, Shawn's expertise spans Event Design, Weddings, and Events Design @ Sea, combining Cacique's excellence with luxury charters and cruise ships. Shawn's impressive accolades include the Gold Stella Award, SITE Foundation Partner of The Year, BI Worldwide Inspirational Partner, and Hosts Global Partner.
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Crafting Compelling Narratives with Story-based Leadership: Christopher Kai | LJ TALKS at IMEX 2023
On the first day of IMEX in Frankfurt, Gorazd and Jan were joined by Christopher Kai, CEO of The Mathem Group. Forbes “International Speaker” Christopher Kai is a 7X author, founder of GPS, a speaker training program and founder of GifterX Talks, the world’s leading speaker community for entrepreneurs. He is a former American Express business strategist. Christopher has helped his clients in 120 cities and 30 countries generate $200 million. Outside of his business, he created Mondays at the Mission, the only homeless youth program of its kind in the world.
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The Art & Science of Designing Experiences: Pigalle Tavakkoli | LJ TALKS at IMEX 2023
On the second day of IMEX in Frankfurt, Gorazd and Jan were joined by Pigalle Tavakkoli from the School of Experience Design. Pigalle is an experienced Experience Designer known for combining arts and sciences. She has curated experiences for institutions like V&A and Science Museum. Pigalle also founded the School of Experience Design, offering transformative courses and consultancy for clients such as the Institute of Physics, EUROfusion, Unilever, and L'Oréal.
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IMEX Wrap-up with Carina Bauer, IMEX and Petra Stušek, Ljubljana Tourism | LJ TALKS at IMEX 2023
This year, Gorazd Čad, the Editor in Chief of Kongres Magazine, and Jan Oršič, the Head of Convention Bureau at Ljubljana Tourism hosted a three-day live stream during IMEX Frankfurt, talking to some of the biggest names in the industry. News and predictions from the event industry, business, tourism, neuroscience and behavioural science, the latest trends, and technologies, they covered it all. The show ended with a wrap-up by Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX Group and Petra Stušek, Head of Ljubljana Tourism.
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The Game-Changing Power of the Latest Event Tech: Amy Kramer and Nick Fagan | LJ TALKS at IMEX 2023
On the second day of IMEX in Frankfurt, Gorazd and Jan were joined by Amy Kramer and Nick Fagan from DRP Group to talk about innovation in the events industry and the game-changing power of the latest tech.
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Harness the Power of Group Singing for you Business: Brian Allan | LJ TALKS at IMEX 2023
On the second day of IMEX in Frankfurt, Gorazd and Jan were joined by Brian Allan from Rock Your Business. Brian Allan, CEO of Rock Your Business, has a remarkable background as a Scottish singer and songwriter who entertained global audiences for three decades. He creates an interactive experience that turns attendees into rockstars within 60-90 minutes. Within 18 months, Rock Your Business successfully conducted workshops for 65 multinational companies across 12 countries.
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Growth strategies for associations: Brad Weaber and Bill McGlade | LJ TALKS at IMEX 2023
With over 30 years of experience in the meetings and events industry, Brad Weaber is a veteran in management roles. As the founder and Principal of the Brad Weaber Consulting Group, he specializes in leadership motivation, speaker coaching, facilitation, management efficiencies, and event strategy review. Brad has held significant positions in leading organizations such as Connections Housing and the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau. An award-winning marketer, speaker, and proponent of core values such as kindness, integrity, and discipline, he is committed to lifelong learning and aspires to inspire adaptability and growth within the ever-evolving marketing landscape.
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The Future of the Incentive Travel Industry: Annette Gregg | LJ TALKS at IMEX 2023
On the second day of IMEX in Frankfurt, Gorazd and Jan were joined by Annette Gregg, CMM MBA, CEO of SITE for a special edition of Ljubljana Talks. Annette Gregg, current CEO of SITE shared trends about the optimistic future of incentives and revealed the most recent data for incentive travel recovery from SITE and other industry sources. She provoked thoughts about how we, as meeting designers, can play a powerful role in the disconnected business world we live in.
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The changing needs of association meetings - LJUBLJANA TALKS #23
This time, Jan and Gorazd talked about the changing needs and strategic priorities of Association Meetings in 2023.
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The success of IBTM World - LJUBLJANA TALKS #22 (Vasyl Zhygalo)
At IBTM World in Barcelona, Gorazd and Jan talked to Vasyl Zhygalo, Portfolio Director WTM and IBTM events about the success of this year's event.
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Sustainable transformation of the meetings industry - LJUBLJANA TALKS #21 (LIVE from Conventa 2023)
During a press conference at the 15th edition of Conventa, Gorazd, and Jan hosted the 21st edition of LJUBLJANA TALKS. They were joined by Karmen Novarlič from the Slovenian Tourist Board, Petra Stušek from Ljubljana Tourism and Fredi Fontanot from the Slovenian Convention Bureau.
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The legacy of the 61st ICCA Congress - LJUBLJANA TALKS #20 (Aneta Książek)
At IBTM World in Barcelona, Gorazd and Jan talked to Aneta Książek, the Head of the Poland Convention Bureau.
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