AMR International prepares for 2018 edition of Transform USA
International consulting firm AMR has confirmed that planning for its second Transform USA conference is under way. Following a successful debut last year, the organisers have announced plans for a follow-up instalment in 2018.
Having been in business for over 25 years, AMR International has accrued a quarter century of experience in the events industry. AMR works with clients in the event sector to support all facets of strategy, operating model, event lifecycle, data and digital, operational and transaction support. Today, as the events industry accelerates along its evolutionary path, and begins to feel the impact of digital disruption, AMR has made it its mission to assist in the transformation of the industry.
One of the ways the consultancy has gone about this, is via the creation of the Transform conference series. In recent years, this has seen AMR host two successful events in Europe – hosted in London each December – as well as the inaugural Transform USA in 2017. Transform USA is the only conference exclusively focusing on the data, analytics and digital strategy revolution of the exhibition industry. It provides critical insight to senior leaders and up-and-coming data and digital managers of association, for-profit and corporate exhibitions and venues.
On 20 July 2017, 125 key industry professionals including C-level executives from some of the USA's largest exhibitions and convention organisers, gathered at Transform USA to discuss the future of data, analytics and digital in the events industry. Taking place at the Marriott at Metro Center in Washington. Following the success of the first Transform USA, AMR has announced that planning for its 2018 sequel is already well under way – with a new venue for the event to be announced in coming weeks, while registration is expected to open in March.
The Washington DC-based conference will be the Transform series’ fourth global outing, with numerous enhancements in the pipeline to build on last year’s campaign. The format of Transform USA 2018 will be altered from the previous year, so that now, while presenters will provide an overview of the most pressing technology trends as before, participants will also be encouraged to have deeper discussions on the tactics and real-world applications of the topics with subject matter experts and peers in small groups.
According to AMR, delegates at the Transform conferences are thirsty for insight into how to embrace new opportunities created by data, digital and analytics – but also keen to interact and engage in discussions, in order to deepen their understanding. Many are struggling with the organisational, product and implementation challenges of realising the potential benefits, and so are looking for practical insights through peer discussion and case studies. The changes to the conference’s structure will allow for this.
Structural changes
On top of the changes to format, meanwhile, Nancy Walsh, now of Nancy P. Walsh Xpert Consulting, has been appointed to work with AMR International in order to deliver Transform USA II. Walsh brings three decades of experience to the project, having worked for 30 years to expand global events company, Reed Exhibitions, throughout North America. While at Reed Exhibitions she contributed to the Reed brand in the areas of business growth, customer attraction and retention, digital innovations, the pop culture events explosion and sales restructuring.
“We are thrilled to welcome Nancy Walsh to the Transform USA team and look forward to her innovation and leadership to make Transform USA an even more important event for anyone concerned with the successful development of their events, as the technology revolution accelerates,” said Denzil Rankine, Executive Chairman, AMR International.
Nancy Walsh added, “I am delighted to be consulting with AMR on such an important event. Not long ago I was in the same position as our attendees thinking about how to prevent the opportunities of data and digital from passing my organisation by. I look forward to developing an event that doesn’t only give attendees food for thought, but provides them with learnings they can put immediately to work.”
In 2017, AMR International further prepared to cater to demand for transformation in the events space, by hiring a new Head for the firm’s Digital Practice. Ailis McKernan, a former Credo consulting employee, joined from Nectar UK, where she was most recently a Strategy and Product Director.
