With an illustrious career spanning over two decades, Samme has continually pushed the boundaries of event design and audience engagement. As the former CEO and Founder of conferenceemcees.com, she has been a trailblazer in creating better attendee experiences with her network of professional emcees and has evolved this business to really deliver across the attendee experience spectrum.

Samme's multifaceted skill set encompasses the roles of a meeting designer, award-winning emcee and a dynamic presenter. Her extensive experience has seen her collaborate with global audiences, earning her recognition as a leader in her field.

Away from her professional endeavours, Samme wears another proud title: "mum" to a gorgeous border terrier puppy named Bertie. In her leisure time, she embraces the invigorating world of cold-water swimming, a testament to her adventurous spirit. Samme Allen is a true pioneer, committed to transforming events into unforgettable experiences and making a mark in every facet of her life.

Bussemaker has a passion for bringing people together in the Digital Age. He has initiated and helped run a number of (international) communities and conferences focused on linking Information Technology, Innovation and Impact. He is furthermore a coach and Program Director and supports organizations on business community building.

He is currently the chair of the ‘Institute for Accountability in the Digital Age’. An association instigated by UNESCO aimed to help define instruments for, and manage accountability in the Digital Age. He is also a founding member and vice-chair of the outreach committee of the ITU ‘AI for Good Global Summit (Geneva) with over 40 UN Agencies involved

Rob is the owner and manager of Brightelm. He oversees the account management and project leadership responsibilities.

With a successful career in hospitality spanning more than 20 years, he has spent the last decade supporting  membership organisations. Rob is an established expert on association events. He is sought after by associations from a wide range of sectors to help them create a successful event strategy.

Rob also coaches and mentors a handful of association CEOs each year.

Director of The College of Extraordinary Experiences. Was an external advisor at McKinsey. Ruby Hunter. Marketing Wizard. Innovation Strategist. Playfulness Preacher. Experience Design Pioneer. Keynote Speaker. Event Designer. Author of 45 books.

With more than a thousand talks, workshops, etc. to his name, Claus Raasted has been called “a cross between Thor, Mick Jagger and Lady Gaga”. He also has a past in reality TV, but these days, who hasn't?

Expect the unexpected from this closing session. Claus will inspire you to sit up and listen, engage and enjoy and experience you will not forget.

Paula is a passionate advocate for the power of business events to create long-term economic and sustainable impact. With over 28 years of experience in the business event and association/not-for-profit sectors, Paula has successfully designed, developed, and implemented strategies for business events, strategic alliances and partnerships, and revenue diversification that enhance the member experience, adapt to changing environments and best practice, generate revenue, and increase the value of the organization. As Head of External Engagement with The Australian Psychological Society and Founder of the Business Events Network, Paula is committed to driving innovation and growth in the industry.

Paul Walsh is an experienced association executive who has worked with various European associations for almost 10 years.

He is particularly interested in helping associations increase their engagement with members while raising revenue.

He believes an association career can be extremely fulfilling, and he is in favor of any initiatives that contribute to increased professionalism in his sector.

Pip is a Business Analyst at Telent Technology Services Ltd, passionate about delivering outcomes, driving continuous improvement, and challenging assumptions that hold individuals and organisations back from embracing change. She is known for pursuing honesty – “I don’t care what you tell me, as long as it’s the truth”.

As a career-changer within the transport and communications sectors, Pip is reaping the benefits of applying her skills, domain knowledge and insight from her extensive public sector customer career to her role in a private sector service provider.

Pip holds the BCS Advanced International Diploma in Business Analysis, Change Management Practitioner and A4Q Certified Service Designer qualifications. She won Business Analyst of the Year in 2023.