by Alison Hall, Editor, MeetingsNet That’s what Padraic Gilligan was left wondering after reading our sister publication Special Events’ annual “Top 25 DMCs” list, which included some reporting on what destination management companies view as their sector’s main trends and challenges today. Gilligan, who is vice president, Ovation Global DMC, agreed with the top three… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, Ovation Global DMC Trends in the DMC sector The publication in the last few days by The Special Events Magazine of this year’s Top 25 DMCs provides some interesting summer reflections on our sector and, in particular, on how some of us see future trends. Not all companies and consortia… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, Industry Relations, MCI A wild gene in the corporate DNA On Friday last week the entire MCI Dublin office decamped to the rather dishy Gibson Hotel and spent most of the day dreaming. Dreaming is often the illicit, unapproved by-product of the endless meetings that comprise an average day in… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan On Curiosity and Looking into your Neighbour’s Garden There’s a deep curiosity at the heart of being human. We’re programmed to wonder what’s out there, beyond the limits of our own horizons. This gnawing curiosity drove countless explorers throughout the centuries to get into small boats and set out on perilous journeys… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Managing Partner, SoolNua Head in the Air Once you run the gauntlet of checking in, depositing bags, negotiating security and finally boarding, the time on board an aircraft can be good head time if only for the fact that you’re your own captive audience and are usually free from the random interruptions… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, MCI and Vice President, Ovation Global DMC I have always believed in “giving back”. One of the easiest ways to do this is to participate in industry associations. The meetings industry space is well populated with associations seeking your membership so it’s sometimes difficult to decide where to spend your… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, VP, Ovation Global DMC Insights Over 5 years ago, during my happy years on the Site Board, Brenda Anderson, then Executive Director of Site, led the Board through the fascinating “Insights Discovery” programme, a personality profiling system inspired by the work of Swiss psychologist Carl Jung. Insights fuses modern psychology with centuries’… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, Ovation Global DMC Origins of the Species I’ve always regarded passion as an integral part of being professional. Words with Friends enthusiasts (Hi Jurriaen, Sean, Alison, Andrea, Rhonda, Joan!) will immediately spot that all the letters of the word “passion” are contained in the word “professional”. You cannot be a… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, Ovation Global DMC In 1662 Irishman Robert Boyle made a scientific discovery that eventually allowed us to voyage to the bottom of the sea; 8 years later the exact same discovery was made by the Frenchman Edme Mariotte. The “multiple independent discovery” principle is well documented and includes Newton’s and… Read more »
by Padraic Gilligan, VP, Industry Relations, MCI and VP, Ovation Global DMC The novelist Nick Hornby perfectly nails British Gen X male psychosis in High Fidelity (location moved from London to Chicago in the US movie version by Stephen Frears). Protoganist Rob Fleming (named Rob Gordon in the movie) is a musical elitist and anal… Read more »