Live Events: Inspiration, Insight and Loud Laughs

by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, Ovation Global DMC Measuring what matters Tangible measures such as financial return can never properly calculate the total benefit you get from attending a well organised meetings industry event. This thought was already in my mind as I tried to assess the positive impact for me and, crucially, for those… Read more »

Athens, Greece: open for business meetings and events

by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President of Industry Relations, MCI and Vice President of Ovation Global DMC Athens Greece – wide open for business meetings Do a Google search for Athens and you’ll get more results for the town in Georgia, that spawned REM (the thinking person’s rock group) than the city in Europe that gave… Read more »

Smoke on the water, fire in the sky – Ovation Trophy Day 3

Guest Post by Hugo Slimbrouck, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Ovation Global DMC Swiss Trophy Day 3 At 6am this morning, just when his fellow Irishmen had finally stopped singing in the bar, Padraic slipped silently away to attend a family event. He passed the blogging baton to me and this is my account of the… Read more »

Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered by Brussels (and Le Meridien re-visited)

by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, Ovation Global DMC Blushing Belgians As a teenager in the 1970s I was part of an Irish delegation that attended an international arts and performance festival in Rome. Attracting young people from all over the world this event fostered peace and universal brotherhood and was attended by over 10,000 people…. Read more »

IMEX America 2012: Lessons in Tradeshow Marketing

by Padraic Gilligan, VP, Industry Relations and VP, Ovation Global DMC Redemption on the Streets of Las Vegas 4am is around the time the big clean up starts. In Las Vegas it’s also the time I rise. The Strip goes into twilight mode as night time revelers gradually de-materialise leaving space for jet-lagged Irish and the cleaners…. Read more »