ICC Belfast wins global industry pitch in Costa Rica
ICC Belfast has taken centre-stage at an international summit in Costa Rica, aimed at shaping the future of the global conventions industry.
Representing ICC Belfast, Ciara Davidson took part in the International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC) Future Shapers Programme. The initiative is aimed at developing global leaders and driving collaboration on key strategic challenges facing the events industry.
At the showcase in San Jose, Costa Rica, Ciara pitched her team’s visionary Future Force initiative to over 400 global event professionals. Future Force aims to tackle one of the biggest obstacles faced in the conference and events industry world-wide: attracting and recruiting talent, by establishing a central, global recruitment hub for the business events industry.
Collaborating with representatives from some of the world’s leading convention centres including VIPARIS, ICC Sydney, and Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Ciara and her team have been developing the project over the past eight months.
The project pitch was judged by the conference audience on innovation, presentation and their ability to outline their analysis of the product, market and financial viability. Ciara was thrilled when their pitch was voted the winner.
Ciara Davidson, Head of Stakeholder Engagement and Company Secretary of ICC Belfast explained, “The events industry experienced a significant staffing shortage in the wake of the pandemic, as many skilled professionals left due to event cancellations and economic uncertainty. Convention centres worldwide, including ICC Belfast, faced a skills gap across various areas, making talent attraction and retention a challenge.
"Despite the vast reach of the business events industry and numerous representative associations, there was no central hub linking all these communities."
Our concept, FutureForce is a centralised platform where industry members can collaborate and exchange knowledge on attracting and cultivating talent.
"I’m excited that it will serve as a valuable resource here in Northern Ireland and it should be transformative around the world.”
AIPC CEO, Sven Bossu said,
“I am delighted to announce Team Future Force, and their concept to build the brand of the business events industry while solving resourcing constraints with an industry talent development, attraction and retention platform, as the winner of the 2024 AIPC Future Shapers Annual Challenge.
With the goal to develop a central hub that will offer connectivity and a unified voice to increase the talent pool for convention centres globally, connecting students and freelancers, educational institutions, venues, and business events associations around the world, we anticipate this will now be practicably applied.
Ciara Davidson of ICC Belfast concluded:
Participating in the AIPC Future Shapers programme has been a fantastic opportunity to showcase Northern Ireland as a premier business destination and to build a global network of peers from diverse roles within the industry.
"I am confident that we will continue to collaborate with each other through the platform we've created. I'm thrilled to have developed something that will genuinely impact our field."
