Business Leadership Conferences Still In Demand and Growing Despite Economic Recession, According to New Weber Shandwick Study

Monday, January 26, 2009 NEW YORK, January 26, 2009 – Nearly two-thirds (62%) of leading global conference organizers report that the conference circuit has increased dramatically over the past three years and close to one-half (46%) claim that it is growing despite recessionary times, according to a new survey by global public relations firm Weber Shandwick. Underscoring this conference demand, nearly three-fourths of respondents (70%) state that there has been an increase in speaker acceptances and submissions to speak over the past three years. The global speakers’ circuit continues to provide corporate leadership with an unparalleled platform to articulate its company’s strategy and network among clients and prospects. As one conference organizer stated: “Networking remains the most important aspect of business development. Having the opportunity to do this face-to-face is paramount.”

Weber Shandwick’s survey, 2009 Global Five Star Events, is a global poll of 50 program directors among the world’s top conference organizations. The survey was conducted in October and November 2008, thereby capturing perceptions during recent downward economic conditions.

"The demand for conferences continues to be strong as executives are on the lookout for opportunities to exchange ideas, build relationships and maintain an edge over the competition,” said Jennifer Risi, executive vice president of Weber Shandwick’s Global Strategic Media Group and leader of the VOICEBOXX™ suite of products. “Networking to build business is more important than ever and having your top executives out in the marketplace is critical to gaining market share and demonstrating that the company is intensely focused on growth.”

Executive Conference Circuit Trends
Several interesting trends emerged from the survey. First, conference organizers reported they are planning more time for Q&A (72% more vs. three years ago), more interactive sessions between speaker and audience (70%), and more panel sessions (64%). They are planning fewer keynote sessions (30%) than they did three years ago.

In addition, business leadership conferences are featuring more podcasts (62%), blogging and Twittering during events (58%) and live videocasting (56%). Less common were YouTube broadcasts (34%) and “unconferences” (18%).

Organizers also report they are expanding or considering expanding their business into emerging markets such as China (32%), the Middle East (24%) and India (24%).

Most Wanted Speakers Besides CEOs
Weber Shandwick’s survey also revealed that aside from company CEOs and Chairmen, the Chief Sustainability Officer is the executive in greatest demand at conferences around the world today. Highlighting the growing importance of executive team visibility, the next most requested conference speakers are the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Technology/Information Officer. Lower on the list of most popular executive speakers are Chief Risk Officers and Chief Ethics Officers, who may have lost credibility in these difficult times.



“Business success is no longer dependent on the CEO, as corporations continue to diversify their bench strength. The demand for executives such as the Chief Sustainability Officer and Chief Financial Officer on the speakers’ circuit demonstrates the shifting strategy towards ‘all hands on deck’ when conducting business in a global world,” adds Risi. “As we move forward in 2009 and beyond, we see the future of the conference industry migrating towards more intimate, peer-to-peer forums where companies can create their own channels for discussion in an effort to drive business.”

Most Talked About Conferences for Leaders
Respondents were asked about which conferences in a variety of categories generated the most positive word-of-mouth among the global business community. The number one most buzz worthy conference in several categories are:



Global conference organizers also indicated which types of conferences and events they considered most attractive to Fortune 500 CEOs and non-CEOs/chairmen. The top five for each executive type are listed below:



About VOICEBOXX™
VOICEBOXX™is a unique suite of exclusive executive service and product offerings offered by Weber Shandwick that helps companies strategically secure senior management visibility and positioning. Please contact Jennifer Risi at 212.445.8375 or jrisi@webershandwick.com for more information.

About Weber Shandwick
Weber Shandwick is a leading global public relations agency with offices in 77 markets around the world. The firm’s success is built on its deep commitment to client service, creativity, collaboration and harnessing the power of Advocates - engaging stakeholders in new and creative ways to build brands and reputation. Weber Shandwick provides strategy and execution across practices such as consumer marketing, healthcare, technology, public affairs, corporate/financial and crisis management. Its specialized services include digital/social media, advocacy advertising, market research, and corporate responsibility. Weber Shandwick was recognized as PRWeek’s 2009 Global Agency Report Card Gold Medal Winner, named Global Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report and Large PR Firm of the Year by PR News in 2008. The firm also won the United Nations Grand Award for Outstanding Achievement in Public Relations for a lifestyles educational campaign in India. Weber Shandwick is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). For more information, visit http://www.webershandwick.com.