Future of events is high-tech, yet personalised

Winners of MyCEB’s 'New Norm in Organising Future Business Events' competition share innovative ideas for future success.

MyCeb recognised seven industry professionals and shared innovative ideas as part of its 'New Norm in Organising Future Business Events' competition.
MyCeb recognised seven industry professionals and shared innovative ideas as part of its 'New Norm in Organising Future Business Events' competition.

KULALA LUMPUR — Winners of the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB)’s New Norm In Organising Future Business Events contest revealed what business events will look like post-Covid — and it’s a future reliant on technology to deliver quality content, security, and wellness.

For conference specialist at Medical Conference Partners, and third place winner in the conventions category, Pravitra Jeyaratnam, who organises events for medical associations, “Technology can be used to accommodate delegates’ busy schedules.” Her hybrid event proposal offers time-poor delegates a chance to attend satellite events closer to home while staying connected to the main event virtually, where they could absorb new knowledge on-demand and at their own pace.

 

Co-founder and managing partner of Hyve AI PLT, Rafiuddin Ridzwan, felt that exhibitions of the future would be “highly targeted exclusive events.” Buyers would only get invited to an on-site event if they met a minimum number of business appointments arranged via a matching app. His winning idea in the trade exhibitions category was a modular, station-based B2B personal meeting pod equipped with high-speed internet, teleconferencing technology, and acoustic silent wall. It could be applied to select the right buyers through a virtual matchmaking programme.

 

Hyve AI's proposed meeting pod is equipped with high-speed internet, teleconferencing technology, and an acoustic silent wall.
Hyve AI's proposed meeting pod is equipped with high-speed internet, teleconferencing technology, and an acoustic silent wall.

 

To encourage delegates to safely travel and meet at onsite events under the new norm, Jake Lee, a graduate of Berjaya University College, and first place winner in the conventions category, proposed the E-ticket 4.0 technology. Its tracking system records each delegate’s event journey, enabling government agencies and health officials to monitor the safety and health of business delegates. The technology also opens up opportunities for event organisers to collaborate with tourism and hospitality partners to encourage delegates to explore a meeting destination further, contributing to the local tourism economy.

 

For Micky Ng, founder of Above Creative Events, who placed first in the meetings category, attending meetings whether on-site or online, can take a toll on delegates, and the pandemic situation has opened the eyes of the public to health awareness. “Wellness activities such as ice-breaker games and meditation breaks could be the new norm in business events of the future,” she said.