Conference News: CogX-panded; NextUp Speaks Up; GovWare CFP

Solving for X: CogX began in 2017 with a focus on the Impact of AI on Industry, Government and Society. The conference has expanded significantly since then and recently announced that their 2023 edition (12 – 14 September; London) will evolve again and be rebranded to the Festival of Inspiration, Impact & Transformational Change. The team also plans to expand their Partnerships Programme, welcoming more than 90,000 visitors over 3 days and a new curated Exec Programme which is described as “full event access as well as an exclusive experience in a rich schedule of expertly curated themed side events hosted by both our partners, our community and of course our own editorial team.”

Shopping in Chi-Town: At the conclusion of last month’s Shoptalk, the organizers announced that they would be hosting a new event in the fall of 2024! Shoptalk Fall will be held in Chicago from 8 – 10 October.  According to the announcement, the new conference “will set the industry narrative by bringing the most innovative brands in retail into the spotlight; and facilitating tens of thousands more connections.” More information on the event will be available soon.

Speaking Opportunity: GOVWARE has become one of the most important cybersecurity events in Singapore as well as ASEAN region. It will return to Singapore from 17 -19 October, under the theme “Fostering Trust Through Collaboration in the New Digital Reality”. The conference organizers have started to accept speaker proposals for the 2023 gathering which will be held from 17 -19 under the theme “Fostering Trust Through Collaboration in the New Digital Reality”. If you have an executive who can address one of their key topics (Cybersecurity Environment; Emerging / Developing Technology for Cybersecurity; Operational Considerations; Thought Leadership and Strategy in Cybersecurity), submit here before the 30 May deadline.

Conference Manager Q&A: Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson is the conference designer and content strategist for NextUp, a national women’s nonprofit that works to advance all women in the workplace. She curates the content for two annual conferences – NextUp Executive Forum (July 25 – 27, 2023 in Austin, Texas) and the Leadership Summit (September 26 – 28, 2023, in Chicago, Illinois). We spoke with her recently about her upcoming conferences and the topics that resonate with attendees.

Speaker Strategies: What about your next event excites you the most?

I’m always thrilled to see powerful women share their inspirational stories. When our members hear those stories, it suddenly shifts their vision about what’s possible for themselves. Our next event is the NextUp Forum and I’m most excited about the storytelling that will happen from the stage. I know our members will leave inspired and armed with action items they can put to use right away. 

Speaker Strategies: How do you determine when/where to host your conference? And why did you select Chicago and Austin this year?

We plan our show locations and dates several years out and typically host them in July and September so that our members know to plan for that timing. We chose Austin for the upscale venue we’re in and the central location. We have 21 regional chapters and we selected Chicago for our Leadership Summit because we have a large regional membership there. The venue is also has one of the few in the country that meets our capacity needs. 

Speaker Strategies: Which topics resonate best with the audiences at NextUp events? 

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, personal leadership journey, developing strong teams, burnout and well-being, giving feedback, negotiating skills, getting on boards, communication, goal-setting, women supporting women, and much more. Our audience is largely made up of executives from all types of backgrounds and levels of experience and these are the topics they’re most interested in. The reason I love being a part of NextUp’s conferences is because the organization delivers the tools and services to advance all women in business, at any stage of their careers. It’s very empowering!

Coming Up Next Week: Black Hat Asia runs 9-12 May in-person in Singapore with trainings and a business hall for experts in information security, but organizers will offer recordings of all briefings and sponsored sessions that were presented in Singapore virtually on 18 May. Hosted by the Climate Registry, the Climate Leadership Conference gets underway 10 May in Los Angeles, convening business, government, academia, and the non-profit community to explore energy and climate solutions and opportunities. Held 10 May at Skybound Entertainment Headquarters, LA Games Conference is a favorite among game, media, and investment leaders for networking, meetings, and deal-making. At the Reuters Customer Service & Experience Summit (10-11 May; San Diego), attendees can expect to walk away armed with the insights, evidence & statistics needed to “convince their C-Suite that investment in CX initiatives will be the key to maintaining customer-driven growth in periods of uncertainty.” And from 8-10 May in New Orleans, ConnectX draws the 5G ecosystem with keynotes from AT&T, Verizon, DISH, and a speaker from the U.S. Secretary of Commerce office.