We spoke with Lois Wilkins, CMP, programming and events lead for the Value Reporting Foundation and chair of the MPI Finance and Insurance Professionals community, about the state of meetings and events in this sector and keys for success going forward.

Tell us about the state of your meetings and events as pandemic restrictions have been eased in the U.S.

The ongoing changes create a grey area with regards to compliance, and the development of variants creates a lot of uncertainty in planning, especially long-term planning with venues and event formats. Typically, in our industry, we are contracting many years out for large-scale programs. Many of my associates are keeping in-person events as small regional gatherings and larger conferences are remaining virtual through Q4.

Tell us about something you learned from the pandemic experience that will impact your role going forward.

Adaptability. Planning for various situations and scenarios is the nature of this industry, however, the pandemic has really highlighted the importance of this, and your ability to approach events and vendors with flexibility.

MPI Finance and Insurance Professionals community. Community members receive all the benefits of MPI membership, plus so much more.

What external factors do you see having the biggest impact on financial and insurance meetings and events in the near future?

State and local restrictions. Not only is this impacting attendance projections based on travel, vaccines or capacities, but also budgets due to hybrid programs or COVID compliance.

What skills are key for planners in the financial and insurance sector?

Data analysis: from calculating ROI to financial reporting. Interpersonal skills: for stakeholder engagement, vendor relationship building and client servicing. Production: staying abreast of new technologies/AV, virtual speaker prep and knowledge of platforms/software.

Why is it important to have a community such as MPI Finance and Insurance Professionals and what can those who join expect to gain?

The community aims to provide a platform for members to give feedback to MPI Global regarding the educational and resource needs of this industry. Although still in the early stages of growth as a community, our goal is also to create opportunities for members to knowledge share, cultivate relationships and lean on each other for advice and guidance.

Photo by Ernesto Velázquez on Unsplash