On March 22, 2024, at the International Congress Center in Katowice, a special industry meeting organized by the Poland Convention Bureau POT took place. The event, divided into three main segments, provided participants with a rich dose of knowledge, inspiration, and opportunities to establish new contacts in the meetings industry.

The first segment of the event in Katowice was dedicated to the theme of cultural intelligence in business. Presentations and an expert panel led by experienced professionals such as Paula Fanderowska, Agnieszka Puszczewicz, and Żaneta Berus, provided participants with insights into the topic of cultural differences in a business context, with a particular focus on international communication with professionals from the Middle East and Asia.

The expert panel was moderated by Michał Kalarus, editor-in-chief of THINK MICE, who effectively led the discussion, allowing for an in-depth exploration of the topics and the exchange of valuable experiences.

The second part of the event was the Creators' Laboratory, during which trainers Piotr Szkoda and Jacek Adamczak from sprawny.marketing presented practical aspects of using artificial intelligence in creating digital content. Participants had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the latest AI tools and effective ways of utilizing them in the MICE industry. This session not only opened the eyes of many to the possibilities that artificial intelligence brings but also inspired the search for innovative solutions.More about this meeting in the report from the Creators' Laboratory session at MCK in Katowice.

At the end of the event in Katowice, an internal meeting of PCB POT – CVBs took place, where future projects were discussed. This allowed participants to exchange experiences and build business relationships, which was a valuable complement to the main event program.

- In summarizing this day in Katowice, I would like to emphasize the immense value that the presentations and discussions at the industry meeting #EventprofsPL brought us. Thanks to the wonderful atmosphere and exchange of experiences, participants were able to broaden their knowledge of cultural intelligence in business and innovative applications of artificial intelligence in the meetings industry. I am convinced that the inspirations gained here and the contacts made will contribute to the further development of our industry," said Aneta Książek, Head of the Poland Convention Bureau - Meetings and Events Office of the Polish Tourism Organization.

It's impossible not to mention the exceptional venue, the International Congress Center in Katowice. The aesthetic design and functionality of the facility created perfect conditions for such an event, fostering a creative and inspiring atmosphere.

The entire EventprofsPL meeting was not only an excellent opportunity to expand knowledge and skills in the meetings industry but also a great platform for establishing new business relationships and exchanging ideas and experiences. The benefits of participating in this event were tangible for all participants, who had the chance to fully utilize the potential of this innovative event platform.

Experts of the Cultural Intelligence in Business presentation and expert panel:

• Żaneta Berus - Founder and owner of In2Win company. President of the Event Industry Association. With over 25 years of experience in advising and providing MICE services. During this time, she managed small and large teams, sharing her knowledge and best business practices in promotion, sales, negotiations, and organization of trade fairs, conferences, and events both domestically and internationally. Her experience gained during diplomatic service as Commercial Consul in the United States, where she was responsible for promoting the Polish economy in the American market, resulted in excellent knowledge of international business environments. As a result, she feels comfortable in business contacts at various management levels and in small, medium, and large companies, both in Poland and international markets. For over 25 years, she has been cooperating with the largest Polish and international trade fair organizers. She also managed two largest exhibition and conference venues in Warsaw: EXPO XXI Warsaw and Ptak Warsaw Expo. > LinkedIn
• Agnieszka Puszczewicz - TheGrayLab by Agnieszka Puszczewicz. Tourism has been her conscious choice for over 24 years. She co-founded Travel Wave Media agency specializing in providing modern marketing solutions. She co-founded the Academy of Tourism Leaders project. She is responsible for the substantive side of the Your Tourism Promotion Forum. She trains on tourism product, storytelling in tourism, how to promote a destination, and how to prepare for Halal guests. She creates communication strategies for tourism. She deals with PR and marketing for the tourism industry. She consults on projects and conducts audits. She helps to devise tourism products. She is an independent consultant and advisor. She holds a Master's degree in Management from the Jagiellonian University and a Ph.D. in International Relations from the University of Warsaw. She has postgraduate diplomas from the London School of Public Relations, the University of Economics in Krakow,
• Special Guest - Paula Fanderowska, Vice President of the Board of Kraków5020 Sp. z o.o. President of the Conference and Congress Association in Poland (SKKP). Additionally, Vice President of the Board of Kraków5020 Sp. z o.o., operator of the ICE Kraków Congress Centre. She served as the Consul of the Republic of Poland in Caracas (2010-2014). Upon her return, she assumed the position of Sales and Marketing Director at the ICE Kraków Congress Centre. President of the Conference and Congress Association in Poland (SKKP), Vice President of the Meetings and Events Industry Council TUgether. Since 2021, she has been a member of the Polish Tourism Organization Council. Manager, MICE lecturer, mentor, and academic lecturer in the field of business tourism. Expert and author of many industry publications. Actively participates in industry consultations, national and regional, including the "Sustainable Tourism Policy of Krakow for the years 2021-2028". She is very active within key cross-sectoral networks in Poland – leader of the Kraków Network project and co-creator of the agreement between conference facilities POWER OF 4: ICE Kraków, Lublin Conference Centre, Gdańsk Convention Bureau, and the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw. In the Eventex 2021 ranking, she was included in the group of 100 most influential people in the event industry, nominated again in 2022. Currently, she is a member of the competition jury. On the national stage, she is among the 100 most influential people in Polish tourism according to the Wasza Turystyka portal ranking (2021, 2022, and 2023). Recognized as one of the 12 best personalities in the MICE industry in 2018 and 2021 – MP Power Awards, MP Power 12. Today, she is a competition juror. In 2021, she was honored with the "For Services to Tourism" award by Minister Andrzej Gut-Mostowy. Nominated for the prestigious Rise and Raise Others Award awarded by United Nations Women, the UN agency for gender equality and women's empowerment. She is a graduate of the Jagiellonian University, and also completed postgraduate studies in Management and Marketing (WSZiB in Krakow) and International Relations and Diplomacy (Collegium Civitas in Warsaw). She has impressive achievements in attracting large international conferences to Poland (e.g., ICCA 2022), discovering new event formats, and introducing innovations towards more sustainable/resilient, hybrid events (2020-2021). > LinkedIn

Panel on Cultural Intelligence in Business:

• Moderator - Michał Kalarus, Editor-in-Chief at THINK MICE - Associated with the MICE industry for over 15 years. He is a co-creator of the THINK MICE magazine and portal. As editor-in-chief, he directs the work of a team of journalists, responsible for the shape and content of the monthly magazine and portal, covering all segments of the meetings industry: events, incentive trips, congresses, and conferences. He also creates informational texts and broader studies on the MICE industry. He has conducted many interviews with domestic and foreign experts, actively participates in the industry's life, taking part in numerous events and fairs dedicated to the MICE market in Poland and worldwide. The topics addressed in THINK MICE are described in a comprehensive and multi-faceted manner, showing the role and significance of the meetings industry in broadly understood marketing communication, employer branding, or place marketing. He conducts debates and discussions, and sits on the juries of industry competitions, including Eventex Awards or the 100 Most Influential People in Polish Tourism.> LinkedIn

Gallery of photos from the event in Katowice.

#PolandCVB #EventprofsPL

@callmejaro