The Hague hosted its 5th webinar last week, focused on “Leveraging Strategic Business Partnerships”. In addition to the importance of wider industry partnerships and the need to breakdown the traditional supplier, client and competitor paradigm; the webinar also celebrated the first anniversary of The Hague’s Convention Bureau’s partnership with Ottawa Tourism.
“In the post-COVID world it is more important than ever for our industry to work in partnership and recognise the value all individuals and organisations bring to the creation of successful conferences – particularly in the association sector”, comments Bas Schot, Head of Hague Convention Bureau. “The old client, supplier and competitor relationship is just that – old and a thing of the past. We must all recognise the strengths of others and the positive impact they can have on our organisations and conferences.”
To reinforce the importance of partnerships, the webinar started with a reflection on The Hague and Ottawa’s partnership, which was officially recognised a year ago in a Memorandum of Understanding. The MOU highlighted the organisation’s similarities as well as a desire to support each other’s international association conference bids, the sharing of knowledge and leads.
Lesley Mackay, Vice President Meeting and Major Events, Ottawa Tourism and moderator during the webinar alongside Bas Schot commented that: “the partnership continues to be fruitful for both Ottawa Tourism and The Hague Convention Bureau despite the challenges we have all faced due to COVID-19. There has never been a more important time to work together, share knowledge and benefit from each other’s experience.”
Panellists on the webinar were:
- Stephen Ibaraki, Chairman and Managing General Partner REDDS Capital, who said: “It has to be a win-win. A shared value I call it. Make sure you have a non-flict process that you are constantly engaging in. Look for: understanding yourself and the other [partner] well; making sure that you have common goals, a win-win situation and a shared reality; [and] work together to co-create. Be transparent and accountable and responsible and fully open."
- Paul Guest, Commercial Director, SportsPro, who said: “It is [about] genuinely understanding the assets you have together. What are the assets you can combine and what are the things you can leverage together that you have not considered before? It is the creativity and purpose driven activation that is driving things at the moment."
- Kai Troll, President, ASSOCIATIONWORLD, who said: “What is important is that everybody gets out of their silos and their own way of thinking. We will see more cross-sector collaborations. This is fundamental in anything that we as an association and meetings industry do in the next two or three years.”
The Hague’s next webinar will take place on 24 September.