The world’s largest meeting and event industry association, Meeting Professionals International (MPI), recently unveiled its headlining keynote speaker lineup and provided a sneak peek of what’s on tap for meeting and event planners at its upcoming World Education Congress (WEC23) in the Mexican Caribbean.

Touted as an opportunity for planners to “refresh” and focus on embracing change in an ever-changing industry, MPI’s signature, award-winning North American event will be taking place south of the U.S. border for the first time when it converges upon the all-inclusive Barceló Maya Resort and the Barceló Maya Arena in Quintana Roo, Mexico June 13-15.

“Our diverse selection of keynote speakers will stimulate, delight and transform,” said Jessie States, vice president of the MPI Academy. “Their unique perspectives and inspiring messages will set the stage for thought-provoking conversations. Our community on-site will not only gain valuable insight and a refreshed perspective, [but they’ll also] reframe the future as an exciting, curious and open space to thrive.”

WEC23 Keynote Speaker Lineup

A global media entrepreneur with a unique story, Gaby Natale is the owner of the Global Agency. She is the first Hispanic woman to win three consecutive daytime EMMYs and has created TV shows and documentaries celebrating female empowerment. Her powerful talk, “Utterly Unique You: Breaking Barriers and Redefining Possibility,” is expected to inspire the WEC audience.

Elatia Abate is an entrepreneur, futurist and educator, who has held esteemed positions such as global director of talent acquisition for Anheuser-Busch InBev and vice president of human resources for Dow Jones & Company Inc. In her talk, “The Future of Now: Three Strategies to Prepare in a Period of Accelerated Change,” she will discuss strategies to prepare for the rapid transformation ahead. 

A multi-award-winning marketer, bestselling author and global keynote speaker, Hamza Khan’s TEDx Talk, “Stop Managing, Start Leading” has been viewed more than two million times. In his WEC23 keynote, “Human 9000: Navigating the Future of Work with Attunement, Resilience and Creativity,” he will share his insights on traversing the road ahead.

An inspiring speaker who escaped war-torn Vietnam as a child before building a successful career in Australia, Pauline Nguyen is the co-founder of the world’s most-awarded Vietnamese restaurant and author of The Way of the Spiritual Entrepreneur. At WEC23, Nguyen will share her experience and insights in “The Four Essential Ingredients for Evolving Leadership.”

Along with compelling, future-focused speakers, the highly immersive learning and networking experience will also provide the following offerings for attendees:

• An overall focus on wellbeing (mental, physical, occupational, social and environmental);
• Coverage of key topics including event design, emotional intelligence, sustainability, DEIB, neuroscience, strategic meetings management, persuasion, data and trends (and more);
• A mindful agenda featuring a thoughtful mix of education, networking and downtime;
• A cost-effective, all-inclusive room rate that includes most meals and drinks;
• Pre-conference certificates from MPI Academy: CMP Academy, Event Leadership Strategist, Women in Leadership and Inclusive Event Strategist;
• Partner programming from other industry associations;
• A medical and healthcare meetings track in partnership with the MPI MD Community.

“At MPI, we recognize that the meeting and event industry is ever-changing,” said Paul Van Deventer, president and CEO of MPI. “That’s why we prioritize providing engaging topics for discussion that are both relevant to our business today and anticipate what will be important down the road.”

He continued, “These keynote topics serve as an invaluable platform for learning and connecting with peers, and it’s essential for us to stay ahead of the curve. By ensuring these conversations are taking place, we are equipping our colleagues in the industry to continue growing and excelling, both personally and professionally.”

To learn more and to register for MPI’s WEC23, go here.

Don’t miss any event-related news: Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter HERE, listen to our latest podcast HERE and engage with us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn!