Crisis and victory: the experience of associations in meeting challengesJonathan Hourihane

Disclosures 2014• Patent

– Challenge outcome predictor

• Speaker bureaux– Thermo Fisher– Stallergenes– Nutricia– Mead Johnson

• Employment – UCC, HSE, Ireland

• Research funding– Childrens Research Centre, Ireland– FSA, UK– FHI – Danone, Netherlands

• Stockholding / directorships – None

• Gifts – None

• Consultancies – None

• Societies – IFAN, IAAI, – EAACI, – AAAAI,– BSACI

Previous engagements

• Paediatrician• Only allergist in Ireland 2005-

2013• Board member Professional

Organisations in UK and Europe

In IrelandFounding Secretary Irish Association of Allergy and Immunology

Founding Chairman Irish Food Allergy Network www.ifan.ie

The challenge

I cant see any colleagues

I cant see any colleagues

Irish allergist

EAACI

It rains a lot in Ireland

It rains a lot in Ireland

• Article 2 of its Constitution relating to “education and diffusion of evidence based scientific information”

Previous knockback

2007 Food allergy training school in Cork

One section of EAACI unhappy with programme EAACI did not promote meeting,

Cancelled 6 weeks before meeting

Reflections

• Major cities have major allergy centres and Convention capacity.

• And business tourism organisations

Major allergy meetings since 1996

Geneva 2012

• Met key Board members informally • Got broad view of meeting schedules• Spotted the gap (Autumn 2015) • Submitted the bid November 2012 – Deferred – Feedback

Lessons

• No solo runs

• Build consensus – National IAAI, IFAN– European EAACI

• Approach KOLs (make it their idea)

Feedback • Ireland is too cold

• Ireland is too wet

• Ireland is too far away

• There might be other bids….

Counter• 40 year weather patterns for

May and October submitted

• Sponsors prefer bad weather

• Direct flights to >30 European cities

• Show me

Other lucky strikes

• Cold contact by Dublin Convention Bureau

• EAACI meetings lead newly appointed Irishman

Professionals now involved

• Tour of venues

• Hotels

• Ireland’s attractions easier to sell with professional products

Outcomes

• Great autumn weather

• 50% of delegates were visiting Ireland for the first time.

• They had no idea how great Dublin is

• Meeting content and meeting venue very high standard

Outcomes

• EAACI will be back in Ireland – Annual meeting may be too big– Severe Asthma Meeting (1500-2000) is likely

• National politician gave an excellent opening speech– Aim to cultivate and support his input in Brussels

“[The] only thing we have to fear is fear itself”

FD Roosevelt, 1st Inauguration, 1932

Lessons

• A good idea isn’t enough– Share its ownership/risk

• Professionals are out there– “free”– They are also looking for you too