Conference News: TED heads home; ITU postponed; MWC CFP
TED’s Next Excellent Adventure: TED has something special planned for 2021. The conference organizers are planning to go back to their roots by hosting an intimate TED conference in its original home of Monterey, California! (Brief history lesson: TED started in 1984 in Monterey, CA; In 2009 it moved to a larger venue in Long Beach, CA. In 2014 TED moved again to Vancouver, Canada.) Under the theme, The Case for Optimism, the organizers will “host the conversations that matter, focusing on building a brighter future for everyone.” TED Monterey will be held from 1 – 4 June, 2021.
ITU Postponed to 2021: ITU Telecom event – explores how innovation and collaboration are driving digital transformation across government, industry and SME stakeholders. The organization relocate the events each year and most attendees come from region where event is based. As a result of the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, ITU Digital World 2020, originally scheduled to take place in Ha Noi, Viet Nam, from 6 to 9 September 2020, will now take place as ITU Digital World 2021 in the same venue sometime in the fourth quarter of 2021. As updates on the event become available, they may be found here.
Speaking Opportunity: GSMA, the organization behind Mobile World Congress, hopes to host the 2021 event live in Barcelona. The conference, taking place from 1 – 4 March, has opened its call for speakers with a 2 October deadline. The theme of this year’s programme is Connected Impact, and will focus on “the key verticals, technology and innovation shaping the future of the world as we head into a new normal.” Topics will cover AI, Connected Industry, Connectivity, Creative Technology, Customer Experience, Future Society, and Startup Innovation. The GSMA’s goal is to showcase how connectivity is at the heart of innovation.
Lunchtime Learning: Known for tackling workplace challenges and enabling inclusive cultures, the Great Place to Work® For All™ Summit typically reaches senior HR professionals and CHRO’s who attend an annual spring event. In place of the canceled 2020 in-person program, invited keynotes were featured this summer as part of the Great Place to Work® Better Together webinar series. The webinars are recorded, so you can still hear from EY on crisis response and business continuity, or tune in to a conversation between a Wegman’s employee and manager on how they are taking care of employees’ well-being and serving customers during this challenging time. Mark your calendars though, because the Great Place to Work® For All™ Summit returns next year 11-13 May in New Orleans!
Coming Up Next Week: LEAP HR Tech Talent will hold its rescheduled 2020 program virtually from 1 – 2 September. To participate, attendees must be VP or higher in an HR function for their organization. The Forbes CIO Summit Virtual Series continues on 2 September, running its third episode, this edition exploring how companies can reboot growth through digitization and AI. At SaaStr Annual Conference (at Home) – running 2-3 September – attendees can expect the same caliber lineup of SaaS executives, founders, and entrepreneurs the conference has been offering over the past six years. Last but not least, the founder of Zoom and co-founders of ServiceNow will headline at the online TiECon (2-3 September), which focuses on the entrepreneur’s journey and offers education and mentorship for founders.