Welcome to our first Oh-Ah-Ha Live! 

Oh-Ah-Ha Live was born out of many conversations with peers and colleagues in the business events industry during lock-down.  We were looking for creative was to create a profile for the business events industry, so we’re here to give you a bit of insight behind the scenes of the industry we love! 

Every fortnight Sandra will be interviewing talented people from different beginnings, backgrounds, angles and skill sets in the business events industry.

You’ll meet the people who represent their team and who work endlessly in the background to provide clients an event that will be long talked about.

Did you know?

Firstly, let’s give you a bit of background of the impact our industry has on the New Zealand economy.  According to the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment Business Events Activity Survey year ending June 2019:

• There were held 46,900 business events held in New Zealand
• A total of 3.4 million delegates attended those business events
• An average spend of $480 per delegate that had attended an event outside their region

We look forward to reaching these figures again as Aotearoa settles into a new normality.  However, the business events industry will take many months to rebuild and recover post-Covid because business events has a long runway to delivery of an event. 

Business Events – the industry we love

The business industry is not as glamorous as other events that fall under the events industry umbrella.  We’re a hidden industry because we’re working in the background to bring amazing business events to life!  Don’t be fooled though.  Business events is not a small budget event!

Approved Professional Conference Organisers also known as an Approved PCO are accredited organisers.  We’re always up to date with the haps in our industry, we’re qualified and have the right skill set to deliver your business event to make your clients look good! 

One thing we do want to make clear is an Approved PCO are not just your logistical implementers of your business event.  We’re also the strategic brain that sits at your table with your team.  We share ways to improve your event strategy, event success, delegate experience and delivery to make a bigger impact on your membership and stakeholders.  We do everything ranging from strategy, logistics, finances, marketing to people management.

Client relationships

The nature of the business event industry means we usually don’t work with clients for anything less than a year, simply because of the long runway for delivering an event.  Hand on heart though!  The benefit on having a long lead in time and working with clients is forming a great relationship!

By the time event day rolls arounds and we are all onsite at the event a strong and collaborative relationship had been formed which is so important.  As an approved PCO we’re also representing the client and may often make decisions on behalf of the client.  So, a level of trust with your clients will be built during the long lead in time, if they are new clients.

We just want our clients to look good and have an amazing experience as the host.  To take advantage of networking opportunities by welcoming and engaging with their delegates and not have to worry about putting out fires behind the scenes!  Putting out fires is what PCO’s know best!

One thing you might not have known about a business event is when we come onsite on event day,  it’s the easiest part of the event planning journey.  Believe it or not 95% of the job is done prior to event day!  The actual event and post-event is the remaining 5% to of the project.

We hope this gives you a better understanding of what we do in the background and our awesome industry that we love!  NOW are you ready to meet our guest!  It was a privilege to have a kōrero with Arna Wahl Davies from Christchurch.

Arna Wahl Davies, Director, Co-founder of Composition

Arna is currently the Co-founder and Client and Communication Manager for Composition based in St Martins, Christchurch and chair of CINZ (Conventions & Incentives New Zealand) Approved PCO (Professional Conference Organiser) group.

From humble beginnings being in her family’s restaurant learning the tricks of the trade, gaining a professional qualification in food and beverage and worked through the ranks in a renowned eatery to become a head chef.  To having over 20 years of experience in hospitality, event management and professional conference organising industry.

Arna’s love and passion for conference management starts with the long lead-in times that allow for careful preparation through to the excitement that increases exponentially as the opening day grows closer.  Keeping the stress under wraps and away from the client, so they can enjoy their conference just as much as the delegates do!

Check out Oh-Ah-Ha Live and find out what Arna’s Ah-Ha moment!

To find out more about Composition check out their business links below:

Website: www.composition.co.nz

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/compositionltd/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/compositionltdnz/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/compositionltdnz/