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be held at Jaarbeurs, as well as the pre-confe rence for the Global Investor Forum at the Science Park. “This collaboration shows that Jaarbeurs, together with the city of Utrecht, offers more than just a venue. It’s the combina tion of strategic partnerships and joint commit ment that makes the conference successful.” The future of international conferences The world of international conferences is chan ging, as well as the way we organise events. Neggers sees a shift towards more compact, but more intense, live events that really focus on the participants’ experience. “I think that live events are increasingly beco ming more compact, with fewer conference days but with more impact. The participants’ experi ence will improve. The work-life balance is also becoming increasingly important, and people’s concentration is decreasing. Why would you organise a conference that lasts four days when you can make it very compact and dynamic? For instance, by adding all kinds of AI tools.” Neggers also notices that the focus of events is shifting from a simple transfer of information to a more holistic approach. “It’s no longer just about broadcasting information. Events need to be more balanced, and participants want more inter

“By communicating about these efforts and successes, likeminded partners, companies and organisations worldwide are encouraged to work with us. Together we can reduce our shared carbon footprint and explore more possibilities to create impact.”

Success stories in Utrecht: Innovation for Health conference

©Michiel Ton

Utrecht has countless success stories, and an excellent example is how Neggers managed to bring the renowned Innovation for Health confe rence to the city. “A year ago, I contacted the organisation of the “Innovation for Health” conference because I felt that the conference would be an excellent fit for Jaarbeurs and Utrecht. The organisation showed interest but also wanted more clarity about the added value of Utrecht as a host location. It is essential for “Innovation for Health” to have strong partnerships and the right support for the programme.” From this perspective, Neggers made connec tions with various relevant local parties, including Utrecht Science Park, Oncode Accelerator and ROM Utrecht, which then joined the initiative as partners. Corry is happy to report that in March 2026, the Innovation for Health conference will

Corry Neggers ' With over a century of experience in organising events, there's always someone in our team with the necessary expertise'

active and enriching experiences. For example, by integrating activities in the morning, such as walking, running or yoga, before the conference starts.” Inspiration and depth For the success of her clients, for Neggers, it is important to draw her own inspiration by atten ding other major events worldwide, such as ICCA meetings and the IMEX trade fair in Frankfurt. ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) holds an annual seminar that provi des a unique platform for association executives and ICCA members. Participants can exchange knowledge, network extensively and collaborate to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of association meetings. “The ICCA seminar is an event where you always go into depth with many practical workshops that are directly applicable in your work. It’s a great place to learn and be inspired!” IMEX Frankfurt is one of the largest European trade fairs for the global meetings, events and incentive travel industry. “At IMEX, my collea gues and I get to introduce Royal Jaarbeurs as the premium venue in the Netherlands and share about our ambitions and expertise. It’s the ideal event to discover new opportunities and build relationships,” says Neggers.

Esri Connect 2025, Esri Nederland

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