The Meetings Industry Association (mia) has opened nominations for its miaList 2018.
The awards are designed to recognise the best talent in the sector.
New for 2018: the role of honour, which highlights 10 individuals, will not be segmented into categories to give more candidates the chance to be recognised.
Jane Longhurst, mia chief executive, said: “The miaList is a fantastic way for us to reward people within our industry who their peers feel deserve special recognition. As we are always keen for the miaList to evolve, this year we have decided to change the format slightly by discarding the categories and only retaining the Leadership and Team titles. This will enable individuals, who may not have previously fitted within the strict categories, to be nominated and allow more people the chance to gain the acknowledgement they deserve.”
Anyone working within or associated with the meetings, hospitality or events sector in the UK or Ireland is eligible for the miaList 2018, which is free to enter. Eventprofs, however, cannot nominate themselves.
Nominations will be assessed by a panel of industry stalwarts, which includes Gill Smillie of Conference Venues Countrywide, Carol Primett of Anglian Water, Rob Flinter of Park Plaza London Riverbank, Mark Gallen of MG Sales Performance, Lacy Curtis-Ward of The Lensbury, Erica Livermore of Prestige Reservations, Richard O’Riordan of Tower Hotel London and Amanda Thurlow from ACCA.
Shortlisted nominees and their nominators will be invited to attend a ‘Judging Lunch’ in September 2018.
Meanwhile, those teams who have collectively made a significant impact on their organisation will be shortlisted by the judges and then subject to a public online vote to secure the Team title.
Full details and application forms can be found here. Completed forms and portfolios of evidence must be submitted by 5pm on Friday, 29 June.
Those securing a place on the sought-after miaList will be revealed at a ceremony on Friday, 2 November at The Tower Hotel.
Photo caption: mia chair Kay England presenting at the miaList 2017
