Making Meaningful Connections in Singapore and Beyond
INTA’s 2023 Annual Meeting Live+ offers a wide variety of opportunities to make connections, build relationships, and develop your business through shared experiences and purposeful interactions. Erin Pullman reports.
Every interaction registrants have at the Annual Meeting—either face-to-face or virtual—presents an opportunity to make a meaningful connection, grow their network, and develop new business.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced a shift to virtual events in 2020. For INTA, it was also an opportunity to rethink and reimagine how the Association facilitates Business Development (BD) at both its virtual and in-person events. Its approach to BD has become more strategic and structured, geared toward helping registrants find activities that cater to their different preferences, interests, and networking styles.
Whether a registrant prefers to connect with colleagues and clients through speed networking, receptions, workshops, excursions, virtual events, or a combination thereof, they will find opportunities for meaningful interactions at the 2023 Annual Meeting Live+.
“Attending the 2023 Annual Meeting Live+ is about gaining knowledge and making valuable connections. Our goal is to provide a variety of formal and informal networking opportunities, allowing registrants to maximize their time making new connections and solidifying business relationships,” says Sacha Colquhoun, Manager, Business Development, at INTA (USA).
“Our goal is to provide a variety of formal and informal networking opportunities, allowing registrants to maximize their time making new connections and solidifying business relationships.”
- Sacha Colquhoun | INTA (USA)
Myriad Offerings
This year’s Annual Meeting will offer cherished staples, such as Speed Networking, more than 250 Table Topics, receptions, workshops, and the Grand Finale at Universal Studios Singapore—Resorts World Sentosa.
While less formal, receptions are also a popular venue for meeting with business associates and making new connections. The Annual Meeting Registrant First-Time Orientation and Reception (Tuesday, May 16, 3:30 pm–5:30pm) and Welcome Reception (Wednesday, May 17, 6:00 pm–8:00 pm) immediately following the Opening Ceremonies are great opportunities to break the ice.
Registrants may purchase guest tickets for the Opening Ceremonies and Welcome Reception and/or the Grand Finale.
While the popular Business Development Lounge—an informal gathering space where you can mingle, share ideas and experiences, enjoy stimulating conversations, make meaningful connections, and expand your professional network with like-minded individuals—will return for its second year. The newly rebranded Innovation Marketplace will offer expanded opportunities for networking and hospitality. Also new this year is the Rest and Refresh areas, which present further opportunities to connect with fellow registrants.
Members are also encouraged to collaborate with INTA to Plan Your Own Event (PYOE). This could be a reception, brunch, or cocktail hour. Over 200 affiliates are hosting events in conjunction with the Annual Meeting. If interested in hosting an event, please complete this form at your earliest convenience so that INTA may assist you in avoiding conflicts with other events before you begin working with your preferred venue. Members can also still take advantage of Exclusive Corporate Meeting Rooms. Reserved Hospitality Rooms are sold out.
“Having a reserved hospitality room at the Annual Meeting has, for many years, been essential for Spoor & Fisher. It provides a convenient and exclusive space to connect with colleagues and clients and enhance our networking opportunities,” says Dina Biagio (Spoor and Fisher, South Africa). “Consolidating meetings in a single space eases the organizational burden and ensures that our guests can be properly looked after in a quiet, private, and comfortable environment."
“We look forward to making the most of this opportunity to build meaningful relationships and further our business development goals at the Annual Meeting,” added Ms. Biagio.
“Having a reserved hospitality room at the Annual Meeting has, for many years, been essential for Spoor & Fisher. It provides a convenient and exclusive space to connect with colleagues and clients and enhance our networking opportunities.”
- Dina Biagio | Spoor and Fisher (South Africa)
Off-Site Excursions
Finally, BD Networking Excursions will get registrants out of the convention center to explore the culture and cuisine of Singapore. Registrants should plan ahead and sign up for activities in advance whenever possible to make the most out of their experience.
Singapore is a destination that is rich in culture, tradition, and incredible cuisine. This year’s off-site excursions offer registrants a chance to make the kind of unforgettable memories that will lead to lasting relationships with colleagues and clients.
Take some time out to visit a traditional Chinese Tea House or sample Singaporean Traditional Coffee. Learn more about Singapore’s unique history with a tour of Nostalgic Chinatown or Singapore’s oldest flea market. Get a unique perspective on the city on a Side Car Heritage Tour, a Bike and Bites Food Trail ride, or cruise down the Singapore River in an authentic bumboat to try Singapore’s famous Chili Crab.
“I am excited to attend the networking excursions at the upcoming INTA meeting in Singapore. I find networking in a relaxed atmosphere extremely enjoyable, and the business connections made with shared experiences are extremely strong and valuable,” says Barry Meskin (IP Guardian, Australia).
How To Find Out Who’s Going to the Annual Meeting
You can search the registry to find individuals or organizations who will also be attending by following these steps:
1. Register for the Annual Meeting Live+
2. Login to inta.org and select “2023 Annual Meeting Live+” in the dropdown menu under “Events.”
3. In the top right corner, click on “Individuals Registered” or “Organizations Registered” to view the list of registrants.
4. Filter your search by criteria such as jurisdiction, type of organization, expertise, etc.
Workshops
Workshops are a great way to benchmark and meet new people through small group discussions. At the 2023 Annual Meeting Live+, INTA is holding four workshops.
The annual Anticounterfeiting Workshop this year will focus on the Evolving Online Landscape in APAC: From Enforcement to Privacy, What Every Stakeholder Needs to Know (Monday, May 15, 2:00 pm–5:30 pm). This event is exclusive for in-house practitioners and government officials only.
During the Career Development Day Workshop (Tuesday, May 16, 1:15 pm–3:15 pm), participants will gain practical tips from expert practitioners in the field on how to make the best first impression, build connections that last, and get noticed.
The Women’s LeadershIP Initiative will host an Integrating Work and Life Workshop titled Shifting the Scales: Creating Allies by Inviting a Balanced and Retainable Support Structure (Thursday, May 18, 2:00 pm–5:30 pm).
Finally, the In-House Practitioners Workshop and Luncheon: Financial Literacy and Using Data for In-House Practice (Friday, May 19, 8:30 am–1:30 pm) will also showcase the newly developed Commercialization of Brands Committee’s certificate program Finance for Non-Finance Legal Professionals. Participants will hear from the team that created this program, on why you need it and how you can justify it with the decision-makers in your organization.
Pre-registration is required for workshops, so sign up before they reach capacity.
“I am excited to attend the networking excursions at the upcoming INTA meeting in Singapore. I find networking in a relaxed atmosphere extremely enjoyable, and the business connections made with shared experiences are extremely strong and valuable.”
- Barry Meskin | IP Guardian (Australia)
Before You Go
Registrants can view the complete Annual Meeting program on the INTA website and are encouraged to register in advance for workshops, Table Topics, Speed Networking, and BD excursions, and make note of the time and location of any receptions they would like to add it to their schedules.
Some of the networking opportunities require pre-registration, have limited attendance, or require an additional fee. To register for an add-on activity: log into your INTA profile; select the “purchases” tab; go to “events” on the left navigation; select 2023 Annual Meeting Live+ and click “details”; and in the details tab, add sessions (blue button in top right box).
Anyone who has attended an Annual Meeting knows how quickly their schedule can fill up long before they get on a plane. Reach out in advance to anyone specific you wish to connect with and invite them to join you for a drink at a reception, a board game in the Business Development Lounge, or a stroll through the Innovation Marketplace.
Having a strategy in place before arriving in Singapore is crucial to reaching your business development goals for the meeting. “If traveling with your team, discuss how to optimize your meeting experience and develop a meeting strategy. Coordinate with your colleagues to ensure that you are all attending different BD activities to avoid overlap, and to maximize the number of new and different people you meet,” suggests Ms. Colquhoun.
