Symposium: Innovative Practice in Business Events
24 June 2025
Guest speaker biographies
Dr Rob Davidson, Managing Director, MICE Knowledge
Dr Rob Davidson is the Managing Director of MICE Knowledge, a London-based consultancy specialising in research, education and training services for the meetings and events industry. His main areas of expertise are conferences and incentive travel, and he has written seven books on these themes, including his latest publication, Business Events (https://www.routledge.com/Business-Events/Davidson/p/book/9781138735767).
David has carried out research projects for a number of major organisations including the Poland Convention Bureau, the Ireland National Tourism Development Authority, and the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence. His most recent research publication is a report on ‘The Impacts of the Pandemic on Convention Bureaus in Europe’. David is regularly invited to speak at international conferences on themes linked to business events, in particular to present the results of his ongoing research into conference industry trends. Rob also teaches as a Visiting Professor in three European universities, where he educates Events Management and Tourism Management students every year.
In 2015, he was awarded a Doctorate from the University of Greenwich for his thesis entitled ‘Technological and Demographic Factors as Agents of Change in the Development of Business Events’. In 2016, he won the Best Conference Speaker award at the Global Event Awards.In 2017, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the IBTM WORLD exhibition in Barcelona.
Visiting Associate Professor Judith Mair, Tourism Discipline Group Leader, UQ Business School, University of Queensland, Australia
Associate Professor Judith Mair is an academic of world renown and a visiting professor here at Edinburgh Napier University. She is regarded as a leading academic expert in the field of Festivals, Business Tourism and mega sport event and regional development, social justice, and the impacts of climate change.
Judith received her PhD from the University of Strathclyde in 2005, focusing on decision making in the context of academic conferences. She also completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at Victoria University, Melbourne, and worked in the Department of Management at Monash University, Melbourne, before coming to UQ in 2014.
Judith’s work aims to understand and enhance the positive impacts of tourism and events on the communities and societies which host them. She is working on a number of projects in fields including Olympic Games legacies, the links between events and social connectivity (including social capital, social cohesion and social justice) and assessing the potential impacts of climate change on the tourism and events sector. Her work in these areas is very well respected, and her work predominantly published in 4* and 3* CABS ranked journal. Importantly, Judith’s work has clear affinity to the areas of research that are key priorities with the tourism and international cultural , linking well with the work by colleagues in international festival and event management, as well tourism and destination wide strategies. As longstanding journal editor as well as contributor of articles to quality peer review journals, her insights to publication output will be of valuable to newer (as well as some more mature) researchers.
Professor Gary Hutchison, Dean of the School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University
Professor Gary Hutchison is a toxicologist and Dean of School of Applied Sciences with responsibility for Life Sciences, Social Sciences, Psychology, Teacher Education and Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences. In addition to leading the School, Prof. Hutchison is a member of the University Senior Leadership Team, Lead for the Borderlands Region and City Deal Mountain Bike Innovation Centre project, Lead for the university Knowledge Exchange & Innovation Fund strategy, Chair of the Exchange Initiative and Chair of the University Environmental Sustainability Strategy Group. Prof. Hutchison has been an independent scientific advisor to the UK government for over 13 years. Prof. Hutchison has been recorded in the national news expressing how important it is for advanced cities and national governments to understand how business events provision, their related built resources and a related (diversity of) strategic skill sets can multiply knowledge generation, knowledge hubs, innovation networks and productive partnerships and project spinouts.
Elaine Miller, Associations Business Development Manager, Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC)
Elaine has over 20 years’ experience in the world of business events, working in Edinburgh’s DMO and the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC). Her experience ranges from association research, managing ambassador programmes, international sales, and business development.
Known as the team’s ‘go-to’ for sector knowledge and contacts, she loves building relationships and working on city-wide collaborations. Some recent projects have included the formation of the EICC’s academic advisory board (The Exchange Initiative), working with Edinburgh’s local community to develop the new Impact Network, and passing on knowledge and skills to the next generation of event professionals with the Cities Destination Alliance mentoring programme. Outside work she is happiest exploring the great outdoors or sampling all the delights of Edinburgh’s vibrant food scene.
Dr Leo Jago, Emeritus Professor, University of Surrey
Leo is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Surrey where he was Professor in Hospitality and Events and Head of Department of Hospitality. Prior to Surrey he was the inaugural Chief Economist and General Manager of Tourism Research Australia, where he was responsible for the establishment and management of Australia's national tourism research agenda. Since returning to Australia in 2020, he was the Chair of the Business Events Council of Australia for three years and is now on the Board of the Australia Business Events Association where he is the Director of Research. Leo was awarded an OAM in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to the tourism industry and education.
Lesley Williams, Consultant, GainingEdge
Lesley’s passion for business events started when she joined the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) in 2000 as Director of Sales, with a remit to take the EICC into operational profit through the development of key international and national association & corporate business.
In 2010 Lesley joined Marketing Edinburgh as Head of Business Tourism where her key focus was marketing Edinburgh as a sought-after meetings destination. In July 2017 she joined GainingEdge as a consultant working on the BestCities Global Alliance account – first in a Business Development role and then as Managing Director Jan 2020 – June 2023. During that time the Alliance successfully chartered the choppy pandemic waters, emerging as a stronger and even more collaborative Alliance.
Lesley is a past Chair of ICCA UK and Ireland Chapter and a huge advocate for impact and the beyond tourism benefits generated by business events. She supports and mentors young people looking to develop their careers in the business events industry, and is a trained Mental Health First Aider.
Based in Edinburgh, Lesley has delivered on several national projects including a series of workshops for VisitBritain’s Business Events Programme (2018-2020) and collaborated with others on the development of Convention Bureaus and Ambassador Programmes. She sits as a Director and Trustee of the Royal Yacht Britannia and is Chair of Women in Tourism in Scotland.
In her spare time, Lesley likes to get away to enjoy the tranquillity of the Scottish countryside. She recently completed a Professional Development Award in Data Science from Edinburgh College and looks forward to utilising her new skills.
James Latham, Founder / Producer, The Iceberg
James Latham is a seasoned media and business events industry professional dedicated to advocating the value creation, rather than just the consumption, derived from business and professional events. He curates the storytelling of business and professional events on behalf of the industry through the platform of The Iceberg, articulating - more often than not in video form - the legacies of them.
The Iceberg, supported by the world’s leading industry associations, publishers, events, and consultants, is poised to expand its global footprint via its ‘Many Voices One Message’ Campaign – recruiting ambassadors in every city, state, and nation - delivering a channel to advance government recognition of the transformational opportunities presented through business events.
Laura Wilson, Head of Convention Bureau, VisitAberdeenshire
Laura is Head of Aberdeen Convention Bureau, which sits within VisitAberdeenshire. Day-to-day, Laura leads the team responsible for attracting business events to Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. The team promote the region as a business events destination, whilst showcasing regional sector expertise, research, and output, and working with industry partners/stakeholder to attract, and welcome, business events to the North-East. 2024/2025 Convention Bureau activities generated £60m in delegate spend and 33,730 event attendees to the region during 2024-2030. Laura has more than 17 years’ experience within the business events industry, and has worked within visitor attractions, catering companies, hotels, professional conference organisers and city convention bureau.