
Greg Carew
Business Development ManagerAbbey Conference & Events

Karen Hilliard
Senior Project ManagerAfrican Agenda
Learning Objectives
On completion of this course, you will be able to confidently assess venues in light of a client’s requirements, secure the best option for their purpose, create an effective working relationship with a venue’s team and know how to design spaces to meet the client’s vision.
What will I learn?
1. Identifying client priorities
2. Considerations when selecting a venue
3. Effective venue management
4. Effective use of contracted space
Destination and Venue Selection and Management
- Preview Duration
- Identifying client priorities 14 min
- Considerations when selecting a venue 25 min
- Effective venue management 18 min
- Effective use of contracted space 19 min

Greg has over 10 years experience in the events industry and joined Abbey Conference & Events as Business Development Manager in January 2015. He prides himself on his attention to detail and is passionate about delivering for his clients and taking their events to the next level. His particular areas of interest include meeting design, event technology and delegate networking opportunities. Innovation and Creativity are always at the forefront of his mind and he loves nothing more than brainstorming with colleagues and clients about how to bring something that little bit different to an event. Greg loves his sports and in his spare time is a keen golfer and long-suffering fan of Liverpool FC and Kildare GAA.

Karen is Senior Project Manager at African Agenda, a professional conference management company in South Africa. She has been in the industry for ten years and qualified in 2017 as a Certified Meeting Planner (CMP) - one of a couple dozen in Africa. Her current focus is on social media and conference architecture, innovation and sustainability, and ardently encouraging the local conference industry to participate more in global initiatives – and the global conference industry to take better note of what’s going on in Africa. Passionate about the industry, she loves what she does (and the people she works with).
Karen lives in Cape Town with her husband, two-year old kid, Staffie rescue dog, and two faithful cats. She tries to live by what she tells her son ever night: be kind, be generous, be fair and be brave!