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Newsletter – December 2021

Wishing us all a genuinely “New Normal” for 2022 It’s been a hell of a last couple of years, obviously worse for some than others.  Many international associations’ members have been in the front-lines of the fight against COVID-19, all across the healthcare sector from epidemiology to cardiology to virology to physiotherapy to the many unsung heroes working in public health. … Continued


Global Association Hubs Newsletter – October 2021

(Re)Open(ing) for Association Business! At long last, there’s a mood of cautious optimism in the air!  I recently spoke with representatives from our partner cities Brussels, Dubai, Singapore and Washington DC, sharing updates on their local COVID19 situation and their plans for future (live face-to-face!) activities with our international association friends. In Brussels, any size of association conference … Continued


Perfect Partnerships – philosophy & practicalities for association success

European Association Summit 2021 Perfect Partnerships – philosophy & practicalities for association success Derived from education session designed & facilitated by Martin Sirk, International Advisor to Global Association Hubs This document is a practical, packed-with-ideas, long-term resource for any association that is planning to re-think its partnership strategy and philosophy. “Wisdom of Crowds” check-lists   The … Continued


Newsletter – May/June 2021

Food for Thought: Agility or Sociality? Let’s exploit associations’ natural advantages rather than mimicking corporate-world fads Global Association Hubs media partner Boardroom has just published our new article on the hot topic of “Agility”, a word whose meaning has morphed over the last decade from a general description of mental and operational nimbleness into a tech-world-originating business and project-development methodology, with its own … Continued


Roadmap2030 Chat Cafe

Everybody’s an Expert on Everything This was the title of an article appearing in Boardroom magazine in February 2021, written by Martin Sirk. As the first step in a partnership with Roadmap2030 and Boardroom, aiming to provide a platform for associations to hold deeper and longer conversations on the big issues affecting our sector’s future … Continued


Newsletter – Feb/March 2021

Food for Thought: Associations & the long war for truth It is frequently remarked that we have entered a post-truth era, a time when specialist expertise and scientific knowledge are increasingly under fire, whilst the ever-increasing complexity of every aspect of our society means that these attributes have become existentially necessary.  Global Association Hubs media partner Boardroom has just published our thoughts on … Continued


UIA 2020 data on International Association HQs

UIA 2020 data on International Association HQs The latest annual snapshot from the Union of International Associations on where international associations locate their HQs and regional offices has once again shown Brussels, Dubai, Singapore and Washington DC to be at the very top of their regional rankings, with each increasing their market share compared to 2019.  For the … Continued


Global Association Hubs Newsletter – Nov/Dec 2020

Food for Thought: Will associations stand up in the post-pandemic era as a force for progress? As this utterly strange and terrible year draws towards its conclusion, with many uncertainties and dangers still hovering out of sight, we are heartened by the tantalising prospect of effective vaccines being rolled out worldwide during the first half of 2021. … Continued


Still going global?

Global Association Hubs’ Martin Sirk was joined by four international association leaders for an online education session during #PlanetIMEX in October 2020. The panel members discussed the immediate impact of COVID-19 on their global development plans and priorities, changes to their association’s strategic thinking, and their personal views on the future of international association meetings. … Continued


Global Association Hubs Newsletter – Sept 2020

Global Association Hubs NewsletterSeptember 2020 Food for Thought – why association ecosystems matter I recently wrote an article for the September 2020 issue of Boardroom magazine, entitled “Failure to Continue Thinking Globally is a Recipe for Failure”, in which I urged associations to resist the pandemic-driven temptation to pull back from their global development aspirations, and flagged up … Continued