“ATD’s mission is to Empower Professionals to Develop Talent in the Workplace. Our focus is on helping workplace learning professionals understand best practices and trends by sharing research, case studies, and thought leadership”
Vassilis Theocharides
Brief Biography about the Interviewee:
Vas has more than 15 years’ experience to deliver significant revenue and market growth for major organizations, including leading airlines and the Deputy Ministry of Tourism for the Republic of Cyprus.
He holds an EMBA from Cass Business School, a bachelor’s degree in hotel management from Johnson & Wales University, and an associate’s degree in hotel management from Les Roches International School of Hotel Management.
He speaks English, French, and Greek, and has intermediate level of Spanish.
Within ATD Vas looks over the markets of the Middle East, Africa, India and Europe as Senior Regional Manager.
1-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: Is it the first time to launch an ATD conference in Belgium and how did the idea start?
Vassilis: This is the first ATD conference in Brussels, however this event is part of the ATD European Summit series, which we launched 3 years ago in Amsterdam.
The European Summit was created at the request of many of ATD’s European members. Each year, several hundred people travel to the U.S. to attend our largest event, the ATD International Conference & Exposition. However not all can make that trip each year though they still desire to learn best practices, hear from thought leaders, and network. The ATD European Summit was created to address those needs.
2-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: What will the conference bring new to the audience in Belgium?
Vassilis: ATD’s mission is to Empower Professionals to Develop Talent in the Workplace. Our focus is on helping workplace learning professionals understand best practices and trends by sharing research, case studies, and thought leadership. This year the theme of the summit is, “Talent Development as a Business Partner.” It is a critical time in business to really focus on developing knowledge and skills of employees so that organizations can grow and compete in the future.
3-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: We as HR Professionals enjoy and learn from attending conferences, however we never understand how these conferences were organized and all the planning and efforts done to reflect such quality in the end. Can you share with us more about what happens behind the scenes?
Vassilis: Our main aim is to make sure that the speakers are really sharing best practices, novel ideas and discussions that are pertinent to the industry. Above all we avoid a ‘show & tell’ sales pitch type of event because we really want our audience to be able to apply what they learn in their work. ATD has a global network of practitioners, experts, and thought leaders who are eager to share their insights and knowledge with our global community.
We also try and have various types of sessions, so that the learning experience is varied, interactive, and relevant for every attendee. It takes several months of planning and preparing to create an ATD event!
4-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: What are the usual expectations of the delegates in a conference, and how does the conference management assure to meet their expectations?
Vassilis: The delegates ask that we bring them something new and thought provoking that can also be implemented. We also offer our additional opportunities to dive deeper into particular areas through our education certificate programs.The demand for these special courses is high as they are specifically targeted for professionals in the talent development industry. Thus we offer the unique combination of learning through the conference and our educational programs to exceed the expectations of our delegates.
5-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: We find conferences a perfect venue to learn about practical solutions, new trends, cases studies and experiences. What message would you send to employers who do not recognize the importance of such conferences when it comes to L&D or hiring or any other relevant HR function? How can conferences further validate their importance and empower their delegates?
Vassilis: It’s not uncommon to hear that some employers don’t value professional development for those in the learning or HR space. The fact of the matter is that with the pace of change accelerating and the future of work being disrupted, focusing on best practices related to people – their learning, up-skilling, re-skilling, engagement, and expectations is crucial. The future of work is dependent on developing a habit of lifelong learning and creating cultures of learning in workplaces. Learning and HR professionals are key strategic partners for this to happen.
We believe the top 5 benefits of attending the ATD European Summit are:
1. Find real solutions to top challenges. Our delegates will learn what’s going on in the industry, find out what strategies their peers are implementing, and discover how they are tackling similar issues. In short, they will learn new strategies and solutions to solve some of their biggest challenges.
2. Meet and learn from trendsetters. ATD European Summit speakers, attendees, and exhibitors are at the forefront of the industry; they are the game changers. This is a great opportunity to find out how they stay ahead of the curve.
3. Networking. Delegates will make new connections with peers and find out how they are managing common challenges. Additionally, they will meet potential partners, suppliers, and new employees who could help them with current challenges.
4. Stay relevant. To stay relevant in our profession, we have to know the latest trends and how to implement them in our organizations. With several sessions focused on innovation in each track, there is no better place to take the pulse of the industry than ATD European Summit.
5. Inspire your team. Delegates can take what they learn from the ATD European Summit and share it with their teams. They will be presented tools and know-how to implement the latest talent development strategies. It’s not just about a delegate’s personal development. By successfully using what they learn at ATD European Summit to improve their organization and the bottom line!
6-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: How can delegates maximize their learning from attending the conference. (On three levels: before the conference, during the conference & after the conference).
Vassilis:
Before the conference: Look at the sessions and bring questions that can be answered by the speaker either during the session or after. Delegates can find a tremendous wealth of knowledge at the summit from their peers and speakers,
During the conference: Make sure to network with peers and have a chat with the speakers. Many delegates will stay back and share among themselves what they learned and how it is relevant to their business. And above all always share with peers what they are learning at the summit. If more than one person from a team is attending, it’s a good idea to divide and conquer when it comes to sessions so that you are maximizing the learning you can bring back to the organization.
After the conference: Delegates can take what they learn from ATD European Summit and share it with their teams. They will be presented tools and know-how to implement the latest talent development strategies. It’s a good idea to talk with colleagues who aren’t attending to find out if there is specific information they are interested in. Attending the summit is not just about a delegates personal development. Every attendee should have a plan in place for how they will implement and share what they learn so that their work has more impact.
7-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: Public speaking is becoming an essential competency in HR, whether in conferences or in internal corporate events. From your leadership experience in this, what tips do you deem necessary for conferences’ speakers to maintain audience engagement during their speeches?
Vassilis: ATD carefully vets all of our conference speakers. There are best practices when it comes to presentation skills and facilitation (ATD offers certificate programs on both) and we try to ensure that speakers at our events adhere to these standards and expectations.
Thank You Mr. Vassilis