with Kai Troll, President of ASSOCIATIONWORLD and CEO, EuropeActive, and BIAF Moderator Jane Cunningham
with BIAF Moderator Jane Cunningham
Who do we have in the room? What are your expectations?
DEFY GRAVITY - How to break free from boundaries and limiting beliefs
Keynote with CEDRIC DUMONT, Bestselling author, Podcaster and Member of the Red Bull Team since 2000
Session Overview
Cedric just announce the launch of his latest book, DEFY GRAVITY — a powerful guide to help you escape the invisible traps of comfort, doubt, and societal expectations.
This book is for anyone ready to challenge the norms, rethink their limits, and step boldly into a life of clarity, accountability, and personal freedom.
In his keynote, he will share insights and learn more about:
- The dangers of staying comfortable
- How clarity creates movement
- Why accountability accelerates growth
- How to break out of mental and social boxes
- The difference between instant wins and real success
Time to get to know new association peers and catch up with old association friends.
WORKSHOP - Part 2
DEFY GRAVITY - How to break free from boundaries and limiting beliefs
Keynote with CEDRIC DUMONT, Bestselling author, Podcaster and Member of the Red Bull Team since 2000
Associations are operating in an environment shaped by rapid changing policy, market, and industry dynamics, as well as rising stakeholder expectations, and increasing pressure to demonstrate value. To remain relevant, influential and impactful, associations must regularly assess whether their governance, operations, and strategic focus are fit for purpose and prepared for the future.
In this session, we will outline a practical framework built around three core pillars designed to help associations evaluate their current performance, anticipate future challenges, and adapt their structures, processes, and service offering accordingly. We will explore how a proactive, structured approach can strengthen credibility, improve decision-making, enhance member value, and position associations to respond confidently to new dynamics.
Following the framework presentation, the session will also feature some practical case studies illustrating how this approach has been successfully applied in the past.
Session description:
Artificial Intelligence has moved from speculative fiction to boardroom reality. But the real challenge isn’t the technology itself, but understanding how to use it meaningfully, ethically, and sustainably in organisations built on human connection and collaboration.
This session explores the shift from AI as magic to AI as mechanism - separating fact from fiction, and showing how associations can move beyond hype to build practical, human-centred systems of “useful intelligence.” We’ll trace how we got here, debunk myths, and then dive into real applications across operations, events, and marketing — where AI and automation become tools for smarter, more purposeful work.
Problem:
Separating fact from fiction - understanding where AI truly adds value and where it doesn’t, particularly across operations, events, and marketing.
Case:
Looking beyond today’s AI moment to the enduring principles of intelligent work that will outlast any single technology trend.
Message:
Useful intelligence is not about replacing people with machines, but empowering associations to work smarter, stay human, and think strategically about the future.
Time to get to know new association peers and catch up with old association friends.
Interactive moderated session.
Session Overview
What truly separates thriving associations from struggling ones? Behind the compelling missions and innovative programs lies a simple truth: strong governance is the single most powerful predictor of long-term association success.
Far from bureaucratic formalities, effective governance creates the accountability, resilience, and strategic clarity that European associations desperately need in today's complex landscape of regulatory pressures, resource constraints, and digital transformation.
As Brussels-based associations navigate unprecedented change, those with solid governance foundations adapt and evolve, while others become trapped in cycles of mission drift, leadership burnout, and stakeholder disengagement.
This 60-minute expert panel session brings together senior association leaders who have experienced firsthand how governance serves as the "operating system" that either powers organizational success or undermines it from within.
Through real-world case studies, both successes and instructive failures, our panelists will reveal how governance functions as the invisible force that either propels or restricts an association’s potential.
You'll Discover
- Why compliance-focused "goodwill governance" isn't enough in today's environment
- The hidden costs of governance dysfunction that drain resources and energy
- The three pillars that connect statutory governance, operational effectiveness, and stakeholder engagement
- Practical frameworks to evaluate your association's governance health
This isn't a theoretical discussion about bylaws and board structures. It's a practical exploration of how governance directly impacts your association's ability to deliver on its mission—and how getting it right creates the foundation for everything else.
Background on the session: Many associations understand that AI can improve productivity and impact, yet most struggle to move beyond hype. The main challenge is that teams do not know where to start, how to use AI safely or how to integrate it into their daily work without creating risk or disruption. There is also growing pressure to keep pace with change but a lack of internal expertise often slows down experimentation.
This workshop makes the case that AI is already mature enough to deliver practical value to associations today. It shows that responsible AI adoption does not require large budgets or complex technology. Instead, associations can begin with simple use cases that improve communication, advocacy and membership engagement.
The message we want to communicate is that AI is not just about working faster. It is about asking better questions, working more strategically and increasing the impact associations can have.
Workshop description: The goal of this workshop is to demystify AI for associations and show how it can be used in a practical and responsible way. The session is designed to help participants understand where AI fits into the daily life of association work and how it can support tasks such as advocacy monitoring, content creation, policy summarisation and member communication.
Participants will discover the potential of AI while also learning its limitations and risks. They will explore realistic scenarios specific to associations, and by the end of the session, they will know how to use AI tools to draft, refine and improve their work without compromising quality. They will leave the workshop with a clear understanding of how to integrate AI into their existing workflows and will have a simple action plan to continue experimenting within their teams.
The expected outcomes include gaining confidence in using AI, learning effective prompting techniques, and developing the ability to apply AI to real professional tasks immediately after the session.
Workshop methodology: The session is delivered in an interactive and hands-on format that blends short exercises and group discussion. Rather than providing abstract theory, the workshop focuses on real tasks relevant to the association space.
No technical installation is required other than a screen to display the slides. Participants will receive the presentation after the session along with a tool library for inspiration.
