The ICMCI European Hub got together for its first post-pandemic in-person summit on 6 and 7 June 2024. The event took place in Sofia, Bulgaria, and was hosted by the Bulgarian IMC, BAMCO.
Participants from eleven countries joined the meeting and, for the first time, representatives of the newly formed ICMCI Future Leaders community were also in attendance.
Cesara Pasini, ICMCI European Hub Chair, and Gergana Mantarkova, ICMCI Board Director and BAMCO Chair, welcomed everyone and set the tone for productive discussions.
Robert Bodenstein, ICMCI Chair, dwelt on the ICMCI 2030 strategy outlining thirteen aspirations and their connections to the three strategic pillars: Ethics and Standards, Knowledge Development and Sharing, and Representation. Amongst them, establishing a successful Management Consulting ecosystem, as well as a joined-up community with a culture of belonging and commitment are the primary responsibilities of the ICMCI hubs.
Reema Nasser, ICMCI Executive Director, complemented the global picture explaining the actions already undertaken and other organisational priorities.
Cesara Pasini illustrated an overview of today's ICMCI Euro Hub, with a fascinating historical reconstruction of the foundation of the European associations that have accompanied national and international economic and social development, starting from the 40s of the last century in the Netherlands, up to the most recent Global Institute. She underlined the growth potential in the region and the key role of the Hub in implementing ICMCI's strategy with particular reference to the representation of the profession in Europe, a strongly felt need.
How to elevate the European Hub to an agile organisation capable of supporting a strong consulting community aligned to the global vision and priorities while taking specific actions to bring the strategy to life? How to add value to the Member Institutes and to the Members of our Member Institutes? Who are our stakeholders and how to engage with them? These questions were debated at the round table discussions, facilitated by Cesara Pasini. The outcomes will serve as a basis for developing a business plan for the European Hub and building an effective governance model for the coming years.
The event featured special guest speakers who brought the external perspectives. Pavel Lisev, Executive Director of the Bulgarian Fund of Funds which allocates targeted public funds from European Union programmes, focused on the latest developments in the EU funding instruments and opportunities. Elvin Guri, investor and entrepreneur, presented on how the changes in the geopolitical, economic and social environments impact the future of business.
The hub summit offered plenty of opportunities for networking and building new professional connections and friendships along with a social programme to energise the attendees.
ICMCI would like to express gratitude to all participants for their commitment and engagement. We also extend a special thank you to BAMCO for hosting such a dynamic meeting.
Looking for an inside look on the event experience?
Highlight Recap Video
Hub Chair Presentation and Keynote Speaker Presentation
Photo Gallery
About Hubs
The concept of regional Hub meetings has evolved over the years to reflect the growth of ICMCI and its network. As calls for cooperation within regions that shared similar challenges and cultures arose, and the Hub meetings became the answer to foster cooperative actions between the member IMCs to discuss regional and local issues that may not be perceived relevant on the global scale. Hub meetings are open to all Delegates from IMCs around the globe.
About ICMCI
The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI or CMC-Global) is an international membership organisation and a network of management advisory and consultancy associations and institutes worldwide which have a common purpose and shared values and goals.