Marianne Korten, Manager Education & Training at the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) will end her 16 ½ year career at ICCA on 1 September 2005.

Starting off as a trainee researcher at the ICCA DATA department, becoming its manager in 1998 and then running her own Education & Training department as of 2003 is how Marianne discovered new skills and the joy of working in the meetings industry.

“An exciting environment full of enthusiastic people” is the way she describes her working experience of nearly two decades.

She adds: “I look back in amazement and with appreciation of all the experiences, changes and opportunities I went through as a member of the ‘ICCA Family’ in this industry. It makes me feel very grateful and fortunate to have been part of such a special international environment.”

While taking care of the education programmes of the ICCA events and supporting industry speakers her own joy of giving presentations to worldwide audiences grew simultaneously. The positive feedback at her sessions challenged her even more to start her own communication skills company Soul at Work.

Marianne’s new dream is to be a great international motivational speaker, communication skills trainer and network coach. Her mission is, as she explains: “to create new, effective and interactive meeting formats which will bring people together who intend to uplift communication and relationships worldwide.

I like to support participants to become powerful presenters for instance at bid presentations, to run efficient meetings and to network more successfully at events such as conferences and tradeshows.”

“I take this opportunity to thank all the friends I met in my meetings industry career who are the heart of all these fantastic years and wonderful memories. I am looking very much forward to meeting them again in the near future with my new ‘hat’ on: perhaps this is not goodbye after all!”