ICGN Washington DC Conference - Speaker Information

General Guidelines for Speakers and Chairs

Welcome to the ICGN Washington D.C. Conference! Please download the “Speakers and Moderators - On the day info” PDF above - this shows handover information, such as timings, speakers, who and how each panel or presentation will be introduced, etc.

We are delighted that you have agreed to take part in the event as a speaker. Below are some guidelines which will assist in your preparation for the conference. Do let us know if you have any questions, we are always happy to help.

This page includes information on:

1.     Important information, including registration, arriving in Washington D.C, travel to the Conference venue and accommodation

2.     Role of speakers & chairs

3.     Requirements for slides (Please note; panel discussions should avoid slides)

4.     Submitting your photo/biography

 1.     Important Information

Registration

Please register to attend the Conference via the ICGN website, selecting ‘Speaker’:

hhttps://www.icgn.org/form/icgn-2024-washington-d-c-confere?source_entity_type=node&source_entity_id=2079

Please register ASAP and no later than Thursday 22 February. As a speaker, we welcome your attendance to the full event if your diary permits, on a complimentary basis.

Arrival to the Conference

Please arrive at least 30 minutes before your speaking slot. On arrival to the venue, you will need to go through security, please ensure you have a passport or valid form of government ID. Then you may follow signs to the lobby and head to the ICGN registration desk to collect your speaker badge. There, you will be greeted by a member of staff who will be able to show you the Conference room and introduce you to the other speakers as necessary. You will also be shown to the AV desk, where your microphone will be fitted prior to your speaking slot.  

Emergency Phone Number

Please provide us with a phone number to contact you in case of emergencies. We will not keep this number on file.

Late Arrival

If you are running late, please let us know as soon as you anticipate a potential delay by calling or emailing one of the contacts listed at the end of this document.

 Dress Code

Business attire.

Conference Venue

IFC HQ

2121 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20433, United States
https://maps.app.goo.gl/NRB8Pd6MkdhfXM9d7

Accommodation

For hotel bookings at Yours Truly D.C. please contact justin.rosales@yourstrulydc.com

 Media

There may be members of the press attending the conference, if you would like a copy of the press list then please do ask your contact and we would be happy to send this one week ahead of the event.

2.     Roles of Speakers & Moderators 

 Introduction by the Moderator

The moderator will introduce you with reference to the biography you have supplied, building up your authority on the topic.

Panels

We encourage speakers to have brief opening statements (2-3 minutes each) followed by Q&A conducted by the panel moderator.

The topics to be discussed and questions to be asked will be confirmed in advance via a planning call conducted with all panel participants and led by the panel chairperson. During the planning call the format of the session will also be confirmed as well as how audience Q&A will be run.

If you are taking part in a panel discussion, then no presentation slides will be required, we recommend that these sessions do not include slides to ensure the conversation is fluid.

 
Moderators

The role of Moderator

As Moderator, your role is to facilitate the flow of conversation, bringing energy to the discussion and ensuring that the audience are engaged and enjoying the panel. Please be dynamic, engage the audience’s interest and welcome participation as much as possible. This is your opportunity to shape the learning of conference participants, and your role is critical to the success of the Conference.

Plenary Discussion Planning Call

We would like you to host a short 30–60-minute planning call (as mentioned above) with the speakers in your session, at least two weeks in advance of the event.

We will introduce you by email to them all and cc you in, which you can then easily reply to all, advising of the time and how to join the conference call.

We will join you for the meeting, to assist with any issues that may arise.

In the planning call you should:

·        Suggest how the panel could run and discuss this format with the other speakers

·        Confirm you will be introducing the speakers

·        Remind the speakers of the necessity to keep to time

·        Confirm if you will be conducting audience Q&A throughout the session or at the end of the session, if at the end then please confirm how long this will be for.

·        Q&A will be done live with handheld mics.

·        Discuss briefly which topics each speaker is comfortable discussing and if there are any topics they would prefer not to be asked about

Meeting your speakers in advance

Please try and meet the speakers of your panel before the session.  Members of staff will be available at the registration desk to assist in introducing you to speakers onsite. We ask that all speakers arrive at least 30 minutes before their session begins.

AV Desk

You will need to be fitted with your microphone at the AV desk before your session. Members of staff will show you the way on arrival. Please return your microphone to the AV desk immediately after your panel.

Introducing the speaker / talk

Please introduce each speaker with reference to their short profile on the ICGN event webpage. Please remember that the introduction should build authority in the speaker so that delegates are enthused to hear what is to be said.

Closing the presentations

The Panel should be brought to a close to give you time to make a few summary points (1-2 mins). When the session comes to the end of its allotted time, please approach the speaker on stage and bring them to a halt politely.

Timekeeping

Please be fair and strict with time control to ensure every speaker has their agreed or an equal share of airtime, and we keep strictly to the schedule. If there are still audience questions at the end of the session, please explain they can ask these questions during the panel / refreshment breaks as we have run out of time. Your attention to the schedule is greatly appreciated.

3. Presentations

 PowerPoint Presentations

Please only use slides If necessary, if you are using a PowerPoint presentation, then please email your slides to amiirah.nobeebaccus@icgn.org before Friday February 23 to ensure that there is time for us to proof all slides and send across to the AV team to check all formatting appears as intended.

PowerPoint Presentations are not recommended for panel sessions at ICGN Conferences, as they focus instead on a discussion/debate between the panellists.

Format: For any presentations we recommend the following:

·        Use minimal text, as delegates often find text-heavy slides hard to read.

·        Text should have a clear font and should be size 18 or larger.

·        Make visuals (charts/graphics) large enough to be read by a person sitting on the back row.

·        Be aware of the amount of slides you are using, less is usually more. A rule of thumb is one PowerPoint slide per three minutes of talking. Time yourself in advance to ensure you are able to stick to the time limit.

·        Please keep a minimum of 5 minutes for Q&A at the end of your presentation, if you would prefer not to have Q&A please do let us know.

·        Please rehearse your presentation and keep to the time.

·        Please let us know If you will be controlling the slides yourself or would like the AV team to do this.

Content from the panels, including slides, may be uploaded to the ICGN website after the event. Please let us know if you do not want your slides shared publicly.

3.     Submitting your photo/biography

 Format of Profiles and Photos of Speakers and Chairs

Please provide a short biography in two parts: one or two sentences that describe your position and your organisation, followed by your responsibilities and experience that demonstrate to delegates how you are well placed to talk on the subject(s) you are. An example is as follows:

 Alison Abbott is the Communications Director for World LP Gas, an association with over 200 member companies in the energy sector internationally, and is based in Paris, France.

Alison is responsible for internal and external communications activities for this global association to both its members and wider stakeholder community. With members in over 125 countries this involves a comprehensive schedule of initiatives designed to satisfy association members as efficiently as possible. It also provides the challenge of combining a ‘desk job’ with a significant amount of travelling to meet members and speak at fellow LP Gas Association events. Alison also manages the worldwide rollout of the Exceptional Energy brand which unites the LP Gas industry. Alison has held similar positions within the telecommunications and software industry both in France and the UK.

 Please send a photo of yourself; to ensure the image does not appear pixelated online or print please ensure the size is at least 400KB.

Please send your bio and photo to charli.pruys@icgn.org ASAP. All bios and photos must be received by Friday 23 February Any materials submitted after this time will not be included in the conference app.

Contacts

 Amiirah Nobeebaccus, Events & Logistics Manager – amiirah.nobeebaccus@icgn.org

Hannah Gardner, Events Manager– hannah.gardner@icgn.org  07968977225

Chris Smith, Sponsorship & Marketing Executive – christopher.smith@icgn.org

Charli Pruys, Events Admin Assistant – charli.pruys@icgn.org

Please note the ICGN Secretariat is based in the UK and work UK hours.