Name: An Lambrechts
Age: 31
Works at SEAUTON since: 2009
Function: Chief Global Strategist
Dream-destination: Costa Rica & Australia
Likes: Belgian chocolate, the golden hours (sunset, sunrise, my photography hobby) & vitamin D (from the sun)
Dislikes: really early mornings, though I have no morning mood
What is your job at Seauton?
“As Strategic Project Director I am in charge of developing complex projects from A to Z. I also assist the sales and project team from proposal to execution. For our clients, it’s important that both teams are in close contact with each other. When our sales team pitches a project, I make sure our project team knows exactly what their colleagues have proposed. If the project is assigned to us, the project team takes over, but there’s never an information gap.”
What do you love most about it?
“I love everything about it. The size of the projects I manage, but also the complexity and everything that comes with it: the detailed administration, the contacts with clients and local suppliers and, of course, the execution of the project. It’s great to see everything come together at the event, at the right location and with the perfect timing. Especially if that makes our client and his guests happy.”
What was the most spectacular project you have worked on so far?
“I have worked on so many projects that it’s hard to pick just one. Also, I think an interesting or complex strategic project doesn’t necessarily have to be a large project with an impressive budget. Incentives, for instance, are often a challenge because we’re always in a pitch with other agencies. I've made it my speciality to always look for local suppliers that are perfectly tailored to the client’s needs and to smuggle something into the activities that has a subtle link to the company or the sector. To give you an example: we once organised an incentive for a small IT team in Chamonix, offering such a wide range of activities that every participant was able to create his own ideal programme, his own incentive as it were.
Another spectacular project was the VOKA congress we organised in 2014 at Brussels Expo, a large event with 1,000 participants. To make the rather dull expo hall more attractive, we created a box within a box. The event consisted of an interactive session for the VOKA youth with experts from various industries and a plenary part with several keynote speakers.”
What would be your absolute dream project?
“I would love to organise a series of international road shows with a dedicated and specialised team of experts or a complex car launch in the States. SEAUTON has a lot of experience in organising European car launches and it would be great to take that expertise abroad to another continent. I wouldn’t say no to Australia either, but in terms of accessibility and good roads it might be more realistic to dream about the United States. (Laughs)”
Which trends can you identify in the MICE sector today?
“Time is money, so clients value efficiency above anything else. They want a personalised event that is tailored to their strategic needs, but they don't want to lose time on details. That's why it's important to start by defining clear common goals. We handle the practical side of the event and important decisions are made together with the client. Like I said, there is a strong preference for personalised events with programmes that can be customised to the attendees’ needs. They should be able to create their own master incentive, as it were, or their own ideal seminar programme. To trigger guests to attend, social media have also become very important. That’s why we always develop an efficient social media strategy.”
If you could give us one good piece of advice about event organisation, what would it be?
“It is crucial that you take the time to talk and think things through, even though time is money. Also, make people feel that they’re important to you, whether they are your clients, your guests, or the people you work with. It's a rule we value very highly at SEAUTON since people are our most important assets."
