A beginner's guide to the Airmic Conference

Kate Wallin's early experience of Airmic events led her to become one of the founders of fastTrack, the section for members new to risk management, and to lobby for changes to make the association more welcoming to young professionals.

"I remember setting foot in that conference centre. It was intimidating”," she recalls.

That was several years ago in Bournemouth. Happily, she says, there have been many improvements since then to make new Airmic members more welcome and involved. Nonetheless, time spent preparing in advance will pay dividends and enable you to make the most of the event. The time, she says, will just fly by. Here are some of her top tips.

• When you first arrive, get your bearings. Walk around the entire centre to find out where everything is. Even better, ask someone else to be your guide. It could be a colleague or your broker or someone from Airmic.
• Be sure to put your name down for the workshops - and then turn up. Not only can they be informative, but the more informal setting makes them a comfortable place to meet other people.
• Arrange some meetings in advance. If you are not sure where to begin, then try your broker. S/he will be able to introduce you to other people and before long you could find yourself making a series of useful contacts.
• The conference App (to be launched in May) is a great aid. It sends you reminders, telling you where you are supposed to be and when.
• Make as much use as you can of the many social occasions available. These include the event for fastTrackers. 
• Visit the exhibition area, which is one of the highlights of the conference and a way to make contacts.
• Bring lots of business cards, because you can then take part in the many free competitions organised by exhibitors. Wallin says she has won several prizes, including cameras and iPads.

What does she think are the best things about the conference? "For me there are two aspects. Firstly, the opportunity to network with my peers. Secondly, it can be a very efficient use of time. I will use the conference to hold, say, fifteen meetings that might otherwise have taken at least six weeks to arrange," she says.

"As with so many things in life, the more you put into it the more you get out."

Kate Wallin - director, risk management, Europe, Marriott Hotels International