There is a famous saying: “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!” Well, NOT when it comes to the Forum for Expatriate Management’s Global Mobility Summit that took place in Las Vegas, September 12-14, 2012. So, I thought I’d share some of my experiences.
It was a well-attended conference that gave participants the opportunity to catch up with old industry friends and make new ones! At the EMMAs dinner and dance, we had Elvis shake it up for us. It was a fun gathering of corporate members and global suppliers, demonstrating partnerships that impact the global mobility industry.
The EMMAs are presented to reward excellence in global mobility, and the conference included a ceremony to recognize U.S. winners. Cartus was named a runner-up in the Most Innovative Technology in Global Mobility category for its CartusMobileSM app that makes critical information readily accessible to clients and customers via mobile devices.
The company won a highly commended honor in the Thought Leadership—Best Survey or Research Study of the Year section for its 2012 Trends in Global Relocation Survey, which helps clients understand evolving strategies companies are employing to balance a multitude of factors in managing international assignments. As part of the process, Cartus produces a report that interprets data so that clients can see what other organizations are doing and what is working.
In addition, Cartus’ Donna DeMarco, an expatriate assignment consultant, was runner-up for the Global Mobility Rising Star award.
Cartus’ Lauren Wagner-Bartz, Stephane Brahy,
Sheri Sinaga, and Sean Raney talked global mobility in Las Vegas.
I had the honor of speaking at one breakout session: “Trends in Global Relocation: Managing Global Mobility and Talent Challenges.” This was based on Cartus’ 2012 Global Mobility Survey. Four key areas of discussion included:
1. The rise in the number of emerging markets – ballooning to 74 countries. There has been a 57% increase to EMEA (specifically Africa)
2. The rise of South Africa to the top five emerging markets destination with Brazil, Russia, India, and China. These countries are known as “BRICS”
3. Best practices by Fortune 500 firms for security, split family arrangements, housing, cost exceptions, and home and host mentor programs in challenging markets
4. The importance of talent – cost is viewed as an investment, part of a company’s strategy and one if its business objectives
The biggest topic of discussion centered on the political upheavals in Libya and Egypt. The HR staff members of several large corporations had only HOURS to evacuate their employees in Libya. Needless to say, industry members were all in support, providing on the ground info and networking resources. I think this showed the solidarity that those in the industry have, as well as the power of global networking in a time of crisis. Kudos to FEM members! So, perhaps an update to the phrase is in order, “What happens in Vegas, impacts outside of Vegas.”
Email this contributor at sheri.sinaga@cartus.com.
