Symposium Huddle June

On Tuesday 18th June, the Expat Academy Symposium Huddle took place, and it was an absolute tour de force! A resounding shoutout to Kate Fitzpatrick and the entire Mercer team for hosting this extraordinary event. They truly outdid themselves by assembling an impressive line-up of experts, including Alexander Bast, James Crask, Raphael Isnard, and Kate herself, all under one roof – an impressive feat indeed!

The day kicked off with an insightful session delving into the employee experience in relation to global mobility, setting the stage for thought-provoking discussions. This was followed by a member update from the esteemed Lisa Eckes of AECOM, keeping attendees abreast of the latest developments and future plans for her team. That naturally flowed into some fantastic Hot Potatoes – questions members do not want to hold onto for long!

We then embarked on a truly eye-opening session that explored the various risks looming around the world, from environmental hazards to the chilling reality of kidnapping and extortion. Believe me, this was no ordinary Huddle! We delved deep into the pressing concerns that global mobility professionals must grapple with and really tested attendees to think about the beginning and end of their duty of care to their employees.

And just when you thought the day couldn't get any more exhilarating, we concluded with a lively and heated debate on whether RFPs should be a regular occurrence, or should they only be initiated in the event of a service failure? Opinions flew thick and fast, with attendees passionately defending their stances, leaving no stone unturned. My encouragement for people to get the boxing gloves out didn’t materialise, but we had fun!

We were also privileged to have the expertise of representatives from Sterling Lexicon, Aires, and Equus Software in attendance, adding invaluable perspectives to the discussions. And let's not forget the amazing attendees themselves, whose participation and engagement made the day truly unforgettable.

By the end of the day (with some drinks!), the buzz in the air was palpable, and feedback received has been really encouraging that this event had delivered beyond the standard of networking events and beyond expectations. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made this day so special and unforgettable!

Now, if you're kicking yourself for missing out on this incredible experience, you should be! But we are back for the Annual Conference on 23rd September with the theme ‘Could it be Magic?!’ - an unmissable event! Spaces are sure to fill up fast, so don’t delay booking your place!