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IAPCO Driving Excellence Emerging Leader Award 2027 | Nomination Form

Deadline for submissions: 15 December 2026


Recognising rising individuals in the meetings and events industry

Formerly the IAPCO Hero Award, the Emerging Leader Award was created by IAPCO and its Destination Partners. It recognises someone in our community who has shown outstanding leadership early in their professional career.


Rules of entry
  • You must be aged 40 or under on the nomination deadline
  • You must currently work in any department of an IAPCO Member Company or a registered Member Office.
  • Each IAPCO Member Company may put forward one nominee per 100 employees.

Judging criteria

Each nomination will be evaluated on the following criteria:
  1. Impact: measurable contribution to community-building within the meetings industry.
  2. Innovation: new, creative, or adaptive approaches to challenges.
  3. Leadership and collaboration: the ability to inspire others, work well in a team and drive positive change.
  4. Alignment with IAPCO values: a clear commitment to IAPCO’s mission and values, shown through high professional standards, ethical practice, a focus on quality and a contribution to the global PCO community.
  5. Future vision: clarity and depth of thought regarding the evolution of the PCO community.
  6. Personal presentation: how clearly and convincingly you present yourself and your work, including in your video.

Every member of the jury reviews each entry independently. The jury has one representative from each Destination Partner convention bureau. Jurors score each criterion from 1 to 5 using a standardised scoring matrix. IAPCO HQ then combines the scores, and the entry with the highest total score wins.


The Prize
  • One complimentary pass to the following year’s AM&GA (Mumbai, India, 2027), along with €1,500 for travel and hotel support.
  • The Emerging Leader Award Trophy
  • Use of the Emerging Leader Award logo on your email signature, stationery and professional biography

IAPCO Destination Partners will present the award on stage during the AM&GA.


Key dates
  • Nomination deadline: Tuesday, 15 December 2026
  • Winner notified (under embargo): late January or early February 2027
  • Award presentation: 5 March 2027, at the IAPCO Annual Meeting and General Assembly in Mumbai, India


Ready to put yourself forward, or know someone who should?

If you are already making a difference in our community, we would love to hear your story. Complete the form below to nominate yourself.

If you lead a team, encourage your rising stars to apply. The IAPCO Emerging Leader Award is an incredible opportunity to recognise and appreciate their talent and give them the visibility they deserve.



1.Your details
Please share your contact details and the IAPCO Member Company you work for.(Required.)
2.Short biography (maximum 100 words)
Please give a short professional biography, including your current role and company.
3.Community-building project (maximum 500 words)
Describe a project or initiative from the last 12 months in which you helped strengthen community building. Please include:
  • A short overview, including your personal role
  • The key goals
  • The tools and actions you put in place
  • Tangible, measurable outcomes
(Required.)
4.Alignment with IAPCO values (maximum 300 words)
How do your actions reflect IAPCO’s mission and values? Please give one or two concrete examples that show your commitment to:
  • High professional standards and quality
  • Ethical practice
  • Strengthening the global PCO community
(Required.)
5.Your vision for the industry (maximum 1,000 words)
How do you see the global meetings industry changing? Please think about how digital technology, AI, sustainability and generational change could affect:
  • The wider PCO community
  • Your team
  • Your clients
  • Your clients’ member communities, and the host city’s community after an event
(Required.)
6.Company endorsement (maximum 300 words)
Please ask a senior person at your company, such as your CEO or line manager, to write a short endorsement of you and your work.
7.Video introduction (maximum 2 minutes)
Please record a short video introducing yourself. It should cover:
  • Your profile and key responsibilities
  • A community project you are particularly proud of
  • Your personal vision for the industry
Paste your YouTube or Vimeo link below. Please set the video to public or unlisted, with no password, so the jury can watch it.
8.Permission to share your entry
IAPCO may wish to feature entries in its marketing and communications channels, such as the website, newsletters and social media. This could include your name, photo, biography, video and extracts from your answers. Do you give your permission?

Your answer will not affect how your entry is judged.
(Required.)