Professional Event Portfolio

“Energy in the Wider Atlantic Basin”

Submitted by

The George Washington University

Event Management Certificate Program

Event Date: February 15, 2013

Date Portfolio Submitted: April 17, 2014

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SECTION 1: TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1: Table of Contents ............................................................................................................. 1

SECTION 2: Executive Summary .......................................................................................................... 3

SECTION 3: Event Research ................................................................................................................. 4

SECTION 4: Event Design .................................................................................................................... 9

SECTION 5: Event Planning ............................................................................................................... 13

SECTION 6: Event Coordination ........................................................................................................ 18

SECTION 7: Event Evaluation ............................................................................................................ 21

SECTION 8: GAP Analysis .................................................................................................................. 23

SECTION 9: Personal Essay................................................................................................................ 26

SECTION 10: Appendix ..................................................................................................................... 30

Appendix A: Events Elements Plan ................................................................................................ 30

Appendix B: Feasibility Study ......................................................................................................... 32

Appendix C: Needs Assessment ..................................................................................................... 33

Appendix D: SWOT Analysis ........................................................................................................... 34

Appendix E: Invitation .................................................................................................................... 35

Appendix F: Event Design Photos .................................................................................................. 37

Appendix G: Organizational Chart ................................................................................................. 39

Appendix H: Budget and Chart of Accounts .................................................................................. 40

Appendix I: Timeline ...................................................................................................................... 42

Appendix J: Vendors list ................................................................................................................. 44

Appendix K: Production Schedule .................................................................................................. 45

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Appendix L: Script .......................................................................................................................... 46

Appendix M: Press Release ........................................................................................................... 48

Appendix N: Vendor Agreements .................................................................................................. 49

Appendix O: Site Plan ..................................................................................................................... 51

Appendix P: Floor Plan ................................................................................................................... 53

Appendix Q: Thank you Note ......................................................................................................... 54

Appendix R: Survey Results ............................................................................................................ 55

SECTION 11: Affirmation .................................................................................................................. 56

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SECTION 2: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The luncheon “Energy in the Wider Atlantic Basin” was held on Friday, February 15, 2013

from 12.00 to 1.30pm at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF), Washington,

DC. The event was a roundtable discussion, which featured two main speakers and attracted an

audience of 55 people. The two main objectives of the event were to present Mr. Isbell’s book

“Energy and the Atlantic: The Shifting Energy Landscape of the Atlantic Basin”, which is part of

a larger in-house research project entitled “wider Atlantic”. This lunch would also serve to

promote one of GMF’s flagship events: The Atlantic Dialogues, which will take place in Rabat,

Morocco in October 2013. The luncheon “Energy in the Wider Atlantic Basin” was created to

advertise and disseminate GMF’s activities to its local network in Washington, DC.

I was charged with coordinating, organizing and implementing The Atlantic Dialogues. As a

result, I was specifically appointed to be the event manager for this luncheon discussion. The

decision to hold this luncheon event occurred in mid-December 2012, while the coordination and

execution phases were done through the months of January and February 2013. I planned,

managed and executed this event with the support of several co-workers, the guidance of the

speakers and the supervision of the director of my department. “Energy in the Wider Atlantic

Basin” was the culmination of my creative design and my event management skills.

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SECTION 3: EVENT RESEARCH

In December 2012, I was contacted by Mr. Lesser, Senior Director of Foreign Policy at the

German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) to plan a “dissemination event” in

Washington DC sometime in the first quarter of 2013. The event would serve to promote GMF’s

activities, bring the community together, and create a platform for discussion. Prior to beginning

my research, I scheduled a conference call with Mr. Lesser, as he is located in Brussels, to

determine the format, budget, timeline, and resources available for this gathering. From this

initial call, it was decided that the event will have the format of a roundtable discussion with two

discussants, and will be scheduled at the occasion of Mr. Lesser’s trip to Washington DC.

Scheduling a call with Mr. Lesser was crucial to assess his expectations for the event, to evaluate

the project’s potential for success, and to answer the fundamental questions of the “5 W’s”: who,

what, why, when, where (see Appendix C). The needs assessment or the “5Ws” was my main

tool to lead the conference call and guide the discussion.

With the goals clearly outlined, securing the speakers and finding a suitable date and time were

therefore the first priority. Following this initial meeting, it was agreed that Mr. Lesser would

serve as one of the speakers to anchor this event. An idea for the second was Mr. Isbell. Mr.

Isbell had approached GMF a few months earlier and inquired about the possibility of hosting an

event at the occasion of the launch of his new book. GMF was on board with the idea and with

the concept. We agreed to have Mr. Lesser as the chair/moderator of the session and Mr. Isbell as

the repondeur. As soon as, the exact dates of Mr. Lesser’s trip were confirmed, I contacted Mr.

Isbell to check his availability for the week of February 11th

.

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Given the busy schedule of the speakers, I decided to hold the event on Friday, February 15th

during lunch time. We avoided holding the event in the afternoon, as we have learned by

experience that the level of attendance for an event is usually lower on a Friday afternoon as

opposed to earlier in the day.

The format of the event was designed in consultation with the two speakers, but largely

followed a format frequently used by GMF. The events history has shown that the format was

quite successful and appreciated by participants. “Energy in the Wider Atlantic Basin” was

designed to be an interactive and informal event. The idea was to have a 5-10 minutes

introduction by the chair and the speaker, followed by a presentation of Mr. Isbell’s book, before

opening the discussion to the audience with a questions and answers (Q&A) format. We were

planning to have a lively, interactive and dynamic session where speakers and participants share

their views on the topic and engage into the discussion. Both speakers were native English

speakers; therefore there was no need for translation.

The next step was to construct an invitation list. Our organization uses a database called

“InterAction” and was my main tool used to compile the list. From the database, I extracted

names from embassies, the US State Department, think-tanks, universities, corporate sector, and

news media from the greater Washington DC metropolitan area. In addition to using the

database, I solicited my colleagues from the energy and foreign policy teams for their input. I

targeted an audience of 50-70 participants in total, but developed a list of about 150 people. I

estimated the size of the list to be sufficient given that the invitation/acceptance ratio is usually

50% for this type of event. In parallel, I also compiled a “back-up list” where we could rapidly

invite select individuals in case the number of RSVPs did not reach our target. The event

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“Energy in the Wider Atlantic Basin” was designed to be a private event, upon invitation only.

Therefore, we could not reply on a mass promotion to satisfy participation goals.

Once the invitation list was finalized, I reviewed our invitation process. As per GMF’s internal

policy, it was mandatory to use their invitation template. It was my responsibility to create the

text of the invitation. I gathered examples of past invitations from the internal electronic library,

which was a useful tool to draft the invitation of the event. The invitation text was then edited

and proofed by the communication department. Invitations were sent by email through the

database system “InterAction” 3 weeks before the event. Our experience has shown that

invitations for local events should not be sent too early, since participants often forget to

schedule the event in their calendar if it is too far in advance.

After reviewing the key aspects of the event, I conducted a feasibility study (see Appendix B)

in evaluating the budget, human resources and time available to put this event together.

At the occasion of the budget meeting with my Mr. Lesser, I was informed that the event will be

supported by a grant from the “wider Atlantic” program; however the budget was tight and

limited. The exact amount of money available was not clearly defined, but Mr. Lesser stressed

the importance of keeping costs at a minimum. Based on the budget restrictions and the size of

the event, I decided to hold the luncheon on GMF’s premises. This was by far the cheapest

solution. This decision was further supported by it being a fairly convenient option for both GMF

and our invitees. The capacity of the main conference room is 100, which was suitable given that

we targeted an audience of 50-70 people. In addition, GMF is located in the Dupont Circle area

of Washington DC, which is a great city-center location with easy access to the metro. Finally,

the building offers access for persons with disabilities.

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Therefore and once we agreed on a date and time, I secured the major conference room of our

office through the “Outlook” internal system. I booked the room from 10.00am to 3.00pm, which

included time to set-up the room (10.00 to 11.30) and to properly clean-up the space (1.30 to

3.00pm). The event itself was scheduled from 12.00 to 1.30pm.

As indicated earlier, “Energy in the Wider Atlantic Basin” was an opportunistic event. As a

result, I did not have to budget Mr. Lesser’s travel arrangements and accommodation as part of

the event budget, since he was traveling to Washington DC for other business. Mr. Isbell is a

local speaker; therefore I did not have to plan a budget for his travel arrangements either.

Next, I identified the staff required to assist me with the preparation and coordination of the

event. Considering that the event was a cross-event department, I hired two staff from the energy

and foreign policy teams, who had a specific interest in participating and organizing the event. I

also used the help of the two interns of my department. Through my internal recruiting process, I

brought on board six supporting staff in total, assigned to the following tasks: a summary writer

to help me with the content and substance of the event, a site and design coordinator, a

registration assistant, and a catering assistant. In addition, the in-house photographer and the IT

person were specifically assigned to support me for this event by the director of the

communication and IT departments. I therefore estimated that I had enough people to manage

the event successfully.

As the idea to organize the event “Energy in the Wider Atlantic Basin” came-up in mid-

December 2012, I had 2 months to plan this event. This was certainly sufficient time to

implement a fruitful event. By comparison, the average time to organize similar local DC events

is roughly 3 weeks. Therefore, I was quite confident that I would be able to organize a high-

quality and productive lunch.

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Before concluding the research and development phase, I conducted a SWOT analysis (see

Appendix D) to assist in the decision making process. Thanks to this tool, I determined the final

objectives for this event and ensured that they were specific, measurable, achievable, relevant,

but also were in accordance with the event planning process.

As a result of my research and my feasibility study, I decided that the event would be held at

GMF on Friday, February 15th

from 12.00 to 1.30pm, as a luncheon event with two main

speakers. I was confident that despite a limited budget, we were well on our way to what would

become an important element of achieving GMF’s organizational goals.

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SECTION 4: EVENT DESIGN

Following the initial phase of investigation and research, I was now in a position to explore the

design phase and start working on the overall feel and look of the event “Energy in the Wider

Atlantic Basin”. Three main aspects were taken into consideration. These were Mr. Lesser’s

expectations, the budget constraints, and other logistical limitations. During the process of

designing the event, I used the event elements plan (See Appendix A), as a check list to ensure

that every item was thought through.

The theme of the event was pre-defined during the research phase and it was clear since the

beginning what the goals of the event would be and who was going to be the speakers. The

theme was in some ways narrow since it was focusing on the topic of energy. However, the fact

that it was part of a larger project allowed me to reach out to a larger audience. I sent out 150

invitations to GMF’s network. A few days prior to the event, the invitations were followed up

with an email reminder to people who had not yet responded. In the end, I received 58 RSVPs

and had 56 attendees.

Deciding on the layout of the meeting room was a key element for the success of the event. I

analyzed and studied the space carefully to determine what the best set-up was. The design of the

conference room is traditional and simple. I wanted a set-up that looked professional, effective

and practical. The major conference room at GMF comes with a long rectangular table in the

center of the room that seats 28 people, also called boardroom set-up. Removing this large and

heavy table involved a cost. Therefore, I decided to keep the table in place and planned to seat 26

people around it. I then added chairs in a circular design around the room to fit 30 additional

people. With this layout, attendees were able to hear and see each other easily and no particular

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location in the room offered any particular advantage over another. The additional benefit of this

design was that it encouraged dialogue and created a feeling of unity.

The main speaker, Mr. Isbell requested to use a PowerPoint presentation to support him during

the event. I planned to use the IT equipment of the conference room (screen, projector with

wireless remote and laptop). I decided to set-up the screen in the back of the meeting room,

which was the most suitable location and allowed all participants to see it. The place of the

screen was carefully chosen and the decision was also influenced by the outside light. At this

specific location, the outside light did not reflect or obstruct the visibility of the screen. As a

confirmation, I walked around the space and placed myself behind the table to check if the

visibility at each seat was good enough. As for the sound and the lightening system, I planned to

install microphones on the table for the two speakers and used the very basic lightening system

of the conference room. My goal was to create a classic but friendly room design encouraging

dialogue and interaction, while optimizing the meeting space and taking into consideration the

logistical constraints.

In view of keeping the conference room as the main working area, I decided to set-up the lunch

buffet in the lobby, outside the conference room. Participants were able to bring the food in the

meeting room. This set-up avoided having a packed and messy conference room. The food and

beverage stations were visible to participants upon their arrival in the area and avoided a difficult

circulation around the lunch buffet.

Based on my pre-research budget, food and beverage was the main cost of the event. I therefore

looked at this component more carefully and explored what were the options available. The

organization usually uses a company called “Menus” as the caterer for in-house events. The

price, quality and reliability of the caterer had been satisfactory in the past and GMF was happy

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with their service. I could have chosen a different option, but I decided to contract them for this

event, since ‘Menus” is GMF’s preferred catering company.

Once, I decided to work with “Menus”, the next step was to determine a meal that would fit

within the budget. In consultation with the catering company, I looked at the options and decided

to go with sandwiches and wraps as well as individual salads and cookies.

Item Quantity Cost

Assortment of Sandwiches,

Salads and cookies

30 $15.95 per person

Assortment of Wraps, Salads,

and cookies

30 $15.75 per person

My next task was to explore and design the registration area. I wanted to build a highly-visible

area, located somewhere close to the entrance where the line can easily flow. The registration

area I built included a registration table where participants signed-in and took their name tags. In

an effort to make the process quicker and easier, name tags were sorted in alphabetical order by

last name. I also provided blank name tags in case unregistered participants showed-up the day

of the event. In addition to the main registration table, I installed a second table where

participants were able to pick-up a registration package that included a list of registered

participants, samples of the “wider Atlantic” publications and a copy of Mr. Isbell’s book. I

assigned one person to be responsible for the registration area. Finally, the tables were covered

with a GMF branded table cloth and two GMF banners.

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The final step of the design process was to identify the desired flow of the luncheon. The

specific format and timing of the session was determined in close collaboration with the two

speakers. Both of them wanted a lively and interactive discussion not just between themselves

but they also wanted to give an opportunity for participants to share their views. Discussing these

elements prior to an event like this is critical for time management. Frequently, I have witnessed

speakers speak until the clock runs out. Both speakers were able to better prepare their remarks

in such a way as to allow time for the others in the room.

With an initial design concept in hand and the support of Mr. Lesser, I was now in position to

proceed with the planning phase.

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SECTION 5: EVENT PLANNING

With Mr. Lesser’s objectives clearly defined, I was able to apply the pre-defined event design

and start the planning phase of the luncheon “Energy in the Wider Atlantic Basin”. The actual

planning of this event happened over the course of the 2 months preceding the event date. Each

element was evaluated carefully allowing me to plan methodically and smoothly.

The first step in the planning phase was to analyze any risks associated with the event, and

design a risk management plan. I identified possible negative situations, determined their impact

and likelihood, and prepared a response for any of those circumstances. The results of my

analysis were as follows:

Possible Risks Probability Consequences Actions/Planning

Unavailability and size

limitation of the conference

room

Low High -The time of the event could be

moved earlier or later during the day

- We will close the registration if the

RSVP numbers go over 75

participants

Unavailability of the public

transportation

Low Minimal -Participants can use taxis or walk if

metros and buses are not available

Unavailability of the

vendor

Low Minimal -“Menus” is our favorite catering

company. If they are not available,

we will identify a different caterer

Malfunctioning of the IT

system

High Medium -Since the event has a reasonable

size, speakers can discuss without

using a microphone (if necessary)

-Possibility to print Mr. Isbell’s

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powerpoint presentation if the IT

projector is malfunctioning

Cancellation of the

speakers

Low High -The event will be postponed or we

can identify possible replacements

Once the risk management plan was established, I communicated it with the staff, so that they

were aware that there was a response in case any of the above situations occurred.

The next step in the planning phase was to develop various instruments such as a timeline, a

detailed production schedule, a comprehensive organizational chart, a list of possible vendors,

and a realistic budget to assist me with the preparations of the event.

I started by creating an event timeline (See Appendix I) to ensure that the project was

progressing. I also used it to identify the key milestones of the planning phase. Our first meeting

took place mid-December 2012 where we initially talked about organizing this event. Following

this meeting, I scheduled a conference call with Mr. Lesser to collect additional details on the

event. Afterwards, I scheduled team meetings every two weeks with the six selected co-workers

to update everyone on the progress of the event, but also to give people the opportunity to report

back on their accomplishments and discuss possible challenges. I developed a production

schedule (See Appendix K) that provided a step-by-step program for the execution of the event.

The timeline and production schedule were shared with all stakeholders before the event.

Defining a timeline helped me assign responsibilities and identify the tasks that I would need to

delegate to my colleagues. I therefore established an organizational chart (See Appendix G) to

determine where each member of the team fit into the event process and how decisions would be

made within the team. Duties were clearly defined and communicated. Our registration assistant

was responsible for collecting the RSVPs and was the point of contact for all participants. The

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catering assistant was the liaison and focal point with the caterer. The site and design coordinator

was in charge of the set-up of the room and coordinated all the physical items needed for the

event as well as coordinating the technical/Audio/Video aspects with our IT person.

Furthermore, I instructed our photographer on what was expected from him and his role in the

success of the event. Finally, the summary writer was in charge of taking notes during the event

and writing a summary outlining the outcomes of the roundtable discussion. The goal was to then

post the write-up of the luncheon together with the pictures on the GMF’s website.

Mr. Lesser did not originally give me a specific budget figure for this event, but stressed the

importance of keeping costs to a minimum. The money spent for this specific event would be

charged to the “wider Atlantic” budget, and approved by Mr. Lesser. Given that the budget was

limited and that we were not going to charge participants for attending the event, I planned to

eliminate or avoid as many costs as possible. As mentioned previously, this was primarily why I

made the decision to hold the event on GMF’s premises (See Appendix J). Once Mr. Lesser

reviewed the preliminary budget and approved it, I was able to confirm the caterer, which was

our main and ultimate expense. The catering assistant was in charge for booking the caterer.

Based on our earlier discussion, the caterer sent us a menu proposal with a price quotation by

email. The offer was quite reasonable. Their quote was for food and did not include the cost of

beverages. A further benefit of using GMF’s conference room was that I did not have to order

any drinks. We have a large stock in our office that includes still and sparkling water, Coca-Cola,

diet Coca-Cola, coffee, and assorted tea. The initial projected budget was calculated for 70

participants. Yet, based on the number of RSVPs, we confirmed the catering order for 60

participants. The budget was therefore revised to reflect more accurately the projected final

number of participants. We then, agreed with the caterer on the time of the lunch delivery. Since

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we did not have a kitchen or the capacity to store the food, we agreed that the food was going to

be delivered one hour before the event (11:00). We estimated that this would allow 45 minutes to

set-up and display the food.

I felt it was critical for me to ensure that Mr. Isbell’s had the necessary technical support to use

his PowerPoint presentation. The site and design coordinator therefore checked with the IT team

if we had any specific technical constraints. The person worked in close collaboration with the IT

staff to identify what was the deadline to receive the presentation. We had two options: the

presentation could be send by email one day prior to the event or Mr. Isbell could bring a flash

drive including his presentation. Mr. Isbell decided to send his presentation by email.

Next, we focused on all printing materials (name tags, participants list, publications, survey

etc...) needed for the event. We decided to print the name tags and the participants list the

morning of the event. That way, we would have the most updated list of confirmed participants.

We also decided to prepare name cards for the two speakers, and place them next to their

microphones. The preparation of the nametags, participants list and name cards was an easy

process, since we had all the necessary blank paper cards available in the office and all

information came from the database “InterAction”. We had decided to have samples of the

“wider Atlantic” publications available for participants, in addition to Mr. Isbell’s book. These

were available at registration. The idea was to promote and advertise the writing pieces that

GMF published in the last few months.

The next aspect in the planning phase was to decide on the flow and sequence of the event. We

had a clear idea of the format; however it was now the time to start working on a more precise

schedule to help the speakers respect the allocated time. This exercise was a joint effort between

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the two discussants and I. We therefore agreed that the timing of the working lunch session will

be allocated as follows:

12:00 – 12:05: Introduction of the two speakers

12:05 – 12:10: Introduction and presentation of GMF’s Wider Atlantic program, its

recent publications and the large conference The Atlantic Dialogues

12:10 – 12:15: Brief introduction of Mr. Isbell’s book

12:15 – 12:45: Presentation of Mr. Isbell’s book “Energy and the Atlantic: The

Shifting Energy Landscape of the Atlantic Basin,” its objectives, and outcomes

12:45 – 13:20: Questions and Answers

13:20 – 13:30: Wrap-up and conclusions

The final step in the planning process was to implement the evaluation and performance reviews

for the staff. Given that the registration assistant and the catering assistant were interns, I

estimated it essential to recognize their hard work and contribution. The interns were being

formally evaluated more broadly as part of their internship with GMF. I completely understand

what it is like to be a new professional still seeking an education. I tried to verbally encourage

them during the preparation and implementation of the event, and I also offered them the

opportunity to take home the leftover food. I provided regular feedback to both of them and I

sent them each a “thank-you” message to all supporting staff following the event.

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SECTION 6: EVENT COORDINATION

Following the planning phase we moved on to coordination. Event coordination is a multi-

faceted, complex process that is a combination of anticipation and logical preparation. At this

stage, the event “Energy in the Wider Atlantic Basin” was thought through from inception to

completion. All elements were established, prioritized, secured, scheduled, and evaluated. The

coordination process was formulated along a precise timeline and production schedule. Those

tools were key elements to move forward and implement a successful event.

The day prior to the event, I organized a “Countdown” meeting where I distributed the

production schedule to everyone involved and went through the event elements plan in order to

make sure that no details were missed. We reviewed everyone’s duties and responsibilities for

the day of the event. For instance, we discussed the registration and conference room set-up,

reconfirmed that the conference room was reserved, double checked the catering order and time

delivery (See Appendix N), but also reviewed the format of the roundtable discussion. In

addition, I scheduled a final walk through of the site. I believe that communication is critical to

make sure all goals and objectives are clearly defined, understood, and accomplished in the

allotted time frame. I used the meeting to address any unanswered questions and concerns. It was

very important to me that everyone had a common understanding of what was expected. We

discussed as a group the flow and sequence of the event, very much like a rehearsal.

In addition to answering any logistical questions and finalizing any last details, I organized a

final call with the two speakers: Mr. Lesser and Mr. Isbell. This was to confirm their arrival time,

review the flow of the event and go through the script and talking points, which provided tips

and guidelines to both speakers on how to conduct the roundtable discussion (See Appendix L).

19

We agreed that both speakers would arrive 30 minutes before the start of the event to briefly

meet. Soon after our last phone call, Mr. Isbell sent his PowerPoint presentation. I also asked

each speaker to give me their mobile phone numbers in case of an emergency, unexpected

circumstance or to be able to react to a speaker who may not be able to show-up on time to the

event.

On Friday, February 15th

, the event staff and I arrived at the venue at 8.00am to begin initial

set-up activities. The registration assistant reviewed the final number of participants. We had 58

registered participants. Her task over the next two hours was to print the participant list,

nametags and the name cards for the speakers. She then set-up two tables and organized the

registration area. On the first table, we displayed the name tags and the participant list. On the

second table, we displayed 60 copies of Mr. Isbell’s book and 60 samples of the “Wider

Atlantic” publications.

In parallel, the design coordinator and I started to set-up the conference room. We rearranged

the room according to what I had mapped out placing 30 chairs in a circular position around the

entire room (see Appendix O). Once the chairs were set-up, we placed two flowers bouquets that

were made available for us by the front desk. The flowers were not initially planned in the design

of the event, but this was a nice addition in the conference room. The next task was to install the

projector and micro-phones and check all the IT equipment of the room.

Once the major conference room was set-up, we started to organize the lunch area. For this

specific event, we used plastic plates, glasses and cutlery that were on stock at GMF. The lunch

was as a self-serve buffet; therefore no specific staff was assigned to serve food or drinks. We

used a table from the kitchen to place the beverage: coffee, tea, soft drinks, a bucket of ice and

glasses. The food was set-up on three different fixed tables. One table was reserved for the

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sandwiches, one for the salads and the final one for the desserts. At 11.00am, the food was

scheduled to be delivered. The catering company, who is a reliable partner for GMF delivered

the food at 10.45. Upon their arrival, the catering assistant started to unwrap and set-up the food

station. In the meantime, we were making the tea and coffee.

At 11.20, we were all ready to welcome participants and speakers. Luckily, the two speakers

arrived on time at 11.30. I welcomed them and they went straight to the major conference room

to discuss and finalize the last few details. Participants began to arrive as of 11.30. After picking-

up their badges, they all grabbed food and mingled before moving to the conference room. The

photographer came at 12.00 to take pictures of the event. At 1.30pm, once the event was

concluded and the speakers departed, we all started to clean-up the space. We had 1hour and 30

minutes dedicated to clean-up, which was definitely enough time to rearrange the room back to

the way it was originally organized.

After the event was over, there was still work to be done. I sent a thank-you email to the

speakers and also collected the write-up from the summary writer. I then worked in close

collaboration with the communication department to make sure that the summary of the session

and the pictures were posted on the website in the next following days (See Appendix M).

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SECTION 7: EVENT EVALUATION

Assessment and evaluation are two key parts of event planning and are critical to evaluate the

success of the event. These lessons learned help us improve for next time. Through the

evaluation phase, I wanted to assess the satisfaction of the speakers and the audience, but I also

wanted to evaluate the overall organization of the event.

In order to gauge the satisfaction of the two speakers, I sent a personal thank you message

following the event. My intention was to reopen the communication with the two speakers. I was

happy to have received very positive feedback about the content and logistics of the event.

To evaluate the satisfaction of the participants, I first used the basic method of direct and

immediate feedback at the end of the event. Smiles and favorable comments gave me a first

indication on how the event was received by participants. Overall, the first perception was quite

enthusiastic. In addition, I prepared a short paper survey that participants were invited to fill out

when the event concluded. The survey questions asked feedback to participants on the content,

logistics, design and planning of the event.

The survey included the following questions:

On a scale from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent):

1. How would you rank your overall impression of the event?

2. Was the topic of interest to you?

3. Overall how satisfied were you with the speakers?

4. How would you rate the logistics of the event (food, IT, etc...)?

5. Other suggestions for improvement?

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Unfortunately, out of fifty-six attendees, I only received eleven responses to the survey. Even

though the return rate was not that high, the feedback was quite positive. For this event, I decided

to collect feedback through a paper survey as opposed to an electronic survey since we noticed

that the response rate for the electronic survey was very low for past events. I therefore decided

to collect immediate feedback before participants could leave the building.

Based on the results of the evaluation (See Appendix R), 45% of the attendees evaluated the

event “Energy in the Wider Atlantic” as very good and 72% were particularly interested by the

topics raised during the discussion. Speakers received very positive feedback as 54% of

participants rated them as “Very Good Speakers”. Finally, the logistics of the event were

evaluated as excellent by 63% of the guests. Based on the survey results, the luncheon discussion

“Energy in the Wider Atlantic” was overall a successful event. I did receive some suggestions for

improvement for next events that would be realistic to implement. The comments received were

related to both to the content and logistics of the event. I also received a comment on the length

of the event that would be easy to adjust for the next event.

In addition to the participants’ evaluation, I conducted an internal debriefing with the staff to

assess what went well, what did not go well and what could be improved. Analyzing each

component is essential to receive insightful comments and will help organize even better events

in the future. I organized a staff meeting where each staff member shared their feedback on their

event planning experience. They were invited to describe what they thought was successful or

worked well in the area they were responsible for and list their actions/recommendations for

improvement for the area they were involved in. The comments and feedback were overall quite

positive. There were only a few suggestions for improvements for future events that we will

discuss in the next section.

23

SECTION 8: GAP ANALYSIS

The gap analysis is a comprehensive assessment of the details or aspects of the

planning/coordination process that may have been lacking in the formulation or execution of the

event. Planning the working lunch, “Energy in the Wider Atlantic” presented a number of

challenges. As I look back over the phases of the event process, there are a few lessons learned

and improvements that I would implement to future events.

First of all and as part of the research phase, I personally find the ratio invitation/RSVP’s quite

low and would recommend building a more targeted list of invitees. The database that I used to

collect names is definitely a great tool, but in the future I would suggest narrowing the search

based on the topic of discussion. I would also add in the invitation letter a note indicating that the

invitation is personal and non-transferrable. The registration assistant received many requests

from interns of various organizations to register to the event. Even though, we have been quite

flexible with registering participants who were not initially invited, the goal is to keep the level

of the audience relatively senior.

During the design phase, I determined the length of the event (1hour and 30 minutes) based on

GMF’s events history. In the future, I strongly recommend planning a 2-hour event. Many

participants arrived right on time. Therefore, the time they picked-up their badges, mingled with

other participants and grabbed food, we were 5-10 minutes late based on the initial schedule. Mr.

Lesser who led the discussion, managed to shorten a bit the questions and answers section to

finish the event on time. However, I believe that the extra 30 minutes are necessary to avoid

shortening the discussion or feeling the time pressure. In addition and during the design phase, it

would have been easier for me as the event manager to have the exact amount of money

24

available to design and plan this event. Luckily, the budget that I ended-up submitting was

approved by Mr. Lesser. In the future, I will definitely ask a clear and exact amount of money

available to plan an event.

Throughout the planning phase, I had difficulties sticking to the pre-defined timeline. Given

that GMF usually plans and organizes its events with 3 weeks’ notification, people kept trying

postponing meetings arguing that we still had time to plan our event. I had therefore to be firm

and follow the timeline to avoid finding myself in a situation of stress or missing any important

details in the process. For future events, I would strongly encourage planning events 2 months in

advance as I did for the working lunch “Energy in the Wider Atlantic” to ensure that all details

are thought through.

In the coordination phase, I learned how to adjust to unexpected situations. One staff member

got sick the week of the event. I therefore had to react and redistribute the workload between

staff members. Fortunately, the absence of the person for two days the week before the event did

not impact the quality of the lunch. However, I would definitely try to plan having one extra staff

as back-up or to have already thought how duties could be shifted smoothly when a problem

occurs. My take away from this event is that you are never overstaffed and it is always

comforting to know that you have extra hands to help.

Finally, I believe that there is space for improvements in the evaluation. In my opinion, it is

easier to collect feedback before participants leave the building rather than a few days after the

event. So, in the future I would keep collecting comments and suggestions at the end of the

event. However, I would suggest creating an incentive for attendees to respond to the survey. As

an example, I would suggest including participants who responded to the survey to the mailing

list of GMF’s newsletter, so that people are informed of any new projects, events, and research

25

papers. Alternatively, I would offer them visibility in including their biographies on the website

as part of the summary of the event. Finally, I believe that there is a way in which we could

involve the speakers themselves as an incentive for participants to provide feedback.

Overall this event was a success with some minor obstacles along the way. However, I was able

to make the adjustments when it was needed. In the future and having been the event manager

for this roundtable discussion, I should be able to identify and prevent these minor gaps.

26

SECTION 9: PERSONAL ESSAY

In 2003, I graduated with a Master in International Business from the Université Jean Moulin

Lyon III in France. At that time, I knew I wanted to work in a marketing/communication

department for a global company or organization, but did not know yet that I was going to enter

the field of events management. I first started to work in the corporate sector and was assigned to

organize a trade show in Poland. My organization skills have always been an asset in college. It

was now the time for me to use them and to help put together an international event. I learned the

steps of planning and designing an event “in the field”. My role was to secure the space of the

exhibition, defining the marketing strategy, and organizing the logistics for the staff trip to

Poland (ie: flight, hotel reservation, and onsite transportation).

In 2005, my fixed term contract ended and I then found employment at the World Economic

Forum, a well-known and recognized international institution in Switzerland where I participated

extensively in the coordination of various activities throughout the world, including conferences,

summits, and meetings. During the seven years working at the World Economic Forum, I

developed my expertise and skills as an international events manager. Even though I had almost

10 years of experience in organizing events, I felt that I was missing the theoretical knowledge

and best practices of events management. When I moved to the United States in 2012, I decided

to enroll the George Washington University events management certificate to further enhance

my knowledge of the industry, acquire best practices, and develop a network in the events

management field.

Soon after enrolling the classes, I found a job in a think-tank in Washington DC, as a program

coordinator in the major conferences department. In this position, I am responsible for the

27

implementation and execution of the Atlantic Dialogues, a conference of 450 high-level

participants from the private and public sector. Given that the conference is organized under the

high patronage of his Majesty the King Mohammed VI of Morocco, I am under pressure to

deliver a high quality and top class event. The knowledge gained with the events management

certificate has been tremendously useful to coordinate the organization of the Atlantic Dialogues

as well as smaller size events such as “Energy in the Wider Atlantic”. I learned the fundamentals

of events management with the 5 phases (Research, Design, Planning, Coordination and

Evaluation), but I also learned the best practices in public diplomacy through the class of

protocol for events manager.

When I look back at the working lunch “Energy in the Wider Atlantic”, I can happily say that I

learned a lot throughout the event planning process, and particularly how to break down each

phase of the event in order to eliminate any rooms for error. This event was a unique opportunity

to organize an event from start to finish and be fully responsible for the outcomes. Here are

below the lessons that I learned:

- In the research phase, I learned that defining a budget is critical to plan an event. Any

logistical components, including the venue, the vendors’ selection, the IT equipment, and

the decoration are directly affected by the overall budget. Therefore having a pre-defined

and clear budget is essential to plan an event accurately. In addition, I learned the

importance of staffing the event to be successful. During the event preparation, I also had

to learn to delegate tasks and responsibilities.

- In the design phase, I learned to pay close attention to details. Any details are important

and missing one can have an important impact on the success of the event. One detail that

comes to my mind that I almost missed was the vegetarian option or dietary restriction

28

when designing the menu of the event. Thanks to a team effort, we caught this before

ordering the menu.

- In the planning phase, I learned how to create a detailed timeline. Timelines and

production schedules are key tools and are critical to keep track of progress and

advancements.

- In the coordination phase, I learned how to adjust to unexpected situations. As mentioned

earlier, one staff member got sick the week of the event. I therefore had to react and

redistribute the workload between staff members. Fortunately, the absence of the person

for two days did not impact the quality of the event.

- Finally, it is important to keep in mind that the work of the event planner is not done

when the event concludes. The evaluation phase and feedback from participants, staff,

and vendors are essential to draw the lessons learned from the event and do even better

for the next event.

Therefore, organizing the event “Energy in the Wider Atlantic” was a true learning experience

and I believe that I have grown as a competent event professional through the planning and

implementation process. In addition to organizing and managing an event by myself, I can

definitely say that the interaction with professors and students is another major value of the event

management program. Being exposed to other event planners and listening to their experience

has helped me building a strong network in the events industry.

As far as my future as an event professional, my aspiration definitely fall into the large

international arena with global organizations and I definitely plan to continue my career in this

direction. I enjoy the excitement and team work of putting an event together in a multi-cultural

environment. The combination of organizing an event for an institution which has a meaningful

29

mission is for me the most attractive job I could have. I actually love the organization I work for

and would like to keep growing in the position to become a more senior professional. In the

short-term and after completion of the certificate program, I would like to take on some more

responsibilities in this organization and I will put all the necessary efforts to receive a promotion

at the next evaluation in June 2014. Later on down the road, I would like to move towards a

more executive position in an organization such as the OECD, the Clinton Global Initiative, or

the United Nations, and be part of the department that organizes their conferences, summits, and

events. In view of reaching that goal, I would like to enroll a professional leadership

development training to grow as a competent leader, and also would like to sign-up for a project

management class to keep learning new tools, expand my horizons, and further improve my

practice.

30

SECTION 10: APPENDIX

Appendix A – Event Elements Plan

Budget

- Build a low cost budget

Venue Selection

- Investigate options for possible local venues

- Visit and select venues (accessibility, capacity, affordability, etc…)

- Book venue/conference room

Build the invitees list

- Define the size of the event

- Evaluate the usual ratio invitation/RSVPs

- Target 50-70 participants

Invitations

- Create an invitation template

- Invitation text approved by GMF’s communication department

- Send out electronic invitations and reminders

Food and Beverage

- Conduct vendor search

- Confirm caterer

- Plan menu

- Drinks and beverage will be taken from GMF’s stock. No alcohol needed

- Confirm number of pax to the caterer and food delivery time

IT requirements

- Define IT needs and requirements

31

- Check possible IT constraints

Design of the room / Decoration

- Define set-up of the room

- Define set-up of the registration area and buffet stations

- Check chairs and furniture available in the conference room

- Finalize set-up

Format and program of the luncheon discussion

- Define format of the session

- Plan detailed agenda

- Prepare script and speakers’ talking points

Miscellaneous Logistics

- Print materials (nametags, name cards, participants list)

- Check number of publications available and needed

32

Appendix B – Feasibility Study

I conducted a feasibility study to make sure I had the amount of time, money and human

resources needed to execute a successful event. After identifying and analyzing the key elements

of the event; I was able to determine that the event was feasible from both my client and my

personal opinion.

Time

I was initially informed about the event mi-December 2012. Based on past experiences and the

organization history, the approximate amount of time for organizing such events is about 3

weeks. Knowing that I had two months to put the event together, I was confident that I was in

position to plan a successful roundtable discussion.

Human Resources

Mr. Lesser advised me to recruit internally junior staff and interns to support me for planning

this event. Through my internal search, I managed to get six staff on board. Given the size of the

event, I estimated the number of resources available sufficient to execute a high-quality event.

Money

Since we had a limited budget, the option of organizing the event in an external venue was not

conceivable for both my client and I. However, organizing the event in the organization (GMF)’s

premises would definitely be feasible, since there were no additional costs involved. In view of

the budget constraints, the usual caterer of the organization, called “Menus” was the best option

in terms of quality/cost.

33

Appendix C – Needs Assessment

I conducted a needs assessment to determine what the specific needs of this event were and

identify the possible gaps.

The 5 “Ws”

Why hold the

event?

The objective of the event “Energy in the Wider Atlantic Basin” was to

bring GMF’s community together and create a platform for discussion. The

luncheon was also designed to promote GMF’s activities, projects, and

major conferences to the Washington DC area. The “Energy in the Wider

Atlantic Basin” event was part of the organization marketing strategy to

leverage the brand awareness, create exposure and foster GMF’s

connections.

Who are the

stakeholders for

this event?

The two speakers were the key figures of this event: Mr. Lesser was the

chair/moderator and Mr. Isbell was the speaker.

The targeted audience was crucial for the success of the event and played a

key role. Without an audience, the event would not have happened.

Attendees were local to the DC area and came mainly from other think

tanks with a strong interest in international relations.

What is the event

that being

developed?

The event “Energy in the Wider Atlantic Basin” was designed to be an

interactive and informal event. The idea was to have a 5-10 minutes

introduction by the chair (Mr. Lesser) and the speaker (Mr. Isbell),

followed by a presentation of Mr. Isbell’s book, before opening the

discussion to the audience with a questions and answers (Q&A) format.

Where is the

event taking

place?

This event took place in the major conference room of the German

Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF), located in the Dupont Circle

area of Washington DC. It was cost efficiency, accessible, close to the

metro and had a great city location.

When is the event

taking place?

The event “Energy in the Wider Atlantic Basin” will be held on Friday,

February 15, 2013 from 12.00 to 1.30pm

34

Appendix D – SWOT Analysis

Before moving onto the design phase of the event, I conducted a SWOT analysis to anticipate

possible problems and challenges.

Strengths Weaknesses

Inte

rnal

Fact

ors

The venue is easily accessible and

offers access to disabled participants

Staff is experienced and available

History of in-house expertise in

running this type of event

The budget for the event is

sustainable

The cost of production is low

Sufficient long-notice for

preparation, planning and

implementation of the event

Quality of the service provided by

the catering company

Database tool to build the invitees

list

Experienced and dynamic speakers

Limited budget

Frequent IT issues in the conference

room

Very specific and narrow topic

Niche market audience

The ratio invitation/RSVPs is low

Only few common date/time slots

where the two speakers were

available

Contact details in the database are

not always up-to-date

Opportunities Threats

Exte

rnal

Fact

ors

Outside vendors are available and

experienced

Speakers are available and

enthusiastic

Use of Mr. Lesser’s presence in

Washington DC to schedule the

event

No need to include the costs for

travel and accommodation in the

general event budget

Networking opportunities and

community building

Invitees may not be available the day

of our event

Risks that the event does not attract

high-level participants

The use of a Powerpoint Presentation

by the speaker may affect the

dynamism and interactivity of the

session

The speaker is very talkative and

may not respect the schedule of the

event

Late RSVPs or participants show-up

without having RSVPs

Risk that the quantity of food will be

not sufficient if we have non-

expected guests

35

Appendix E: Invitation

Invitation

The German Marshall Fund of the United States is pleased to invite you to:

Energy in the Wider Atlantic Basin Friday, February 15, 2013

12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

A light lunch will be served.

Speaker:

Paul Isbell

Calouste Gulbenkian Fellow, Center for Transatlantic

Relations, Johns Hopkins University-SAIS

Chair:

Ian Lesser

Executive Director, Transatlantic Center, Brussels and Senior

Director for Foreign and Security Policy, German Marshall

Fund

Location:

The German Marshall Fund of the United States

1744 R Street, NW, Washington, DC

Please RSVP to Arezou Kashani at +1 202 683 2675 or

AtlanticDialoguesIntern@gmfus.org

The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF)

cordially invites you to a luncheon conversation with Mr.

Paul Isbell, Calouste Gulbenkian Fellow, Center for

Transatlantic Relations, Johns Hopkins University-SAIS,

moderated by Dr. Ian Lesser, Executive Director of GMF

Transatlantic Center, Brussels, and GMF Senior Director for

Foreign Policy.

Mr. Isbell will launch his new book: “Energy and the

Atlantic: the Shifting Energy Landscapes of the Atlantic

Basin”, which is part of a publications series GMF has

undertaken with the support of Morocco’s OCP Foundation

in the context of the GMF’s ‘Wider Atlantic’ Program. The

Follow GMF

Publications

On Turkey Series

GMF Blog

Multimedia

Events

If you have any questions about this

event, please contact:

Sandrine Stanton

+1 202 683 2610

sstanton@gmfus.org

Location:

The German Marshall Fund

of the United States

1744 R Street, NW

Washington, DC 20009

Closest Metro: Dupont Circle (North)

On the Map

36

panel will engage in a discussion on the economic

implications, strategic opportunities, and future prospects of

the fast-changing Atlantic energy landscape, north and

south. Launched in 2009, GMF’s Wider Atlantic Program

promotes a more comprehensive approach to Atlanticism,

with north-south and south-south relations at the core. The

GMF-OCP Foundation partnership looks to move beyond the

traditional northerly axis that has driven contemporary

transatlantic relations, underscoring the growing importance

of Africa and Latin America as actors in the Atlantic space.

Paul Isbell is the Calouste Gulbenkian fellow at the Center

for Transatlantic Relations at Johns Hopkins School of

Advanced International Studies. For a decade he worked at

the Elcano Royal Institute for International and Strategic

Studies in Madrid, first as the Senior Fellow for Global

Economy, and then as the Director of the Energy and Climate

Change Program. Since 2008, he has been based in

Washington, DC, where he has represented the Elcano Royal

Institute and collaborated with the the Inter-American

Dialogue as a a visiting senior fellow and with Center for

Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) as a senior

associate. Previously, Mr. Isbell was Emerging Markets and

Currencies Analyst at Banco Santander in Madrid, and

professor of economics, political economy and international

affairs at numerous Spanish, Latin American and US

universities.

Manage your subscriptions

About | Career Opportunities | Programs & Projects | Grants & Fellowships | Experts

The German Marshall Fund of the United States 1744 R Street, NW

Washington, DC 20009

©Copyright 2012, The German Marshall Fund of the United States. All rights reserved.

37

Appendix F – Event Design Photos

Conference Room Set-up

Catering Stations

38

Registration Area

39

Speakers of the Event “ Energy in the Wider Atlantic”

Appendix G – Organizational Chart

40

Appendix H – Budget and Chart of Accounts

Account Category Account Account Title

REVENUE FOR THE EVENT

1000 Grants

EXPENSES FOR THE EVENT

Rental

2000 Space/Room Rental

Communication Expenses

3000 Invitation

Travel and Meals

4000 Travels and Hotels

4100 Food and Beverage

Supplies

5000 General Office Supplies

41

Realistic Budget (Estimates vs. Actuals)

Estimated Budget

Actuals

REVENUE FOR THE EVENT

Grants

$2000 $2000

TOTAL REVENUE

$2000 $2000

EXPENSES FOR THE EVENT

Rental

Space Rental

In-House

In-House

Communication Expenses

Invitations

$0.00

$0.00

Travel and Meals

Travels & Hotels

Food & Beverage

$0.00

$1200

$0.00

$986.64

Supplies

General Supplies

In-House

In-House

TOTAL EXPENSES

$1200 $986.64

EVENT PROFIT & LOSS

$800

$1013.36

42

Appendix I – Time Line

When What Who Status

8 weeks out Dec. 17-23

Kick-off Meeting All team Completed

7 weeks out

HOLIDAY SEASONS

6 weeks out Dec. 31-Jan. 6

Conference call with Mr.

Lesser

Mr. Lesser/S.

Stanton

Completed

Create a pre-event timeline S. Stanton

5 weeks out Jan. 7-13

Confirm Mr. Lesser’s trip to

DC

Confirm Mr. Isbell’s

availability

S. Stanton

S. Stanton

Completed

Confirmation of the event

date

Book conference room

S. Stanton

S. Stanton

Team Meeting (Discuss

Research Phase;

Recruit staff)

All team

4 weeks out Jan. 14-20

Assign staff to positions

Build Invitees list

S. Stanton

S. Stanton

Completed

Define the format of the

session

Develop preliminary

program

Speakers and S.

Stanton

S. Stanton

Draft invitation text

Invitation proofed and

edited by the

Communication team

S. Stanton

Communication

Team

Team Meeting (Update on

progress, Who does what?,

Budget approved)

All team

3 weeks out Jan. 21-27

Confirm IT team availability

and make any necessary

arrangements for A/V

equipment

Confirm the photographer

availability

Send out invitations

Site Coordinator:

Johanna

Site Coordinator:

Johanna

S. Stanton

Completed

2 weeks out Jan. 28-Feb. 4

Confirm the caterer

availability. Define menu

options and delivery time

Catering Assistant:

Jennifer

Completed

Team Meeting All team

43

1 week out Feb. 5-11

Define the design of the

conference room

Site Coordinator:

Johanna

Completed

Send out a reminder to

people who have not

RSVPed

S. Stanton

Finalize program, script, and

talking points

S. Stanton and

speakers

Confirm catering order with

number of pax

Catering Assistant:

Jennifer

Team Meeting All team

The week of Feb.12-15

Assess RSVPs

Increase or decrease the

catering order (if necessary)

Create a detailed production

schedule

Schedule a phone call with

the 2 speakers to finalize last

details

Registration

Assistant: Arezou

Catering Assistant:

Jennifer

S. Stanton

S. Stanton

Completed

Immediately

before the

event The day of

Prepare event materials and

publications

Prepare badges and name

tags

Prepare banners

Set-up the room for event

(Chairs, tables,

microphones…)

Set-up Buffet

Double check that A/V

equipment is working

Registration

Assistant: Arezou

Registration

Assistant: Arezou

Registration

Assistant: Arezou

Site Coordinator:

Johanna

Catering Assistant:

Jennifer

Site Coordinator:

Johanna

Completed

Immediately

following the

event

Send out thank you message

Organize an event debriefing

meeting

S. Stanton

S. Stanton

Completed

Post event summary on the

website

Communication

Team in & S.

Stanton

Pay final invoices

Analyze satisfaction survey

S. Stanton

S. Stanton

44

Appendix J – Vendors List

Vendor Responsibility Contact Information Rationale

“Menus” Food & Beverage Address:

655 Taylor Street NE

Washington, DC, 20017

Contact Person:

Michelle Knudsen

Email:

mknudsen@occasionscaterers.com

Phone: 202.454.7848

-Reliable caterer

-Affordable costs

-Good quality

-Knows GMF’s needs

and expectations

- GMF has worked

with Menus for

several years. It is a

long lasting partner

“GMF” Conference Space

Rental

Address:

1844 R Street, NW

Washington DC 20009

Contact Person:

Nicole Brooks

Email:

nbrooks@gmfus.org

-Using GMF’s

conference room is

the cheapest option.

There are no costs

involved

- Very convenient

location. Close to the

metro station

-Access to disabled

people

45

Appendix K - Production Schedule / Run of Show

When What Who

REGISTRATION

08:00-09:30 Print nametags, participants list,

survey

Gather publication materials

Registration Assistant: Arezou

09:30 -10:30 Set-up registration area and place

banners

Registration Assistant: Arezou

11:30 -12:30 Registration opens at 11:30 and

closes at 12:30

Registration Assistant: Arezou

11:30 -12:30 Welcome and greet participants Arezou

1:30 Participants depart & thank you

Remind them to answer the survey

before leaving the building

Registration Assistant: Arezou

ROOM SET-UP

09:00 -10:30 Set-up room (table, chairs, screen,

microphone, lights, etc…)

Check IT equipment (screen,

projector, microphone, remote,

control)

Site & Design Coordinator:

Johanna + Event Manager: S.

Stanton

Site & Design Coordinator:

Johanna + IT manager: Rob

10:30 -11:00 Final walk through of the major

conference room and supervise the

event preparation and logistics

Event Manager: S. Stanton

CATERING

10:30 – 11:00 Set-up buffet area Design Coordinator: Johanna +

Catering Assistant: Jennifer

11:00 Catering delivered Catering Assistant: Jennifer

11:00 – 11:30 Finalize buffet stations (food,

prepare tea and coffee, etc…)

Design Coordinator: Johanna +

Catering Assistant: Jennifer

11:45 – 12:15 Re-stock buffet, refill coffee

station, etc…

Catering Assistant: Jennifer

SPEAKERS & CONTENT

11:30

11:40 Welcome and greet the speakers

Finalize preparatory briefing

Event Manager: S. Stanton

Event Manager: S. Stanton

12:00 – 1.30 Summary writer takes notes of the

event

Summary writer: Emiliano

PHOTOGRAPHY

12:00 – 1.30 Take photos of the event, speakers,

participants

Photographer: Casey

CLEANING

1:45 – 3.00 Cleaning of the space All team

46

Appendix L - Script

For the event “Energy in the Wider Atlantic”, I prepared a script, as a general guideline for the

speakers. This was to ensure the event goals were met, the time was respected, and the event

stayed on track. This script also provided a solid reminder for both speakers to cover or say

specific items that were important to the discussion.

• Mr. Lesser greets the audience and briefly introduces himself

“Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen. Thank you for attending today our roundtable

discussion “Energy in the Wider Atlantic”. I am Ian Lesser, Senior Director of Foreign Policy at

GMF and I am based in the Brussels office of GMF. I work extensively on transatlantic relations

and it is my immense pleasure to chair today the event “Energy in the Wider Atlantic” with our

special guest, Mr. Isbell.

• Mr. Lesser introduces Mr. Isbell, his affiliation and his professional background

“Good afternoon Mr. Isbell, we are delighted to have you with us today. Mr. Isbell is the

Calouste Gulbenkian fellow at the Center for Transatlantic Relations at Johns Hopkins

University and has worked extensively on both foreign policy issues and energy issues”.

• Mr. Lesser gives a short introduction of the topic “Energy in the Wider Atlantic”,

and presents the large conference The Atlantic Dialogues

“As background information, Energy in the Wider Atlantic is part of a larger in-house research

project called “wider Atlantic”. Launched in 2009, GMF’s “wider Atlantic” Program aims to

promote a more comprehensive approach to Atlanticism, beyond the traditional north-north

lines. This new initiative underscores the growing importance of Africa and Latin America as

actors in the Atlantic space. GMF is also pleased to announce that The Atlantic Dialogues,

which is a flagship and annual event of the “wider Atlantic” program will take place on October

47

25-27, 2013 in Rabat, Morocco. It will bring together over 450 high-level public and private-

sector leaders from around the Atlantic Basin for three days of open, informal discussion on

cross-regional issues ranging from security to economics, migration to energy.”

• Mr. Lesser gives the floor to Mr. Isbell

“Mr. Isbell, you recently published your new book Energy and the Atlantic: the Shifting Energy

Landscapes of the Atlantic Basin and we are all excited to hear about it.”

• Mr. Isbell presents his book, its objectives, and outcomes

“Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen. Thank you for joining us this afternoon. It is my great

pleasure to present my new book “Energy and the Atlantic: the Shifting Energy Landscapes of

the Atlantic Basin”.

• Mr. Lesser opens the discussion around the table for a Q & A

“Following Mr. Isbell’s book presentation, we would like to invite you all to ask questions to Mr.

Isbell. Ladies and Gentlemen, the floor is yours. For the benefit of the audience please share

your name and affiliation.”

• Mr. Lesser concludes and reiterates the main points very briefly

“Since we are running out time, it will now be the time to wrap-up our session. As mentioned

earlier, Mr. Isbell’s book is part of a publication series that GMF has undertaken in the context

of the GMF’s ‘wider Atlantic’ program. We invite you to visit our website to discover more

about the wider Atlantic program and other publications.

• Mr. Lesser thanks Mr. Isbell and the participants

“Mr. Isbell, thank you for your exciting presentation. We were delighted to learn more today

about your book and we are actually all exciting to deep dive in this fascinating topic and read

your book. Once again, thank you and we hope to host you again soon in GMF’s premises.

48

Appendix M – Press Release

http://www.gmfus.org/archives/energy-in-the-wider-atlantic-basin/

On February 15, The German Marshall Fund of the United States hosted a luncheon discussion with Paul Isbell, a

Calouste Gulbenkian Fellow at the Center for Transatlantic Relations at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced

International Studies. With his new book, “Energy and the Atlantic: the Shifting Energy Landscapes of the Atlantic

Basin” being released, Mr. Isbell discussed the economic implications, strategic opportunities, and future prospects

of the fast-changing Atlantic energy landscape, north and south. The conversation was attended by 50 people,

including GMF staff, government and embassy officials, as well as representatives from the public, private, and

academic sectors.

Mr. Isbell’s presentation stemmed from his work on his book and was divided into five sections to give the audience

a better understanding of the issue at hand. To begin, Mr. Isbell began by answering the question of why Energy and

the Atlantic? He remarked that the center of gravity of the global energy is shifting to the Atlantic, even as the

strategic concerns pivot to Asia and the Middle East. Many sectors have witnessed this shift, such as the oil, gas,

biofuels, and renewable sectors, as well as new technological trends, such as shale and gas-to-liquid. The relevance

of this topic was stressed when Mr. Isbell mentioned that by being able to map the Atlantic Basin, through the

Atlantic Basin Energy System (ABES), it could be carried to other basins, such as the Indian Ocean Basin; thereby,

giving rise to the remapping of the geopolitical space.

Mr. Isbell then focused on the preconditions necessary to give rise to ABES as well as the barriers. By utilizing

graphs and charts, he stressed that much of the world’s energy demand and supply were originating from the

Atlantic Basin, with the supply side growing much further with the addition of emerging nations. One key aspect,

which he emphasized throughout the discussion, was the emergence of the Southern Atlantic as a major contributor

in the Atlantic Basin as well as the potential that lies ahead. When talking about the barriers, Mr. Isbell described the

impact of the financial instability in the Northern Atlantic, the price environment, the insufficient policy and

regulatory environments around the basin (i.e. energy nationalism), and the lack of diplomatic structure in the

Atlantic Basin.

In his final remarks, Mr. Isbell focused on the policy implications. He discussed the potential need for two pivots,

from the Atlantic as well as the Pacific Basin, when looking to any rebalancing out of the Middle East and the

implications for the Middle East and Indian Ocean Basin. He emphasized the question of who will/should police

those sea lanes and chokepoints. Should the United States continue to be the policeman or should it be another

country, such as China or India. In bringing the presentation to a close, Mr. Isbell finished by discussing the

governance aspect, including the possibility of an Atlantic Energy Charter that could set the standard to deepen the

global governance.

In the question and answer session, the discussion delved further into the driving forces and barriers that are

transforming this energy trend; the role of emerging Latin American and African countries; and the incentives for

countries to cooperate. The program concluded with Mr. Isbell acknowledging that the shift has been towards the

Southern Atlantic, and there is a need for a more diplomatic framework to come to fruition.

49

Appendix N -Vendor Agreements

50

Conference Room Rental Form

51

Appendix O – Site plan

52

53

Appendix P – Floor Plan

54

Appendix Q - Thank you Note

----- Original Message -----

From:

Date: Friday, February 15, 2013 2:32 pm

Subject: Today's event

To:

Dear Paul,

Once again, thank you for speaking to today's event.

It was a great event and we already got some very positive feedback.

Please feel free to contact me at any time, should you have any questions.

Kind regards,

Sandrine

----- Original Message -----

From:

Date: Friday, February 15, 2013 11:12 PM

Subject: Today's event

To:

Thank you, Sandrine, so much, for all your help. I thought the event was fabulous.

I will be back in touch again soon.

Best

Calouste Gulbenkian Fellow

Center for Transatlantic Relations

Johns Hopkins University-SAIS

55

Appendix R – Survey Results

Questions Results

1. How would you rank your overall

impression of the event?

Poor:

Fair:

Good: 2

Very Good: 5

Excellent: 4

2. Was the topic of interest to you?

Poor:

Fair:

Good:

Very Good: 3

Excellent: 8

3. How would you rate the speakers?

Poor:

Fair:

Good:

Very Good: 6

Excellent: 5

4. How would you rate the logistics of the

event?

Poor:

Fair:

Good:

Very Good: 4

Excellent: 7

5. Other suggestions for improvement?

“Please organize more energy focused

events”

“Please keep me in you invitees list”

“The event could have benefited of having

30 more minutes”

The section focusing on the energy

opportunities and challenges in Latin

America was too short