Essential Leadership Tools: Strategic Planning for Association Executives
2025-09-18 14:00 - 15:00 (Europe/London) | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8863498137
With constant shifts in member needs, technology, and funding models, today’s association leaders must move beyond reactive decision-making and into purposeful, strategic planning. This executive roundtable invites association CEOs and senior leaders to explore how to build strategy frameworks that are not only actionable—but truly impactful.
Led by Kim Bayley, CEO of the Entertainment Retailers Association, we’ll unpack the full cycle of strategic planning—from initial framework design to implementation and measurement. Expect real-world examples, candid lessons learned, and space for peer insights.
Discussion Themes:
Strategic Frameworks That Work
What does a strong planning model look like, and how can you tailor it to your association’s mission?
Who’s at the Table?
Explore who should be involved in shaping your strategy—and how to foster alignment across stakeholders.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Learn from past challenges and discover practical ways to keep your plan on track.
From Plan to Practice
How do you measure progress, adjust when needed, and bring your strategy to life?
What You’ll Take Away:
You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of how to approach strategy planning with intention, how to engage your leadership team effectively, and how to ensure your plan doesn’t sit on a shelf—it drives results.
Featured Guest:
Kim Bayley, Chief Executive of the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA), representing major digital services and retailers such as Spotify, Amazon, YouTube, HMV, and indie record shops. A lawyer-turned-investment banker, Kim has led ERA since 2004, transforming it into a powerhouse voice for digital and physical entertainment retail.

Member Engagement in Action: How to Build Impactful Special Interest Groups
2025-09-24 14:00 - 15:00 | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8863498137
In an era where personalized experiences and community-driven engagement matter more than ever, Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are becoming an essential part of association strategy. But launching or scaling SIGs effectively requires more than enthusiasm—it takes structure, support, and a clear sense of purpose.
This peer-driven session will explore how high-performing associations are leveraging SIGs to deepen engagement, develop leadership pipelines, and increase member value. Whether you’re building from scratch or optimizing existing groups, you’ll leave with actionable insights and proven ideas to strengthen your SIG strategy.
Discussion Themes:
Why SIGs Matter
Understand how SIGs can create more relevant, targeted value for your members—and why they’re key to modern association models.
Autonomy vs. Alignment
How do you empower SIGs while keeping them connected to the broader mission?
Leadership Development & Succession
Discover how SIGs can be incubators for future board members, volunteers, and champions.
Technology & Tools
Explore the platforms that support engagement, management, and communication for thriving SIGs.
Measuring What Matters
Learn how to define success and measure the ROI of your SIG efforts—from engagement metrics to member retention.
What You’ll Take Away:
You’ll leave with frameworks, tools, and peer-tested strategies to build (or reboot) SIGs that drive real member value—while strengthening your overall community and leadership bench.
Featured Guest:
Robin Osterley, Chief Executive of the Charity Retail Association, representing the UK’s vibrant network of charity shops. With a background spanning music, education, and the third sector, Robin has led CRA since 2015, advocating for social impact, sustainability, and community retail. A former choral conductor and seasoned membership leader, he brings decades of experience in governance, marketing, and organisational leadership.

Essential Skills for Leaders of Professional Membership Associations
2025-10-14 14:00 - 15:00 | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8863498137
With the role of associations evolving faster than ever, today’s leaders must balance vision, agility, and operational excellence. It’s no longer enough to manage day-to-day demands—executives must cultivate a diverse skill set to inspire teams, deliver member value, and navigate an increasingly complex environment.

This executive roundtable invites association CEOs and senior leaders to explore the essential skills now required to succeed. Led by Adam Boddison, CEO of the Association for Project Management, the session will uncover real-world leadership lessons, candid reflections, and actionable strategies for strengthening executive capacity in professional membership organisations.
Discussion Themes:

Adaptive Leadership in a Changing Landscape
How do leaders balance long-term vision with short-term pressures?
Engaging and Retaining Members
What skills matter most for building meaningful connections and sustaining value?
Financial and Strategic Acumen
Why do leaders need to be as comfortable with numbers as they are with narratives?
Building High-Performing Teams
What does it take to motivate, empower, and retain top talent in associations?
Governance and Influence
How can CEOs navigate boards, stakeholders, and policy landscapes effectively?

What You’ll Take Away:

You’ll leave with a clearer picture of the leadership toolkit required for today’s association executives—practical insights you can apply immediately to strengthen your impact, sharpen your strategy, and lead with confidence.

Featured Guest:
Adam Boddison, CEO of the Association for Project Management (APM). An experienced chief executive, Adam has built his career on blending education and enterprise to drive social change. He has expanded the reach of national charities, positioned the chartered project profession as a driver of social mobility, and influenced government policy across education, health, and social care. With experience spanning teaching, governance, and international development, Adam brings a wealth of insight into what it takes to lead membership organisations in today’s world.

How to Make Associations Work Effectively?
2025-10-22 16:00 - 17:00 | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8863498137
Running an association successfully requires balancing member needs, sector demands, and strategic priorities—all while navigating the challenges that come with leadership. This interactive roundtable invites association leaders, aspiring founders, and sector professionals to explore what really makes associations effective—drawing on real-world experience and practical insights.

Led by Russell Hamblin-Boone, a seasoned association leader, we’ll discuss strategies for meeting member expectations, managing stakeholders, and ensuring long-term impact. This session is participatory, with space for peer discussion, your questions, and practical advice you can apply in your own association.
Discussion Themes:
Meeting Member Needs
Understand how to identify and deliver the services, support, and value your members expect.
Stakeholder Management
Learn practical approaches to balancing the interests of regulators, industry partners, and internal teams.
Strategy in Action
Explore what works—and what doesn’t—when implementing association strategies, from finance and advocacy to innovation and governance.
Interactive Q&A
Bring your questions, challenges, and experiences. Russell will provide insights to help you apply these lessons in your own context.
What You’ll Take Away:
You’ll leave with actionable ideas for running an effective association, practical strategies for common pitfalls, and inspiration from someone who has led multiple associations to success.
Featured Guest:
Russell Hamblin-Boone has extensive experience in the membership sector, having led several trade associations from the ground up. He shares firsthand insights into member engagement, sector collaboration, and association management, drawing on decades of leadership experience.

PR for Associations in an AI-First World
2025-11-27 15:00 - 16:00 | https://www.membershipworld.com/webinars/
In a time where information moves faster than ever, public relations remains a powerful tool for associations — but only if it evolves with the world around it.
The PR playbook has changed.
Associations that continue to rely on traditional methods are falling behind. Those that embrace AI-powered tools, smarter targeting, and data-driven messaging are not only staying relevant — they’re growing, influencing policy, engaging members, and reaching new audiences more effectively than ever.
In this live session with Journolink’s Managing Directors, Angus Hay and Peter Ibbetson, we’ll explore how AI is reshaping the PR landscape and what it means for association leaders today.
What You’ll Learn:

The unique PR challenges associations face in 2025
How AI is changing media, storytelling, and visibility
A practical framework for running PR in an AI-first world
What to stop doing — and what to start doing now

Whether you’re part of a large membership body or a small professional association, this session will give you tools and perspective to rethink how you manage PR and media engagement moving forward.
This is not theory — it’s strategy you can apply right away.
Join us live and bring your questions.
Meet the Speakers:
Angus Hay is a multi‑awarded growth and strategy specialist with over 18 years of experience founding, scaling and transforming businesses. As the Managing Director of JournoLink, he helps businesses to amplify their stories through smart, scalable PR. Today, he brings that entrepreneurial mindset and his passion for AI‑powered communications to the webinar “PR for Associations in an AI‑First World.”
Peter Ibbetson has a long history both in financial services where he found himself fronting the media for NatWest RBS in the financial crisis. As well as having plenty of ‘war stories’ he has perfected the art of managing the media in interviews. He launched JournoLink in 2012 as a disruptor tech platform to enable small and growth businesses to engage with the media, but without the cost of an agency. The predominantly AI driven platform takes PR into the 21st century.

The Great Membership World Christmas Quiz
2025-12-11 16:00 - 17:00 | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8863498137
It’s time to bring some festive fun and friendly competition to the Membership World community.
Join us for The Great Membership World Christmas Quiz — a light-hearted virtual event designed to connect members, suppliers, and associations in a spirited holiday showdown of knowledge, teamwork, and good cheer.
Hosted live on Zoom, this light-hearted quiz is the perfect opportunity to connect with peers, show off your trivia skills, and celebrate the season with the wider Membership World community.
Whether you’re representing your company, joining as a team of friends, or playing solo, this event promises laughter, surprises, and a little healthy rivalry — all wrapped in the festive spirit of Membership World.
Event Highlights:

A festive quiz full of surprises and laughter
Exciting holiday prizes for the Top 3 winners
A fun and social way to wrap up the year

Who Can Join:
Open to all associations, suppliers, and companies within the Membership World community — team entries encouraged.
Be part of the celebration as we bring the Membership World spirit to life — uniting community, collaboration, and a touch of festive competition — all in one joyful year-end event.

Stop Starting Over: Creating Ongoing Learning Through Community
2026-03-18 16:00 - 17:00
In today’s membership landscape, education alone isn’t enough. When engagement ends with a course or webinar, organisations are forced to “start over” again and again. The real opportunity lies in integrating learning and community to create continuous member experiences that drive retention, advocacy, and long-term growth.
This practical webinar will explore how associations can unify learning and community to build ongoing engagement that compounds over time. Join Terri Herrmann, Chief Marketing Officer at Forj, and Francisco Opazo, Vice President of Growth & Community at Membership World, for an interactive session designed to deliver practical frameworks, meaningful engagement metrics, and actionable strategies to turn learning into sustained connection—without overhauling everything at once.
Discussion Themes:
From One-Time Events to Continuous ExperienceExplore how to design intentional peer-to-peer connection points that extend learning beyond courses and webinars.
Assessing Your MaturityIdentify where learning and community integration will drive the greatest impact within your organisation.
Measuring What MattersLearn how to track practical community health metrics that signal true engagement—rather than relying on vanity data.
Aligning for Retention & AdvocacyDiscover how to unify internal teams so community initiatives directly support renewals, revenue, and long-term member value.
Building the Business CaseConnect engagement strategies to tangible outcomes, creating a compelling case for sustainable, community-led growth.
What You’ll Take Away:
You’ll leave with a practical framework to evaluate your current approach, clear engagement metrics to guide decision-making, and step-by-step actions to turn content into connection—strengthening retention, advocacy, and revenue in the process.
Featured Speakers:
Terri HerrmannChief Marketing Officer at Forj, Terri is a SaaS marketing leader and community-led growth advocate who helps organisations scale both revenue and relationships. She believes authentic leadership and genuine connection are the foundation of sustainable growth.
Francisco OpazoVice President of Growth & Community at Membership World, Francisco is a growth strategist and community industry advocate with more than 14 years of experience helping tech brands scale through online communities and digital demand generation. He is also the Founder of Led by Community and Community Week, global platforms connecting and advancing community professionals.
