SMT SELECT is a little bit special. For those of you that don’t know about this initiative devised by UBM Live’s Protection and Management Portfolio, SMT SELECT is an invitation-only club aimed at providing security management professionals with the services and environment at IFSEC in which they can develop business opportunities by, among other things, extending peer networks and participating in debates.
Formed in 2008 as a by-product of extensive research among end users seeking to improve their knowledge and security provision skills, SMT SELECT has swiftly become THE meeting place for high-ranking members of the security profession. Last year at the NEC, we introduced the SMT SELECT Lounge. That’ll be there this year, too, from Monday 11 May through to Thursday 14 May, but there’s so much more on offer this time around we felt we had to communicate that fact with existing and potential members!
SMT SELECT Breakfast Briefings
Each morning, when IFSEC opens its doors at 10.00 am, there’ll be a special Breakfast Briefing chaired by Brian Sims, the Editor of Security Management Today (SMT) Online and Group Content Editor of the UBM Protection and Management Division’s Security Portfolio. We’ll be looking at vital political and economic issues of the day as they affect the security business sector.
The SMT Forum
On Tuesday afternoon, The SMT Forum (dubbed ‘SMT Live’ by some industry moguls) draws together four practising professionals to talk about ‘Security and the Recession’. How can security managers cope with decreasing budgets? Where might savings be made?
Importantly, what are the ways in which directors and managers can justify their existence to the Board at a time when, more than any other, departmental contributions to the bottom line are under constant scrutiny?
The SMT Interview and Live Web Chat
Come Wednesday, the SMT SELECT Lounge will host The SMT Interview, during which Brian Sims conducts a live discussion with an as-yet-to-be-confirmed luminary. Names in the frame include Bernard Herdan, the interim chief executive at the SIA, new BSIA chief executive John Bates and Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve.
There’s also a Live Web Chat with a senior politician, during which members of SMT SELECT can pose questions that will be answered in real-time. Questions may be submitted well before both of these interviews take place such that audience participation is maximised.
Communication, communication, communication
As ever, the SMT SELECT Lounge will be equipped with adjoining meeting rooms for members to discuss sensitive business issues in a private setting.
There’ll be numerous PCs available for you to log in to SMT Online and info4security, and a plasma screen is going to show security-related DVDs throughout IFSEC on a rotational basis. High-speed WiFi access is also available.
Light refreshments will be made available all day, every day, there’s a dedicated cloakroom and numerous opportunities to rest your weary legs if you’re tired from trekking around the show.
All SMT SELECT members enjoy free access to the debates and interviews, special discounts for attendance at the IFSEC Conference sessions and access to the Monday night Black Tie IFSEC Awards Ceremony at the Birmingham Metropole Hotel.
All things considered, I think you’ll agree that’s a pretty damn good package!
SMT SELECT staff will be on hand across all four days of the show to greet you, answer any queries and ensure that each SMT SELECT member receives the maximum return on their visit to IFSEC 2009.
We’re aiming to make your visit as hassle-free as possible. That being the case, all SMT SELECT members will enjoy either free access to a dedicated NEC car park or a complimentary shuttle service to and from the exhibition halls – whichever suits them best. There’s also fast-track entry, too!
It’s not just an IFSEC thing!
It’s important to stress that SMT SELECT carries on all year round. IFSEC is the focal point, but right across the year members enjoy access to online discussion forums with fellow professionals (during which they can express their views or seek advice from peers both at home and abroad). There are also numerous business events throughout the year, including SMT Online webinars, debates, briefings and conferences.
It may be the case that you want to find out about a certain product on show at IFSEC, for example, or perhaps details concerning a recent piece of industry research. Alternatively, you might wish to convene a meeting of a group of suppliers, or better understand Best Practice in a particular area. Whatever the scenario, we’ll be able to point members of SMT SELECT in the right direction, or organise that meeting for them.
Keep up-to-date with the latest developments
Further details about SMT SELECT are available online at www.info4security.com/select or www.smtselect.com Please keep checking back on the web sites to make sure you’re up-to-date with all the latest developments prior to IFSEC 2009 opening its doors to the security public.
As stated, membership of SMT SELECT is by invitation only. We’re fine-tuning our list now so, if you’re interested in joining, contact SMT Online’s Editor Brian Sims (telephone 020 7921 8286, e-mail: [email protected]).
We very much look forward to hearing from you.
