Des Mclaughlin, managing director of HBI, has predicted major changes to the meetings industry as procurement policy continues to be dictated on a global scale.

His comments followed the first Meetings Management Forum – run by HBI – where guest speaker Shawn Radek, global head of meetings at Deutsche Bank, outlined the company's own global procurement initiative.

"We've worked closely with Shawn and her team in the implementation of Deutsche Bank's global procurement, and we're sure other businesses will adopt similar models,” commented Mclaughlin. "This trend will have major implications for venues as bookings are increasingly driven to businesses that provide a global option."

HBI is assisting other major financial businesses in streamlining its procurement across multiple territories. Mclaughlin continued: "Business is increasingly being managed globally and so it is not surprising to see this methodology now being adopted in the meetings industry. Procurement policy will continue to impact on where this industry goes; and this shift in thinking represents a real threat to independent venues".

The Meetings Management Forum was held recently at De Vere Venues Canary Wharf and attended by more than 100 key procurement officers and senior representatives from the major hotel groups.