22 Sep PLENARY SPEAKER FOR KEYNOTE SPEAKING AT MEETINGS, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS
Plenary speakers at conferences typically give talks that are designed to motivate, educate, and engage the full audience. Common areas of conversation would be:
- Overarching themes and big ideas relevant to the conference topic or industry
- Top plenary speakers’ personal stories and experiences that relate to the conference theme
- New research, discoveries, or insights that have significant implications for the field
- Future trends, challenges, and opportunities that attendees should be aware of
- Broad perspectives on where the industry or field is headed
- Issues of general interest or importance to all conference attendees
- High-level summaries that plenary speakers offer of the current state of the industry or field
- Visionary ideas meant to motivate people and provide inspiration
- Calls to action for attendees to make a difference or catalyze change
Each works to set the stage for the more specialized breakout sessions and to get everyone on the same page in terms of the key ideas and priorities. Plenary talks aim to be engaging, memorable, and impactful for the full crowd.
Tasks that organizers may give plenary speakers:
- Provide an inspirational, big picture view of the conference theme and topics
- Share a new vision or future outlook for the field
- Highlight cutting-edge research, breakthroughs, or innovations
- Offer perspectives on where the industry is headed
- As plenary speakers, identify challenges and opportunities ahead
- Outline new frameworks, models, or ways of thinking
- Provide concrete takeaways, actionable insights, or guidelines
- Issue a clear call to action for attendees
- Motivate and energize the audience
- Bring together diverse perspectives across disciplines or sectors
- Tell a compelling story as plenary speakers that connects emotionally with the audience
- Act as a prominent figurehead for the event and field
- Set the tone and level of discourse for the conference
- Review or summarize the current state of the industry or research
- Offer international or cultural perspectives to a global audience
- Provide diverse viewpoints on inclusion, equity and accessibility
- Foster dialogue, debate and engagement within the audience
- Anchor the conference themes and connect them to the big picture
The plenary speaker is responsible for delivering an impactful, memorable presentation that inspires the audience and achieves the goals set by the conference organizers. Their talk should complement the overall program.
