AIME has today revealed the theme for its 2027 Knowledge Monday program, two new industry-led formats and the new Knowledge Monday Program Committee that will help shape the event’s opening day in Melbourne.
In 2027, the program theme “AIMEplify: People, Business and Impact” will explore where human connection meets technology. As AI changes how events are planned and delivered, AIMEplify asks the industry to identify what is already working and amplify it. That means the value of its people, the expertise behind its businesses and the impact business events create when people come together.
Curated by AIME in collaboration with BEAMexperience Founder El Kwang, Knowledge Monday will open AIME at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on 15 February 2027. Industry leaders and subject matter experts will share collective wisdom and challenge conventional thinking, giving business events professionals practical insights to take back to their own teams and businesses.
Kwang says the theme recognises the increasingly important role of human connection and judgement in a world shaped by rapid technological change.
“Business events have always been about what happens when people come together with purpose, including the relationships they build, the ideas they exchange and the opportunities they create,” he says.
“As technology takes on more of the execution, the value of our profession sits in the expertise people bring: the experience, judgement and creativity that turn a meeting into a business outcome. AIMEplify is about recognising that value and amplifying what is already working across our industry.”
The full Knowledge Monday program will follow two arcs across the day, each tied to the AIMEplify theme. The morning arc focuses on people, through Inspire Me, Motivate Me and Look After Me and My Team. The afternoon arc turns to business and impact, with Challenge Me and My Team and Show Me What’s Possible exploring how technology can extend what the industry does while human expertise stays at the centre.
Shaping the topics, keynote speakers and overall content is the new Knowledge Monday Program Committee. Its members come from corporate, agency and consulting businesses, reflecting the depth and breadth of the business events industry. Working with input from curated focus groups, the committee has built a program around the topics the industry asked for.
Committee members are:
- Ashleigh Cooper, Group Event and Engagement Manager, Charter Hall
- Darren Chuckry, Founder and Managing Director, HK Initiative
- Janene Wardrop, Director, Ascot Event Collective
- Michelle Sargent, Managing Director, Events Beyond
- Petrina Goh, Regional Account Director, BCD Meetings & Events
- Sarah Markey-Hamm, Founder, SMH – Event Industry Consulting
Led by the Knowledge Monday Program Committee, Knowledge Monday 2027 will bring a fresh approach to event design, building on its established keynote program with two new formats that give the industry a bigger role in the room.
The Debate will put a hot topic, chosen by the industry, to a panel of clients and suppliers from across the business events ecosystem.
The Pitch will give event practitioners the stage to present bold ideas that reimagine the future of business events. These are designed to put industry voices on stage and get people talking.
AIME Event Director Silke Calder says this year’s Knowledge Monday program reflects the evolution of AIME and the industry at large.
“Knowledge Monday is where the AIME community comes to learn, question and think about what comes next,” she says.
“Technology is changing how events are planned and delivered, but the value is still created when people come together with purpose. The program will bring practical thinking, different perspectives and bold ideas into the room, and give our community the chance to share their own experience and shape the conversation.”
Business events professionals interested in speaking at Knowledge Monday 2027 can submit an expression of interest at https://www.surveymonkey.com/
Knowledge Monday is attended by Hosted Buyers, Hosted Media and Exhibitors, while Visitor Buyers may purchase a ticket upgrade to attend.
AIME 2027 will take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 15–17 February 2027. Building on five consecutive years of growth, AIME 2027 will host more than 25,000 meetings between over 800 exhibitors and more than 1,600 vetted buyers.
The trade show floor, on days two and three, is where business happens, featuring pre-scheduled appointments, networking opportunities and experiential showcases from across the global events sector.
AIME is delivered by Talk2 Media & Events on behalf of the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB).
