ICCA has awarded the first Community Impact Award to Vanessa Reis, head of the Zurich Convention Bureau, during the Meetings Leadership Network event – a celebration of achievement, innovation, and collaboration of the events industry – on 18 November. The event is part of IBTM World in Barcelona, an annual gathering of meetings and events professionals. Reis is a passionate advocate for sharing knowledge, connecting people, and fostering personal development opportunities.
Her dedication to creating lasting impacts within the ICCA community as the driving force behind meaningful initiatives and her presence as a leading voice in her region have made her a perfect recipient for the ICCA Community Impact Award. Reis’s position as leader of the ICCA Central European Chapter and member of the Meetings Industry Steering Group of the City Destinations Alliance underscore her commitment to working for positive change.
Reis's commitment to community is never about ticking boxes or just showing up. She always strives to make a real difference, whether as the Chair of the ICCA Central European Chapter, hosting its Annual Meeting, or hosting the ICCA Future of Healthcare Meetings conference, both in Zurich in 2024. As a key member of The Future of Healthcare Meetings Programme Committee, she played a central role in curating the educational content in addition to showcasing Zurich’s health ecosystem and highlighting the benefits that Zurich offers to conference attendees. Her passion for the meetings industry community and for Zurich shine through, always prioritising a collaborative approach that puts people first.
"This award means so much to me, and it reflects my passion for creating sustainable and meaningful connections,” Reis said. “It's been a great pleasure to work with so many amazing people who share this vision. Thank you very much to ICCA for this incredible recognition, and to all of you who make our industry so special.”
Celebrating Commitment to Community
ICCA is committed to celebrating the ways in which people show up for their communities every day — through activism, philanthropy, educational programmes and more. It's these acts of service, care, and benevolence that create real change for people on the local level, instigating a ripple effect that allows positive impacts to reverberate through society as a whole. The ICCA Community Impact Award is presented to an individual or organisation who has demonstrated exceptional work in the area of positively affecting their community. Innovation, ingenuity, and out-of-the-box thinking are key components. Winners of the ICCA Community Impact Award are in alignment with ICCA’s guiding principles, which include advocacy, sustainability, legacy and future-building, and DEI.
“I’m excited to recognise Vanessa Reis as the first recipient of the ICCA Community Impact Award,” said Senthil Gopinath, ICCA CEO. “Vanessa has long been an exemplary member of our global business events community, and her dedication to creating positive impact for her professional and local community, and a lasting legacy in her region, is truly inspirational. We couldn’t be more proud to award her this honour at IBTM, and we look forward to seeing what’s next for Vanessa and the Zurich Convention Bureau.”
Reis has more than a decade of experience in the meetings and hospitality industry to showcase Zurich as a premier meetings destination. As a member of the Zurich Tourism Executive Board, she combines her business studies with continuous education to meet the complex leadership requirements and the fast-paced meetings industry.
On a global level, we are all connected — and ICCA understands that it's sometimes even small actions that make big changes, ultimately creating a legacy of lasting impact on communities. We created the ICCA Community Impact Award as a way to shine a spotlight on the many ways organisations or individuals lift people up, providing valuable resources, programmes, leadership, and aid that makes life better for us all.