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Looking forward to the 20th AFM, brings to mind the
sunny afternoon when I arrived in Istanbul for my first
conference. Although this was in April 2006 the good
memories of that event make it seem like yesterday. While
waiting for the AFM group hotel transfer I was struck by
the general bonhomie of the conversation between the
other delegates who were exchanging the greetings
more commonly reserved for friends not seen for a while.
Reflecting on this I can always hear Paul Meier and Rod
Gravelet-Blondin among others talking about friends in
the context of AFM for this is the spirit that underlies the
Association of Futures Markets.
For me this conference clearly demonstrated the value
of placing the emphasis on discussion rather than
presentation. I remember the guidance (instruction is
probably more appropriate) Kristina gave me before
my first panel participation ‘no PowerPoint and no
sales pitch’’. As a sales professional my first reaction
was a degree of alarm, after all being on a platform
and not selling would feel quite unnatural. However as
the conference unfolded it was clear that AFM provides
a safe environment where panels of qualified speakers
can come together to share ideas and experiences while
not necessarily agreeing with each other. Led by the
moderator the dialogue is encouraged to extend beyond
panel members to include delegate participation resulting
in healthy debate which can be heard continuing beyond
the confines of the conference auditorium. From the
outset AFM was and continues to be a hugely interactive
and inclusive experience, another key factor that defines
its character as a place to share and learn.
The 2006 conference was the first of two in Istanbul and
of course we are now at the second in Argentina. AFM is a
truly global association capitalising on the member base
and meeting in a different country each year. According
to a number of my former colleagues representing the
company at AFM was part of my annual vacation enabling
me to travel to wonderful venues around the world. Well,
among other places, we have been to Bali, Bangkok,
Moscow, Taipei and Johannesburg so perhaps they might
have had a point.
As we move between member countries, we enjoy the value
added by the various host organisations. Without fail they
have brought us together with numerous, disparate local
market participants giving each conference a regional
flavour and an understanding of the impact of global
events in these markets.
At this point I must also mention the social side of AFM
for which again much is owed to the efforts of the host
organisations. Thanks here to all the hosts for enabling
us to experience the history, culture and cuisine of their
respective countries, through events and tours that
remain in the memory but are too numerous to mention
in this brief recollection. The informality of these events
provides yet more opportunity to meet and share with
what is always a diverse group marking yet another AFM
difference.
In summary, it has been a privilege to be part of AFM
since 2006. Over the years whether as delegate,
speaker, moderator, board member and now as a willing
contributor the objective has remained the same: capture
the essence of AFM and support its continued success
and development.
Congratulations AFM and thank you!
Paul Constantinou
Where to begin?
– by Paul Constantinou
