Written by Inger Wijnbladh, IMA Sweden 

2010 Conference and AGM in Brussels

The conference theme was “A brave new world" focus on what matters for your future

We also visited Council of Ministers at the European Union arranged by IMA member Anitha Andersson.

Welcome reception at Radisson BLU Royal Brussels Hotel

Chair Maria Lazarou opened the AGM.

2012 Conference and AGM in Reykjavik

The conference theme was Culture and Values, Software of the mind

The Welcome reception was held at Harpa, the new Concert and Opera house in Reykjavik. 

Our newest IMA member Caroline Bjurman Brown talking to our founder Sonia Vanular

Conference dinner at the Blue Lagoon

   A Golden Circle Afternoon Tour took us to Gullfoss and to see Geysirs

Before catching the flight home to Stockholm I enjoyed a swim in the Blue Lagoon where I had a nice chat with Adam Fidler in the warm water.

2013 Conference and AGM in London

The conference theme was Managing Today, Leading Tomorrow

The conference dinner was held on a cruising boat on the Thames. We played a fun game with the theme Murder on the Thames. Was it really the Assistant who killed the boss? Our table should talk about Law and Order UK

The Swedish Group before the AGM

2014 Conference and AGM in Paris, where we also celebrated IMA 40 years

Heli Puputti, Maria Lazarou, Sonia Vanular, Helen Monument and Else-Britt Lundgren. 

Else-Britt was the Executive Chair at that time - all others were Executive Chairs before her. 

Preconference tour to Versailles

Talk about networking

Azadeh Naimi

When I attended the conference in London 2011 I shared room with this young lady. We didn’t know each other first but we had fun together.

This year (2024) in Paris we met again and had lunch together at her work place Schlumberger Business Consulting in La Defense.

IMA celebrating 40 years with Gala dinner on a Seine cruise, arranged by Compagnie des Bateaux à Roue

Talking to Sonia 93 years old before she blows out all the 40 candles

During the evening, I met two ladies from Luxembourg. We had lot of things to talk about since I was working in Luxembourg for many years

2016 The Training Day in Stockholm

Focus on the theme

“Self Development: The Wheel of Personal Success” by Laura Belgrado and Peter Andreou

The Welcome Reception was held at the Nobel Museum in the Old Town of Stockholm

One of the optional Tours for those not attending the Council Meeting was a Guided historical walk in the Old Town

History will come to life as you walk through the winding alleys. Among many historical buildings and sites you will see the Old Town Market Square, Viking rune stone, the German Church, Stockholm’s narrowest alley, the house that was once home to two members of ABBA, the Royal Palace and Storkyrkan, the Coronation Church.

The seminar was held at Clarion Sign Hotel

Welcome speech by Chantal Sneijkers, Deputy European Chairman

Lillemor Karlsson-Carmén National Chairman, Sweden

 Sonia and the seminar speakers Laura Belgrado and Peter Andreou

Dinner at Solliden Skansen

2016 Conference and AGM in Copenhagen

The conference theme was Working in the Eye of the Storm

Danish Chair Inge-Lise, Finance Officer Anni and MarCom Christina with the moderator of the conference. 

The Conference Dinner was held at Crowne Plaza Hotel, we had soo much fun!

The entertainment was a "ballet" performed by members of IMA Denmark

Sonia 95 still going strong

2017 Conference and AGM in Haque

The conference theme was Business Ethics and Integrity

The Gala Dinner was held at The Louwman Museum which is home to the world’s oldest private collection of classic motor cars.

After the AGM some of us spent the afternoon at Mauritshuis, a museum with all the old dutch artists.       

We also visited the Court of Justice 

Written by Nina Wickström (formerly Aunula), Executive Chair 2019-2023,

Dear Reader,

when I was requested to write something about my years as Chair of IMA (2019-2023), my first thought was to have a look at our Annual Reports and take it from there. Then I decided against it, I would rather reflect and look back now, and write from my heart .

After my appointment to Chair in Geneve in 2019, our team had an interesting start. Our brand-new Association Secretary (today called Executive Governance Officer) landed a dream job and had to step down almost immediately. Luckily our trusted and very capable Karin Hélène took on the challenge, interim at first, but today she is still a member of the Executive Committee. The other members were Sabrina Franchini, Vaida Rapello and Chantal Sneijkers who was a very knowledgeable and strategic Vice Chair. They all, together with previous Chair Else-Britt Lundgren, had laid a strong foundation on which we could stay steadfast in the turbulent years to come.  

First Covid hit in early 2020. I was in South Africa then, looking into our venue for the first international conference outside Europe together with the efficient and meticulous Chair of South Africa, Corrie Fourie. No one realized at that point how quickly it would all escalate. When flying back home I noted that the Security personnel at the airport were wearing masks, all of them, but none of the passengers. At that point only one reported case in SA. I remember thinking, during a team call later the same month, this is likely to be a marathon, not a sprint, and unfortunately that was indeed the case. The whole Assistant Community, all of the different Associations out there, started offering many events for free in addition to setting up discussion groups in Zoom and showing their support in many ways.

In IMA we took the same route, free webinars, free on-line conference etc. We suffered losses too, due to e.g.  the cancellation of the Training Day in Norway. Despite the turbulence we tried to keep the spirit up. Our main concern was with our IMA colleagues. We all felt grateful to be able to keep contact with the National Committees  and our members through  Zoom and Teams. Our partners and associates were very helpful and generous too, providing us with many events for free. Our SoMe channels had many nice initiatives, created by Sabrina and our members, and there was very much the feeling and effort by all of fostering a sense of community. The Executive Committee met every 3 weeks but as the regular modus of meeting at least twice per year in person for a full day was changed into numerous on-line meetings, it took its toll on all of us, in different ways.

In effect 2020 and 2021 were completely on-line. With the sound and far-sighted business acumen of Vice Chair Sofie Koark, elected in 2020, also 2021 was decided to be fully on-line. Quite a few members still dropped out during the Covid years, they had not the possibility nor resources to be part of IMA any longer, unfortunately some were made redundant as well. In August 2020 our founder, Sonia Vanular passed away too, at the age of 98. As per her wishes, we sang and had a glass of wine on her birthday in September. On-line!

After Covid, we made inroads into new technology and started offering our meetings in hybrid mode. Luxembourg was the first meeting where many of us met in person and some were on-line. It was fantastic! A very special feeling of reunion somehow. And Helsinki in 2022, the first conference since 2019 was such a success too, in more ways than one.

In 2022 the start of the war in Ukraine left its mark in all of us. Our heart still goes out our members there. We tried to stay in contact and facilitate their continued membership but unfortunately there is not much contact at the moment, though we set up a LinkedIn group as well which did not take flight somehow.

2023, the last year I was Chair, we were finally able to host our first truly international conference in Cape Town, 3 years after the intended kick-off. Before I stepped down Menekse Ahbab came on board as Executive Finance Officer for a period of time, after which Jette Stenberg took over. Both absolutely fantastic with the financials and very dedicated. The same applies for hard-working visionary Executive MarCom Officer Christina Bagge-Kragh. These ladies continued the legacy of Sabrina and Vaida, who served on the Committee for 6 years each, giving their all for IMA. Sabrina, vivacious  and energetic, played a crucial role in the set-up of the new web-site, as did Christina. Vaida had a very good strategic view and started the renewal of the Financial processes, of great help to all. I  am so grateful for having had the pleasure and privilege to work with all of these professionals! A special thank you to all Council members, our fantastic SoMe team, who really have made an impact and Young Professional Ambassador Nicole Breunissen.

Nina Wickström (previously Aunula)

Written by Christina B. Kragh, IMA Denmark

Written by Shari Spaulding, IMA Denmark

Being a member of EUMA (European Management Assistants) and later IMA has always been educational, inspiring and much fun.Taking part in the annual conferences is highly recommended. It’s a great way to meet members in other countries and a way to get to know your own country members better.

Over the years, we have been welcomed by the President of the hosting country, mayor of the hosting city and many other people. Lots of interesting speakers and workshops.

A special “experience” stands out. In 2010, when the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull erupted and air traffic was closed, we had to find a way to get back from the Annual Conference in Finland. Members of IMA are resourceful, so we managed to get ferry tickets from Helsinki to Stockholm and went out and bought sleeping bags for the 17-hour trip. We had foreseen to sleep somewhere on the ferry, however, we were lucky to get a cabin. We had a good time and lots of chatting. Upon arrival the next morning in Stockholm, a husband of one of my fellow travellers had driven eight hours to pick us up and drove us back to Copenhagen.

Shari Spaulding, PA, (IMA Denmark)

Written by Yvonne de Mul, IMA Netherlands

I was a new member in 2010 when I planned to attend my first training day in Helsinki. I could never have imagined what a special training day this would become. I did not watch the news before I left so  missed the news about the volcanic eruption In Iceland.

So when we were told that we were the on the last flight leaving from Schiphol we had no idea that it would be the last flight for more than a week. For the organising committee this was a nightmare - no trainers since they were stuck in Italy but they showed what our profession is all about to make it work whatever the circumstances  so they got a replacement trainer at the last moment from Helsinki and we had an amazing training day and did not really notice he had hardly any time to prepare the training session.

Not one of us at that moment was aware that we could not go home that weekend and that all flights were cancelled for an indefinite time.  Then the true spirit of IMA showed itself and we got together to see how we could make it home. So some of us went with the ferry to Stockholm and then by train, some took the ferry and the bus through the Baltic states to get home. 

For me it defined what IMA is all about and have been a dedicated member ever since.

Greetings

Yvonne de Mul (IMA Netherlands)