IMA Global upcoming events

IMA YP: Future-ready Board Support with Dana Venema (12 Oct 2026)

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Speaker: Dana Venema (National Chair IMA Netherlands)

Dana Venema is a strategic Executive Business Support professional, FLOW Manager, and trusted advisor to senior leaders and boards. Known for her energy, organizational excellence, and forward-thinking approach, she elevates the role of business support from operational assistance to strategic partnership.

With extensive experience supporting C-level executives and complex organizations, Dana specializes in governance, stakeholder management, executive operations, and organizational flow. She is recognized for her ability to connect people, processes, and priorities while creating structure in dynamic environments.

As Chair of the Dutch association for management support professionals, IMA Netherladns, Dana is passionate about the future of the profession and actively contributes to the development of executive assistants, management assistants, and business support professionals. She advocates for strategic positioning, continuous learning, and the growing impact of support professionals within modern organizations to be that Future-Ready Board Support.

Dana combines sharp business acumen with a strong people focus. Whether acting as a process orchestrator, trusted confidante, organizational connector, or governance partner, she helps leaders and teams perform at their best while driving sustainable results.

Her mission is simple: to enable leaders and organizations to thrive by creating clarity, connection, and flow.

Save the date!

IMA Spain | Community Day Executive Assistants & Office Managers (16 Oct 2026)

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Here is a preview of the program for your COMMUNITY DAY—a special event organized by LEMONNIER & CO and powered by IMA Spain (International Management Assistants) designed for connecting, sharing, learning, and... enjoying a unique experience.

Friday, October 16th, from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Renaissance Barcelona Hotel.

Limited spots available; confirmation required.

We have designed unique, tailor-made content. The agenda includes roundtables discussing current trends for Executive Assistants and Office Managers, a presentation on the opportunities offered by AI, networking activities to strengthen the community, moments of witty humor featuring a special "Improshow," a coffee break and cocktail reception, prizes, giveaways, and much more.

Save the date! Registration opens in SEPTEMBER.

IMA hosts the 14th World Administrators Summit, Berlin, Germany (21 Oct 2026)

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Next 21 & 22/10/2026

More information here

IMA 52nd International Annual Conference 2026 - Upskilling (23 Oct 2026)

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Registration is OPEN NOW!!

Click HERE to find out all the event details and how to participate!

✨We look forward to meeting you in Berlin!

Leading through Grief, Loss and Change (5 Nov 2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Leading through Grief, Loss and Change

Leadership during grief and change isn’t optional. Grief awareness and confidence is a core leadership skill that ensures teams are fully supported, engaged, and high-performing.

Overview:

Loss is universal, yet often unspoken, and even concealed, at work. Grief – from bereavement, divorce, or chronic illness – cannot be left at home, but comes to work within all of us. Nor can workplace losses such as restructuring, changing roles, failed projects, or the departure of valued colleagues.

The personal and financial costs of neglecting grief are high: from great people leaving their roles forever to presenteeism. In complete contrast, the benefits of an informed, compassionate and pragmatic response to loss can be tremendous, creating the conditions where leaders and employees can engage fully and contribute at their very best.

This session answers a question most organisations avoid: how do we lead well when people are grieving, navigating loss, or facing change and transition?

Session Outline:

1. Understanding Grief:

New definitions and fundamentals. Recognising different types of grief beyond bereavement, the cumulative impact of unresolved loss, and how grief impacts employees.

Brief pause for reflection

2. Grief Support at Work - The Cost and the Opportunity:

The business case for excellent grief support. The physiological impact of grief at work. How grief impacts productivity, morale, and retention.

3. Practical Strategies: Supporting Yourself and Others at Work

● Updating our grief toolkit: Uncovering some of the common myths and outdated habits that shape how we respond to grief, and replacing them with more effective, compassionate and practical approaches.Clear guidance on language and understanding to support colleagues effectively. Develop confidence in asking the right questions and how to respond.

● What to say and what not to say: Clear guidance on language and understanding to support colleagues effectively. Develop confidence in asking the right questions and how to respond.

● Creating a supportive culture through leadership: Practical ways leaders foster empathy, trust, and agility. How to maintain appropriate boundaries while supporting yourself and others through periods of loss or transition.

Attendees will not only better understand the impact of unresolved grief on themselves and others. They will leave confident and equipped to lead through it, influence others positively and create a culture where grief and change are acknowledged and well managed.

Jess Goyder - Byography

Jess Goyder is a specialist in supporting people through grief, loss, and major transitions. She has over a decade’s experience coaching executives, teams, and creatives at organisations including Adobe, Ogilvy, and Deutsche Bank, helping leaders navigate complex situations with clarity, resilience, and empathy. Whether through bereavement, the breakdown of a significant relationship, change in title or other profound life changes, Jess helps people work through loss at a deep level, allowing them to move beyond coping and find clarity and genuine emotional completion.

Jess delivers workshops and talks, equipping leaders and top performers with practical tools to support themselves and others through grief and change. Her expertise is grounded in science, deep human insight and lived experience. She holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Psychodynamic Studies from the University of Oxford, specialising in attachment theory, relationship dynamics, and unconscious processes such as grief, depression, anxiety and trauma. She is licensed and certified in The Grief Recovery Method

Emotional, Cultural and Artificial Intelligence as Your Differentiators (18 Nov 2026)

Wed, 18 Nov 2026 18:00:00 GMT

IMA 30th International Training Day 2027 - Upskilling (24 Apr 2027)

Fri, 23 Apr 2027 22:00:00 GMT

Date to be disclosed later.