Rob Chapman (pictured above left) is no stranger to readers of Commsrisk, regularly contributing updates about the Risk & Assurance Group (also known as the RAG, logo pictured above right). But why did Rob volunteer to chair the RAG, and what are his plans for the group? Why did the longest-running revenue assurance event in the world decide to change both name and scope, and how might it grow from being a thrice-yearly London meeting to something with wider international reach? What topics will drive the agenda of future RAG meetings, and how can it finance its expansion without jeopardizing its not-for-profit status? Rob discusses all these topics, and more, in episode 24 of the Commsrisk podcast.
Co-host Dan Baker contributed to the free exchange of ideas, sharing his views on how to stimulate the sharing of knowledge within professional communities. Both Rob and Dan explored the potential for transferring the spirit of RAG to North America, and discussed ways to bring meetings to a wider audience by harnessing the internet.
Rob told us about the joys and headaches of organizing a conference that has defied conventional business logic for over a decade, by never charging for attendance and being run by a committee of volunteers drawn from across the communications industry. He also expressed an ambition to challenge commercial conferences that often provide a substandard learning experience for attendees, despite being expensive for sponsors. As Rob eloquently puts it, RAG is ‘run by the experts, for the experts’. If that sounds like the kind of event which interests you, sign up for the RAG’s news updates by emailing Rob.
To listen to the interview, press the ‘play’ button, or you can download the mp3 file from here. You can also subscribe to the podcast at the iTunes Store, or via the Blubrry Android subscription service.
