GBTA has today announced the first in their series of speakers for the introductory session of their European conference in Budapest 19th - 21st September.

The event, for business travel industry professionals at the Budapest Congress and World Trade Center, will see Max Keegan, an impressive 17 year-old, take to the stage to present a case study of how “Digital Natives”, otherwise referred to as Generation Y, think about technology, the use of social networks, their approach to the workplace culture and sustainability.

The “Digital Native” case study will take place after the GBTA Europe keynote and act as a prologue to the main CEO panel on the first morning. Max will literally be talking on behalf of his generation as he engages his full network of peers in the subjects through social media in the run up to the conference and presents their views to the 500-strong audience.

Talking about the association’s unusual plans to put a 17 year-old on stage, Paul Tilstone, Managing Director of GBTA Europe, said, “Max is a confident, articulate teenager who will enter our workplace in a few years with real expectations and existing communication methodologies. When we were thinking about keynote speakers and our CEO panel we wanted a social commentator to help set the scene, but thought rather than have a 40 year-old tell us what a 17 year-old thinks, like most other events do, we would find someone born to Generation Y who can do it instead.”

Max Keegan, from Petworth, England, said about the experience, “I was really pleased when this offer came up and my debating society experience and stage time as a musician will really help me. It is going to be great to be able to give the audience insights into how my peers and I communicate and use social media. I think it’s great that this conference wants to hear our thoughts since we behave and think differently than your typical conference attendee.”
GBTA will be announcing its keynote speaker and members of the CEO panel in the next month. Full details of the conference programme with the theme of “Customisation and Personalisation” can be found at www.gbta.org/europeconference.