Skip to main content

World Meeting Outreach Committee Chair makes the case for a wide engagement in the buildup to the 17th IRF World Meeting

Held every four years since 1952, IRF World Meetings have always offered the international road community a rare opportunity to present what they do best and discuss what they could do better. As he prepares to take on the role of chairman of the Outreach Committee, Jean-Claude Roffé, a senior manager at Colas, notes “there isn’t a single recipe for successful World Meetings, but collective experience gained over the last half-century provides guidance in at least three areas:” Local support, global succes
June 18, 2012 Read time: 3 mins
RSS

Held every four years since 1952, IRF World Meetings have always offered the international road community a rare opportunity to present what they do best and discuss what they could do better.

As he prepares to take on the role of chairman of the Outreach Committee, Jean-Claude Roffé, a senior manager at 184 Colas, notes “there isn’t a single recipe for successful World Meetings, but collective experience gained over the last half-century provides guidance in at least three areas:”

Local support, global success

“Since the first edition in Washington DC, World Meetings have invariably borne the stamp of their host country. Madrid, in 1993, took place in the early stages of an unprecedented Spanish construction boom. Lisbon, in 2010, witnessed an extraordinary involvement of local industry actors against a gloomy economic backdrop.

It has also been my experience that the attention to cultural touches brought by the host country, such as the beautiful Fado performance that graced the opening ceremony in Lisbon, produces enduring memories which World Meeting delegates take home with them.”

“With Riyadh, we can count on the unwavering support of Deputy Transport Ministry Abdullah Al-Mogbel. Saudi Arabia is a particularly appropriate choice, a wonderful hub at the crossroads of Europe, Africa and Asia and a strategic export market for all major road contractors.”

Striving for technical excellence

“Establishing a compelling scientific program is an ambitious endeavor which requires a continuous effort to identify innovative practices, emerging trends, as well as issues of specific interest to the Gulf region. 2462 IRF World Meetings have an impressive track record of attracting many top-quality papers from academia, practitioners and government officials, a performance due in large part to the dedication of the road professionals who volunteer their time on the Scientific & Technical Committee.”

“Nor should World Meeting outputs be left to gather dust. They contain valuable knowledge and guidelines which, properly used, will help pave the industry’s future.”

Engaging the road community

“As chairman of the Outreach Committee, my ambition is to ensure all the ingredients are in place for a successful, relevant and inclusive World Meeting. I will gather dedicated professionals of every stripe who agree to act as World Meeting ‘Champions’ over the next 18 months. But I will also strive to extend the reach of our message beyond the International Road Federation to a number of stakeholders we do not always hear from. Our work must also resonate with them.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Gerd Leonhard to speak at TRA 2018 – the Digital Era of Transport
    January 30, 2018
    Gerd Leonhard: a key speaker at Transport Research Arena 2018 – TRA 2018 - in Vienna in April. International futurist Gerd Leonhard has been confirmed as a key speaker at this year’s Transport Research Arena 2018 in Vienna in April. To underline the visionary nature of TRA 2018, Leonhard - author and head of The Futures Agency - will speak at the opening session, exploring the importance of new technologies and the role of humans in the world of today’s digital mobility. From April 16-19, the 7th Transp
  • Aximum gains strength in route safety systems
    April 11, 2012
    Aximum is a comparatively new organisation, but it incorporates many old-established companies in the route safety business. As Alan Peterson discovered, it is 'ready to pick up speed' A few weeks ago the French-based Aximum Group added a fourth international subsidiary to its portfolio of businesses at the end of what has been a busy period for the fledgling company. Al Habtoor Aximum is a joint venture with the leading contractor in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and with the backing of this highly rega
  • New head of IRF road safety programme
    April 11, 2012
    IRF is pleased to announce the addition of Michael G Dreznes to the IRF Washington staff. Dreznes will serve as executive vice president with global leadership on training, policy and capacity-building activities across IRF's road safety programmes. "Mike has spent the last 26 years working to make roads safer around the world," said Patrick Sankey, president & CEO, IRF Washington. "He is recognised as one of the world's leading experts on roadside safety, pioneering the concept of Forgiving Highways, and w
  • AEM – US construction sector “remains resilient” amid Covid-19 pandemic
    April 8, 2020
    US firms have job sites to run but are still helping prevent the spread of the coronavirus.