2007 - looking back, and the state of our association

As is traditional in media circles the end of December is the time to look back on the previous year and review some of the key moments. Obviously this is hard-hitting editorial and has nothing to do with most journalists being in a semi-commatose state & unable to write anything ground-breaking as a result of various Christmas party excesses..

As SIPA UK Chairman in 2008 I would like to do the same.

First off, I'm pleased to be steering an association in such rude health. The transition from the old 'print newsletter era' to specialised information providers is well behind us and last year saw more new members join the association than ever before. Some of the new members are from the familiar old stalwarts of publishing who have often re-discovered the benefits of SIPA. Others I am less familiar with but very pleased to see joining. A selection of our new members are listed below:

• Lloyds Register Fairplay
• The Media House
• Bertoli Mitchell
• Maximise Your Exit
• Sunfish
• Fleet Street Publications
• FSM
• Kogan Page
• Dunstans Publishing
• WARC
• Complinet
• Business Money
• Canonbury Publishing
• WebComm
• The Marketing Guild
• Practical Law Company
• Reed Business Information
• IPD Global
• Wiley-Blackwell
• FT Business Information
• HiLite
• Pyeline Publishing
• Afion Consulting
• Kate Mayfield

Welcome everyone and I hope you find SIPA a good home. Please participate actively. As with all good things you'll get so much more out of the association if you put a bit in. Come to the great series of events we will be hosting in 2008 and tell your friends and colleagues in similar organisations to join.

The specialist information community is a hotbed of talent and creativity ideally placed to take advantage of all the opportunities that our new media world offers. SIPA will continue to provide an opportunity to get out and share experiences with others in the field.

I would like to personally thank Julian Turner of Electric Word for his sterling work as Chairman in 2007. Also Karen Hindle, without whos help the whole association would rapidly grind to a halt. Thanks Karen.

The committee for UK SIPA also put in huge amounts of time alongside extremely busy day jobs. Thanks to:

• Robin Crumby of Melcrum
• Caroline Frost of Informa Healthcare
• Jonathan Feroze of Business Monitor
• Jane Wilkinson of Euromoney
• Nick Laight of Canonbury Publishing (I think he's our deputy chairman this year but am not sure if anyone has told him yet...congratulations Nick!)
• Lindsey Greig of Cecile Park Publishing
• Ian Hemming of Informa Telecoms and Media

Rory Brown, Incisive Media

Comments

[Robin Crumby]

And a big thanks to Rory who is already making a massive difference to the range and quality of the member events for 2007/8, dragging us kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

Robin.