SMi reports: Steven Mehringer, Head of Communications Services, NATO Headquarters interviewed ahead of the conference in November

The Social Media in the Defence and Military Sector conference 2019 will commence on 20th and 21st November and will provide the ideal platform to discuss social media strategies, platforms and tools used in the armed forces' day-to-day activities from branding and recruitment to frontline operations, intelligence, and cyber warfare.

Ahead of upcoming event taking place between the 21st and 22nd November in London, SMi Group caught up with conference speaker and workshop leader Steven Mehringer, Head of Communications Services, NATO Headquarters, to discuss the upcoming event as well as the current developments and challenges within the field.

View a snapshot of the Q&A [Download the full interview: www.militarysocialmedia.com/roboticstom4 ]

SMi Group: Tell us about you - what is your role in the defence / military social media environment and what perspective do you bring to the conference?

Steven Mehringer: "I have worked in communications for more than 30 years. I spent many years working as a journalist in television news before my transition to government communications. I have recently completed my appointment as Head of Communications for NATO. For 9 years I led NATO's digital transformation and the development of NATO's digital outreach. When I arrived, the Alliance was operating 10-15 years behind in terms of its communications technology and its approach to speaking to the 1 billion+ people under the NATO security umbrella. I am honoured to have been chosen to lead NATO's communications capacity out of the past and into the future. The digital transformation has created a new way of working for NATO. I have proven to the Alliance the essential value in storytelling instead of broadcasting information and utilizing the right technologies to move communications priorities from concept...to content...to digital...to global. I regularly consult with and support the 29 NATO nations on creating focused leadership of that communications lifecycle within their governments. I am proud to say, with the support of my excellent team, we have elevated NATO to the position of thought-leader on digital outreach among international organizations."

SMi Group: Can you tell us more about the workshop and what people will learn, especially non-military delegates?

Steven Mehringer: "The continual evolution of the global information environment requires all international organizations, military bodies and governments to embrace communications change. In this workshop we will focus on the best practices for effective communications, how international entities are managing their digital transformations and the future of communications we all must prepare for. We will have an extensive discussion on understanding the impacts of Artificial Intelligence, DeepFakes technology, virtual reality and more, in an increasingly complicated communications landscape."

The two-day event will enable delegates to engage with a dynamic audience of military officers, government officials, industry experts and social media platform specialists on crucial topics.

For those who would like to attend the conference a saving of £100 is available for bookings placed before 30th September. Registrations can be made online at www.militarysocialmedia.com/roboticstom4

Social Media in the Defence and Military Sector
Conference: 20th - 21st November 2019
Workshops: 19th November 2019
London, UK

If you would like to showcase your solutions to key decision makers within the industry, contact Sadia Malick on +44 (0) 207 827 6748 or smalick@smi-online.co.uk

For delegate and group booking enquiries, contact James Hitchen on +44 (0) 207 827 6054 or jhitchen@smi-online.co.uk

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About SMi Group:
Established since 1993, the SMi Group is a global event-production company that specializes in Business-to-Business Conferences, Workshops, Masterclasses and online Communities. We create and deliver events in the Defence, Security, Energy, Utilities, Finance and Pharmaceutical industries. We pride ourselves on having access to the world's most forward-thinking opinion leaders and visionaries, allowing us to bring our communities together to Learn, Engage, Share and Network. More information can be found at http://www.smi-online.co.uk