The days have long gone when organisations that are serious about getting their message across could afford to leave their key meetings in the hands of any old functionary. Increasingly, they hire professional facilitators to chair conferences, seminars, AGMs and other important gatherings. Why?

Because a pro can:

• Make sure your agenda gets covered in full and on schedule
• Focus debates, to keep discussion to the point
• Lend presence, humour and insight to proceedings
• Encourage the reticent, and challenge the blasé
• Coax maximum involvement from delegates
• Create a congenial atmosphere for networking
• Draw conclusions together in a cogent and coherent form

Keith Aitken is one of Scotland's most experienced and accomplished conference facilitators. No-one has a sharper ear for humbug and evasion, a shrewder understanding of public policy issues, or a more engaging style in the chair.

He is a regular chairman of choice for top policy conference organisers such as Holyrood Events, while a vast, diverse and distinguished array of bodies have hired him to facilitate their own major conferences: the European Commission, the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish Futures Forum, Scottish Enterprise, the Scottish TUC, the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, SCDI, the Federation of Small Businesses Scotland, the Scottish Countryside Alliance, Scottish Cycling, Voluntary Action Scotland, the Institute of Civil Engineers, Aberdeen University, Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce, Angus Council, Fife Council, Scottish Business in the Community, the Princess Royal Trust, SEPA, the Child Poverty Action Group, the Scottish Poverty Information Unit, Glasgow Disability Alliance, Inclusion Scotland and the Institute of Internal Auditors.

Whatever the meeting, Keith Aitken can be relied upon to make it happen on time, on message, in style and to the point.

Pictures courtesy of Lewis Segal Photography

Email Keith : keith@kaitken.fsnet.co.uk