Robert Govers
SENIOR PARTNER, CHAIRMAN, and SPEAKER
Robert Govers
SENIOR PARTNER, CHAIRMAN, and SPEAKER
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Driving cars through Europe and the Sahara Desert to sell them in Niger (in 1989 and 1990) and exploring China and Russia on the Trans-Siberia Express (1992) as a student, I quickly realised that our world view is very superficial, clichรฉ and stereotype. This started my PhD supervised by professor Frank Go, to whom I am forever grateful for suggesting the classic literature that has grounded me in a basic understanding of the reputations of cities, regions and countries. Now I advise governments, am senior partner at Anholt & Co., am founding chairman of the International Place Branding Association, and a passionate visiting trainer in Beijing, Hyderabad, London, Milan, Rotterdam, and Turin.
So, are you thinking about the reputation of your city, region or country in this globalized and multipolar world? Then you are in the right place as this is the topic that I advise governments and their stakeholders on; which I study, speak and write about (for 20+ years). Read my book!
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- I advised clients such as the Governments of the Netherlands, Chile, Iceland, United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, regional governments of three provinces in the Netherlands, and the Cities of Ghent, Bruges and Oostende (Belgium).
- I was a keynote speaker at many international conferences such as the Club of Venice, Kyiv International Economic Forum, World Cities Culture Forum, European Cities Marketing, European Travel Commission, Tel Aviv Cities Summit, or the International Association of Convention Centres.
- I have written numerous papers and (co-)authored/edited 5 books on the topic of place branding. The award-winning book Imaginative Communities was published in English, Portuguese and Spanish.
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Positioning strategy, identity, image, reputation, symbolic actions / imaginative initiatives, community imagination. All this based on the premise that places build reputation through actions, not propaganda. Therefore, I also co-authored the Good Country Index.
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My research and experience taught me that for cities, regions or countries to be admired they:
- have to be admirable
- through a sense of identity, belonging and virtue
- by which to influence international perceptions
- with access to mainstream and social media buzz
- by building unique experiences
- through imagination and leadership
- and community collaboration.
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