Fostering Collaboration at MRC Connects Regional Events

News

December 21, 2016

By Ciaran Carr, MRC European Programs Manager

Ciaran Carr

Barcelona, Los Angeles, Dublin, Seattle, Chicago, Minneapolis, London, Boston, New York and Amsterdam. Whether it's from where total football emanated or where the Kardashians call home, each of these cities have something in common. Each hosted an MRC Connects event during 2016.


Highlights from MRC Connects Amsterdam

The first Connects event I've had the pleasure of attending was at the end of November in the charming Café Gollem in Amsterdam. This rustic bar in the heart of Amsterdam's Oude Pijp neighbourhood proved an ideal location for our final event of 2016. Merchants, solution providers, MRC members and non-members all flocked to this cosy bar to build relationships and share knowledge with like-minded peers. The headcount on the night was 50+, a fantastic turnout.

When touching down in Amsterdam before the event I wasn't quite sure what to expect -- it was my first Connects event after all. What I discovered at this networking event was incredibly refreshing (I'm not talking about the beer now!). Whether you're an acquirer, solution provider, issuer or merchant, everybody in attendance possessed a wealth of knowledge and an appetite to share their insights with peers. It's this eagerness to share knowledge and work toward a common good of reducing fraud that underpins the strength of the MRC community. Within this community, and particularly at our Connects events, if you have a question the likelihood is that another MRC member has the answer.

Like the MRC's four conferences, there's a lot of behind-the-scenes work that goes into arranging our Connects events. Throughout the year, we've called on the leadership of our European Advisory Board to help identify European locations for our events and spread the word about the MRC. Our evening in Amsterdam wouldn't have been possible without the help of Jacqueline Hart, Ingenico ePayments, who sponsored the event, and Neil Hawkey of Epoch. We're thankful to both for speaking passionately about the benefits of being part of the MRC community and for continuing to be strong advocates for the MRC.


MRC is #ProudlyACommunity

A key aspect to the eCommerce fraud and payments business is building professional networks and connections. On top of the four conferences the MRC hosts each year in Europe and the U.S., our Connects events provide a platform for industry professionals to build stronger connections by sharing best practices, emerging trends, gaining insight into how others are adapting to new challenges and opportunities and how they're reacting to regulatory changes -- it's this community in action that serves as a key pillar to the MRC's work.


Looking ahead! MRC Connects Barcelona is coming

Having taken the MRC around Europe during 2016, we're planning even more Connects events for 2017! First up is Barcelona on January 30th -- registration is available here. Hosted by one of the world's largest online travel companies, eDreams ODIGEO, this event promises to be an insightful and thought provoking evening. We'll hear from eDreams ODIGEO experts on how they're incorporating machine learning into their fraud mitigation strategies, utilising manual reviewers and liaising with law enforcement.

While Barcelona is our first destination, we're planning further events in 2017. More information on locations will be available early in the new year.