The history of conferences
The first conference was held in Brussels, Belgium, in 1971, at a time when, as International Benefits Information Service (IBIS) founder Bruce Spencer recalls, "the general public didn't know what a pension was."
A half-century later, it's the most respected and longest-running international conference for global human resources and international employee benefits professionals.
How the conference began
Back in 1971, some 85 Employee Benefits specialists from the US, Canada and most western European countries gathered in Brussels to discuss the various trends and practices of the nascent global employee benefits industry. Spencer said it "was really a gathering of people who wanted to be part of the discussion and who wanted to share their ideas and opinions on the issues and concerns we were all facing."
At that time, only six member countries were in what was then called the European Community, but they already had problems coordinating social security benefits for the people in those countries. Annette Bosscher, who was responsible for coordinating the benefits for the European Commission, came to the Conference to explain how the system worked.
Looking back, Spencer recalls a special meeting in November 1989. "Walter Kruijswick, who worked with [European food company] Jacobs Suchard, took the podium to speak. He looked at the audience, threw away his notes and instead began to speak about what had just occurred the previous night — the fall of the Berlin Wall — and what that meant to the world. Mr. Kruijswick was old enough to have witnessed the Communist takeover from the Second World War on out, and his observations and reflections made for a very memorable experience."
Events merge
Richard Polak, an international benefits specialist with more than 30 years' experience who founded his own international HR consulting firm over 15 years ago, acquired IBIS in 2003 and with it, the Conference and Institute.
Believing that experienced Human Resources executives and those just starting out in the global employee benefits field could benefit from interacting with one another, Polak brought the Conference and Institute together into one meeting, renamed the IBIS Academy, in Paris in 2007.
In 2012, Arthur J. Gallagher & Company acquired IBIS, and with Gallagher's enthusiastic support, the tradition continues.
In 2026, IBIS Academy launches its new name: Global People Strategy Forum.
Global People Strategy Forum remains focused on global HR, Benefits and Mobility
Through the years, the event has remained the most respected and longest-running international conference for global Human Resources and international Employee Benefits professionals and Global Mobility executives.
The three tracks promote industry growth and provide multinationals with knowledge and resources on international pensions and employee benefits in markets around the world, and up-to-date information on global mobility trends, offering unrivaled learning opportunities and an invigorating symposium experience.
Delegates from around the globe attend, including the American Benefits Council, which has held its Global Benefits Committee meeting during the event since 2009.
