Professor Steve Millington delivers keynote for 8th Annual International Place Branding Association Conference in Bangkok
IPM Director and Professor of Place Management, Steve Millington delivered a keynote speech at the 8th Annual International Place Branding Association (IPBA) Conference in Bangkok, Thailand.
The IPBA Conference is renowned for bringing together place branding experts, practitioners, and researchers from around the globe, delving into the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in the sector.
Prof. Millington’s presentation highlighted his extensive research spanning over 20 years on towns and high streets, emphasising the transformative role of partnerships in revitalising high streets into dynamic community hubs. Drawing on Manchester Metropolitan University’s academic expertise and the impactful work of the High Streets Task Force, which has supported 150 locations, Steve shared local examples of places using place branding—including Barnsley, Bolsover, and Brixton—to help shift local perceptions and boost footfall.
Steve’s delivery and profound insights left a lasting impression on the audience, reinforcing the critical role of place branding in revitalising high streets and town centres across the UK. He said of the event:
‘‘It was a great opportunity to visit Bangkok and learn more about place making in an Asian context. European towns and cities might learn a lot about place making and the revitalisation of neighbourhoods from non-western places’’.
If you are considering place branding for your area, the Institute of Place Management (IPM) is available for consultations to explore how they can assist. Additionally, if you have a successful place branding story, IPM invites you to share it for their upcoming 2025 webinar series.
For more details about the conference and to view the full list of speakers, please visit the IPBA Conference website here or connect with Prof Steve Millington on LinkedIn.
If you’re interested in attending Prof. Millington’s next speaking engagement, he will be next appearing at the Place Pizzazz event in Chesterfield hosted by IPM Partner: Thinking Place on 16th November
The 9th IPBA Conference will be hosted by Manchester Metropolitan University, 29–31 October 2025 – save the date!
About the author
Formed in 2006, the Institute of Place Management is the international professional body that supports people committed to developing, managing and making places better.