The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) returns to Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 9–11 February 2026, with its renowned opening Knowledge Monday program setting the tone for three days of business, connection and collaboration.
Guided by BEAMexperience Founder El Kwang and an advisory committee of eight industry leaders, this year’s program explores the theme “Expertise Matters!”, bringing together global thinkers to examine the behaviours, mindsets and environments that enable people to perform at their best.
Among the keynote speakers is Performance and Leadership Coach Dan Haesler, a leading authority on mindset, mental skills and high performance. As a trusted coach to elite sporting teams, Olympians and global organisations, Haesler brings a perspective on pressure and performance that is particularly relevant for Executive Assistants who operate at the centre of high-stakes decision-making every day.
Haesler’s keynote will raise a fundamental question: How do we relate to pressure?
He notes that pressure is often seen as a negative, when in reality, pressure is a necessary ingredient of high performance.
“There is no high performance without pressure,” Haesler says. “By trying to avoid pressure, you’re setting yourself up for failure from the get-go.”
His first step in reframing pressure is to shift expectations away from outcomes and towards identity.
“Set expectations around who you want to be, rather than what you need to do,” he explains. “What you need to do is often influenced by variables outside your control. But qualities like resilience, competitiveness and connection are one hundred percent within your control.”
He notes that under pressure, everyday behaviours are amplified. For EAs, whose work depends on consistency, anticipation and clarity, this underscores the importance of disciplined daily habits over last-minute effort.
“People don’t rise to the occasion, they fall to the level of their habits,” Haesler adds.
Haesler will be joined at Knowledge Monday by Kristina Karlsson, founder of kikki.K and Dream Life, and Milo Wilkinson, Behavioural Scientist & Futurist.
Karlsson is a globally recognised entrepreneur, author and speaker whose story embodies the power of resilience, reinvention and purposeful expertise. She emphasises that expertise is “built in the moments no one sees”. For EAs, whose contributions often occur behind the scenes, her perspective speaks directly to the reality of the role.
Karlsson also underscores the importance of personal sustainability, noting that “you need to fill your cup first” to support others effectively.
In an industry defined by tight timelines, complex stakeholders and constant change, expertise is not just what professionals know but how they think, adapt and perform under pressure. AIME 2026 and the Knowledge Monday program provide the ideal platform to explore what that truly looks like in practice.
The AIME 2026 Knowledge Monday program brings together AIME Hosted Buyers and Exhibitors, while Visitor Buyers can upgrade their tickets to attend. For more information, visit aime.com.au.
