The conference was chaired by Professor Naresh Malhotra from the USA, the founder of EMCB, with Professor Madéle Tait serving as the Co-Chair and Professor Chantal Rootman as the Chair of the Conference Proceedings. The central theme of the conference was "Setting the Trend: Marketing Insights from Emerging Markets."
A total of 36 paper presentations featured contributions from 73 research authors, with 50 delegates attending in-person and 12 authors presenting their papers online. Delegates and authors represented a diverse international cohort, including participants from seven countries: South Africa, the United States, India, Colombia, Mexico, Greece, and Uganda. These attendees came from 23 different academic institutions.
The distinguished keynote speaker for the event was Professor Doug Mattheus. Over the course of two days, a wide range of papers were presented across various tracks, primarily focusing on marketing-related topics. A particularly noteworthy panel discussion, featuring panel members from the USA, India, and South Africa, generated significant interest, as the panel included editors of A-rated journals.
During the gala dinner on 30 October 2023, a variety of awards were presented, including the Best Reviewer Award, Best Paper Runner-up Award, and the prestigious Best Paper Award. The Mayor of George also graced the occasion with their presence.
As part of the conference experience, delegates had the opportunity to participate in a Klein Karoo excursion, which included a visit to three tourist destinations in Oudtshoorn on 1 November 2023.
The conference received overwhelmingly positive feedback from delegates, and it significantly contributed to the economic prosperity of George.
From left to right: Prof Mark Tait, Prof Madéle Tait, Prof Chantal Rootman, Dr Adele Potgieter, Mr Vincent Hau-Yoon and Dr Ignis McLaren.