Welcome, and Thank You for Considering Speaking at Directions ASIA 2025!

We are thrilled that you’re considering leading a session at Directions ASIA 2025 in Bangkok. Our speakers are essential to the success of this event, and we are excited about the opportunity to share your expertise with our community. Whether you’re a seasoned speaker or new to presenting, we especially welcome fresh ideas and unique perspectives that can inspire and inform our attendees.

Event Overview

The 8th edition of Directions ASIA will take place at the stunning Avani Riverside Hotel in Bangkok from May 7–9, 2025.

We’re anticipating 600–800 attendees and will host over 100 sessions and workshops.

Historically, we receive three to four times more submissions than available session slots, so crafting a compelling proposal is key to securing your spot.

Tips for a Successful Submission

To maximize your chances of acceptance, please carefully review the following guidelines and provide a complete and accurate submission. It’s essential to understand the do’s and don’ts of being a speaker, particularly our rules on promotion and ethics. We also need a clear understanding of your proposed topic and its relevance to the audience.

Key Information for New Speakers

This portal is your go-to resource for managing your session(s) and presentation(s). Here, you’ll find:

Deadlines

Speaker contact details

Templates and tags

Social banners for promoting your session

Upload tools for your presentation(s)

Additionally, ensure your bio includes a picture and LinkedIn profile link. If your session is accepted, this information will be featured in the social banners, on our website, and in the conference app.

Session Title and Description

Your session’s title, description, and target audience are crucial to the selection process. Submissions are reviewed based solely on this information, so ensure your proposal clearly explains:

• What attendees will learn.
• Why this topic matters to the Dynamics SMB partner community.

We recommend limiting your submissions to four sessions per person, though typically only one or two per speaker are selected due to capacity constraints. Sessions that are unique, relevant, and well-aligned with the needs of Dynamics SMB partners have a higher likelihood of acceptance.

Collaboration and Competition

Hot topics often attract multiple submissions. In such cases, we may ask speakers to collaborate on similar proposals. If your session is accepted, its title and description will be published on our conference website and app. For any details you don’t want made public, include them in the notes section.

Target Audience and Product Tags

To help us evaluate your submission:

• Specify the primary target audience and products your session relates to. Avoid broad, generic tags.
• Indicate the expertise level required (e.g., introductory, deep dive, or updates for existing experts).

These details help attendees select the right sessions and ensure their expectations are met. Accurate tags are critical, as mismatched expectations often result in poor speaker ratings.

Your Availability

Planning multiple sessions across a packed schedule is complex. By submitting a proposal, we assume you are available to present at any time during the event dates. If you have specific constraints and cannot present on certain days, please inform us before submitting your proposal to ensure proper planning.

Session Types

We are planning for the following session formats:

45-minute General Presentation Sessions

105-minute Deep Dive Tech Sessions (limited availability)

45-minute Workshop Sessions (classroom style)

105-minute Workshop Sessions (classroom style)

45-minute Sponsor Sessions (as part of a sponsorship package)

45-minute Q&A or Roundtable Sessions

15-minute ISV Theatre Sessions

Session Levels

We categorize sessions by the following expertise levels:

Level 100: Beginner – Covers fundamental concepts, functions, features, and benefits. No prior expertise required.

Level 200: Intermediate – Assumes basic knowledge (Level 100) and provides a deeper understanding of the topic.

Level 300: Advanced – Requires Level 200 knowledge with in-depth coverage for those with substantial experience.

Level 400: Expert – Assumes significant expertise and provides a deep dive into specialized, advanced topics.

Self or Company Promotion

Promotion of any product, service, or company (other than in Sponsor Sessions) is strictly prohibited. Instances of overt promotion ("hard sell") in non-sponsor sessions may disqualify you from speaking at future events.

Ethical Responsibility

At Directions 4 Partners, we are committed to fostering a globally connected Dynamics community built on the principles of diversity, inclusion, equality, and fairness. We expect all speakers and attendees to uphold values of excellence, mutual respect, and freedom of speech.

Discrimination, abuse, or marginalization based on any grounds, including gender, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic class, disability, or age, will not be tolerated. We encourage a professional, inclusive, and respectful environment for all participants.

Expected timeline

•    End of February = first speaker confirmations
•    14th of March = end of call for speakers
•    31th of April = final session confirmations
•    1st April = publish session schedule

Coverage of Expenses

We offer free admission to Directions ASIA for the main speaker of each session. Co-speakers are also eligible for free admission if they have made a significant contribution to the presentation and invested considerable time in preparing content. For example, panel members typically do not qualify for free admission.

In exceptional cases, we may provide financial assistance for accommodation and travel if a selected speaker cannot secure funding from their employer or other third parties and is unable to cover these costs personally. Our budget for such support is limited and will be allocated at our sole discretion.

If you require this assistance, please notify us at frank@directions4partners.com once your session has been accepted. Requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Rejection of a Session

If your session proposal is not accepted, we will notify you by April 1, 2025, and all associated information will be deleted from our records.

As a courtesy, rejected speakers will be offered the opportunity to purchase a ticket at the early bird price up to four weeks before the event begins.