Delivering FIGO 2025 in Cape Town at scale

FIGO 2025 needed to bring a large, international medical community to Cape Town for a high-profile scientific congress with global advocacy at its heart. The destination offered a powerful setting, yet created real access considerations for delegates. Many faced long-haul travel of 10 to 12 hours from major European hubs, with delegates from the Americas and Asia often needing two connections. Visa processes also added pressure, with appointment delays, uneven embassy processing times and detailed documentation requirements.

These delegate barriers sat alongside low early registration, a vast scientific programme, complex global committee decision-making and supplier coordination in South Africa. MCI Switzerland needed to protect attendance, manage risk, maintain financial discipline and support FIGO HQ through a demanding delivery cycle.

MCI provided full-service congress management from pre-conference planning through to onsite delivery, bringing structure, senior oversight and operational continuity across multiple work streams. The team managed event logistics, budget oversight, sponsorship and exhibition, registration and accommodation, programme and speaker coordination, venue planning and supplier management.

To address attendance pressure, MCI and FIGO increased the marketing budget and strengthened outreach campaigns to build registration momentum. We also co-developed sponsorship packages and pricing tiers with FIGO HQ, introduced an industry loyalty programme and launched an exhibitor portal to simplify industry engagement. An integrated registration, housing and submissions platform supported delegate and programme management, while multilingual translations and AI-driven captioning in three languages improved accessibility for a diverse global audience.

Onsite, MCI coordinated technical specifications, stage design, comfort setups, governance meetings, advocacy activities and venue logistics. Supplier relationships were managed with persistence and diplomacy, helping maintain delivery standards across a complex local operating environment.

FIGO 2025 brought together 5,000+ delegates from more than 130 countries in Cape Town, supporting FIGO’s mission to advance women’s health and rights worldwide. The congress delivered a substantial scientific programme with 500+ speakers and nearly 2,000 abstracts, creating a strong platform for research exchange, policy discussion and professional learning.

The exhibition also performed strongly, with 90 exhibitors showcasing innovations and engaging delegates and sponsors across the congress. MCI’s sponsorship and exhibition management helped strengthen commercial visibility, while the exhibitor portal improved industry participation and user experience.

The event extended beyond the lecture room through advocacy-led activities including walkathons and runs linked to women’s health and human rights. MCI helped FIGO manage a complex destination congress, bringing together a global audience for scientific exchange, advocacy and impact.

Need a partner to manage global congress delivery across platforms, programme, suppliers and sponsorship? Contact MCI for full-service planning and onsite execution that supports engagement, accessibility and operational continuity.