This year’s International Fundraising Congress in Amsterdam will comprise a refreshed speaker list, following what some have called a ‘purge’ of the event’s old stalwarts.

Geoff Peters, the new chair of the IFC Advisory Panel, told a group gathered in London on Tuesday night to launch the 2011 event that 40 per cent of the speakers will be speaking at the conference for the first time.

Americans will be opening and closing the conference, with Karen Osborne acting as MC in the opening plenary which will focus on women in philanthropy. Sector agent provocateur Dan Pallotta will close, as he did at the Institute of Fundraising’s National Convention last year and Charity Finance Live in 2009.

Vice-chair of the IFC this year Age UK fundraising director Paul Farthing said that the conference planners are “trying to make sure it’s a very global panel” and “bring more outside voices” including from outside the fundraising sector.

Farthing, who will chair the advisory committee in 2012 and 2013, said that he hoped to “protect and nurture the IFC”.