Emcee or moderator: which do you need?

The emcee

The emcee opens and closes, introduces the speakers, links the sessions, keeps the time and handles the unexpected. The emcee is responsible for the flow of the whole day.

The moderator

The moderator prepares questions from the brief, introduces the panellists, follows up on their answers, stops the one who talks too long, brings in the quiet one, takes questions from the audience and ends on time.

The follow-up is the hard part. A moderator who only reads prepared questions gets prepared answers.

Panel chair and facilitator

Panel chair is the usual British term for a panel moderator. A facilitator runs sessions where the audience takes part, such as workshops. Facilitation is a different skill from hosting a stage.

When one person can do both

If your panels are on general business topics, one person can host the event and moderate the panels. You brief one person, and the audience follows one voice through the day.

Book a specialist moderator when the subject is technical enough that good follow-up questions need real expertise. The emcee then introduces the moderator and hands over.

How I work

I host events and moderate panels in English, French and Spanish. For a panel, I send you my questions before the event, so you can correct them.

Questions

Should our CEO moderate the panel?

Only if they are comfortable interrupting a colleague or a client on stage. Many are not, and the panel runs long.

Who takes the audience questions?

The moderator, during the panel they run. The emcee handles questions in plenary sessions without a panel.

What should the moderator receive before the event?

The topic, the names, titles and backgrounds of the panellists, the messages you want covered, and anything that must not come up.

How many questions should a moderator prepare?

More than the time allows. Good follow-ups take time, so many prepared questions are never asked, and that is normal.