Well, I'm not against pushing the progress on conventional warfare topics.
I do have organised past professional conferences (for engineers and managers), though.

The big names or top dog people are fine for attracting bureaucrats and money-seekers (industrial people from the military-industrial complex); it's not messaging that this conference will contribute to improve artillery or its employment.

Then again, maybe this isn't meant to. This is probably the equivalent of a classic officer get-together with Waltzer dances, aristocratic ladies and music.