An Asia advisory board has been set up by the Professional Convention Management Association as it seeks to become the “predominant global association for the business events industry”.
The eight-member board for Asia Pacific will support PCMA’s bid to globalise its education efforts and raise the professional status of business event planners and conference organisers. Another advisory board will be based in Europe, which will also cover the Middle East and Africa.
The announcement was made as the PCMA Convening Leaders conference opened yesterday (Monday) in Austin, Texas, attended by more than 4,000 delegates. The opening plenary featured a ‘surprise’ appearance by movie actor Matthew McConaughey. The Interstellar and True Detective star delivered an earthy appraisal of his native Austin, where he lives.
See a list of Asia Pacific regional advisory board members here
Sherrif Karamat (right), the PCMA’s chief operating officer, said: “The establishment of our new regional advisory boards for Europe, Middle East, Africa and for Asia Pacific, is a signal of our intent to become the predominant global Association for the Business Events industry.
“We have appointed board members who have outstanding professional reputations in their home territories and are willing to share that expertise with us, their PCMA colleagues on a global level.
Watch delayed broadcasts of the PCMA Convening Leaders conference
“It’s an exciting time for us and our success mirrors that of the global business events industry which is increasing in confidence every year,” said Karamat.
The regional advisory boards will expand the strategies and partnerships that the Chicago-headquartered PCMA has formed globally. These include links with Saceos – Singapore’s industry body for conference and business event organisers.
The new boards will collate the activities of partners across 37 countries and act as a sounding board for the business events industry in those markets. The PCMA, which has 6,800 members, will seek feedback from the regional advisory boards to help guide the rollout of its educational products and services to the business events industry.
William Reed (left), PCMA’s outgoing chairman, said rather than the products being exclusive to paid-up members or subscribers, they will be available across the meetings industry.
Reed says the PCMA also recognises how the demand for “intellectual capital” has evolved from professionals solely involved with conferences to marketers who see meetings and events as vital to brand or employee engagement.
A delegation from Singapore included Lionel Yeo, CEO of the city state’s tourism board, Janet Tan-Collis and Shirlena Soh, of Saceos, and four students who won a business event presentation competition with attendance at PCMA’s convening leaders as the prize.
Luca Favetta, who has led global corporate event teams for Hewlett-Packard and SAP, has been made PCMA’s first regional business director and will be based in Switzerland overseeing Europe, Middle East and Africa. An appointment for the Apac region is still pending.
