Lisa Hopkins, chief executive of the BEIA (centre), speaking during MEETINGS 2024. Photo Credit: Smoke Photography
The Professional Conference Organisers Association Inc (PCOA) and
Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) have signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) to strengthen the business events industry across
Australia and New Zealand.
The signing took place at the MEETINGS 2024 tradeshow in Rotorua,
marking a significant step towards greater collaboration and a shared
vision between the organisations. This partnership aims to enhance the
sector’s global competitiveness and sustainability.
PCOA president Barry Neame and BEIA chief executive Lisa Hopkins
signed the agreement, joined by BEIA board chair Martin Snedden and Arna
Wahl Davies, chair of the BEIA Approved PCO group, PCOA councillor, and
New Zealand representative.
This partnership comes at a pivotal time for the business events
industry, which will see PCOA and BEIA combining their resources and
expertise to provide enhanced support to their members, fostering
innovation and excellence in event planning and execution.
The MOU will facilitate knowledge sharing and the development of
professional standards. “By working together, we can harness our
collective strengths to create a more dynamic and resilient business
events sector,” said Neame. “Our members will benefit from increased
opportunities for professional development and collaboration, ultimately
enhancing the quality and impact of events across our regions.”
Hopkins highlighted the strong relationship between BEIA and PCOA:
“Our shared goal is to support our members, business partners, and
suppliers and showcase the exceptional capabilities of the business
events industry in Australia and New Zealand. Both our organisations are
encouraging new approaches and creative solutions, and it is exciting
to be sharing knowledge and ideas for our mutual success.”
The MOU sets the stage for a range of collaborative initiatives,
including advocacy efforts, and educational programmes designed to
address the evolving needs of the business events industry. PCOA and
BEIA aim to create a unified voice that can effectively support the
business events communities.