PCMA has promoted Bruce MacMillan as chief operating officer, effective immediately, to support the association's global business events recovery plan.
After more than 30 years in the business events industry, MacMillan joined PCMA a year ago as chief marketing officer providing executive leadership collaboration for the events, publications and marketing/communications teams. He is also the architect of Recovery Discovery – PCMA’s global business events industry recovery plan.
“In addition to serving as MPI’s president and CEO during the 2008-09 recession, Bruce has led transformational industry undertakings through his role at Tourism Toronto (post-SARS recovery plan) and with the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games bid”, said Sherrif Karamat, PCMA president and CEO.
"The global business industry needs a pathway to its next normal and PCMA is the only organization with a plan to help business events industry stakeholders thrive through the pandemic and beyond. Bruce’s focus will be on bringing that plan to life for our members, partners and audiences everywhere.”
As part of the organisational update, Robert Haas has been named chief technology officer and operational leader of PCMA’s technology and business intelligence infrastructure.
Karen Bolinger, managing director of PCMA’s APAC operations, and a soon to be announced leader for PCMA’s EMEA operations, will now report directly to Sherrif Karamat.
“As challenging as the effects of the pandemic and related economic fallout have been for our industry, we have to look at the opportunity we have in front of us”, MacMillan said. "The business of human connections has never been more valuable and more needed than it is right now. Our Recovery Discovery plan provides the essential insights around participant engagement, business models and re-skilling in order to help business events stakeholders everywhere be successful in our industry’s next normal.”