Christoph Tessmar, director of the Barcelona Convention Bureau, brings more than three decades of experience in congress and event organisation.
Christoph Tessmar, director of the Barcelona Convention Bureau, has been elected president of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) at its 2026 congress in Panama City.
He succeeds Marta Gomes, who had led the association since 2022.
Tessmar brings more than three decades of experience in congress and event organisation. He began his career with pharmaceutical company Boehringer Mannheim before joining Sanofi-Aventis Spain as congress manager in 1999, overseeing nearly 500 events a year. He has led the Barcelona Convention Bureau since March 2012.
Within ICCA, he previously chaired the association’s Iberian Chapter and sits on its Board of Directors as the representative for Europe. In 2024, he received the Paul Flackett IMEX Academy Award for his contribution to the meetings and events sector.
His priorities include strengthening ICCA’s international voice, expanding strategic alliances, improving member services and highlighting the economic and social value of international meetings.
Tessmar will lead ICCA into its 2027 congress in Kigali, Rwanda, which marks the event’s return to Africa.