PCMA Announces Plans for Global Growth

PCMA President and CEO Sherrif Karamat has announced a new and expanded leadership structure that reflects the association’s continued transformation in the business events industry and supports the business events communities throughout the APAC, EMEA and LATAM regions.

“There has never been a greater need for people and communities everywhere to come together to confront our economic and social challenges,” said Karamat in a press statement. “Business events have the power to do just that, and we need localized presence by region with impactful leaders to make it happen.”

Florence (Flo) Chua has been named managing director, APAC effective August 2, 2021. Based in Singapore, she will lead the APAC team to expand upon the momentum of region-specific events, thought leadership, community building, education and content. Chua has more than 20 years of experience working with corporations and associations throughout the APAC region, most recently as vice president, growth and brand management for entrepreneurs’ organization. 

Karen Bolinger, who has been the managing director since April 2020 on a part-time consultancy basis will continue to support PCMA in a consulting capacity and handle specific projects. Under Bolinger’s leadership PCMA’s brand expanded throughout the region, it launched its inaugural Convening APAC and for the first-time-ever Convening Leaders was live from Singapore in 2021.

Lucio Vaquero has been appointed regional director, LATAM effective August 2, 2021. While PCMA has an established chapter in Mexico City, engaging the larger business events community throughout the LATAM region is a key strategy for the association. Vaquero will immediately work to build an in-region team to support the strategic implementation of education, content, commerce and community building through an omnichannel approach tailored for the region. Vaquero joins PCMA with more than 20 years of experience in the LATAM MICE industry, most recently as LATAM Business Development Director for MCI LATAM. He will be based in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Supporting PCMA’s global strategic plan is Marcela Torres, a PCMA “20 in their 20s” alum. In her role as marketing manager, digital products, Torres is the first Mexico-based strategic marketing team member, reporting to PCMA COO Bruce MacMillan who will work in tandem with the Chicago-based headquarters team toward the association’s mission to be the global leader in the business events industry.

While the recovery of business events in the EMEA region is varied and complex, PCMA continues to play a vital role for all audiences. Jaime Bennett has been elevated to Regional Director. Appointed Business Director in September 2020, she is an acknowledged European business events industry leader with EMEA-specific insights and relationships that will ensure PCMA delivers compelling high-value initiatives for its audiences and partners in the face of today’s marketplace realities.

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