The International Congress & Convention Association has announced that its CEO, Mark Cooper, has been appointed 2021 Chair of the board of the Events Industry Council, the global voice of the business events industry on advocacy, research, professional recognition and standards.
The EIC board is comprised of nominated members of the overall EIC that consists of more than 30 organizations in the events industry. These leaders are the governing body for the overall council with fiscal responsibility and strategic direction for all EIC programs.
Commenting on his appointment, Cooper says, “IACC has been a long-standing and active member of the EIC. Over the last five years attending EIC meetings at industry events like IMEX and IBTM World, I have experienced the passion of this community and saw firsthand how influential EIC can be in creating a connected business events industry.
“I have always welcomed the opportunities afforded to me to be more involved in this great leadership team and community and therefore I’m excited to be leading the EIC board and to working together with a talented and experience team as we support our industry on the path to recovery and rebuilding post pandemic.”
Cooper continues, “One of the key objectives for the in-coming board is to grow membership in regions where representation is yet to be realized, such as EMEA and APAC where there as a huge opportunity for EIC to implement its excellent education, certification and accreditation programs.
“As our industry returns to health, with possibly a new identity and features, I hope I can help in some way, with positioning EIC as the global voice for the industry, protecting all that serve in it and influencing all who can contribute to it.”
Cooper has significant experience within the business events industry, having been CEO of IACC since 2012. He has also held senior posts with respected conference venue operators and global agencies, including Dolce Hotels & Resorts, Sundial Group, Conference Direct and Warwick Conferences.
Founded in 1981, IACC is dedicated to representing the best meeting venues globally and is, by definition, the future of the meetings industry realized. The association brings together the brightest, most innovative minds from around the globe. IACC elevates the meeting experience by creating a unique point of entry that is inclusive of the best-in-class meeting venues internationally. IACC membership is a symbol of meeting excellence and exceptional connections amongst the best in the meeting industry. This exclusiveness makes IACC’s members part of an elite group representing the most innovative, forward-thinking and results-driven meeting venues globally.
All members meet a set of stringent Quality Standards and agree to a Code of Ethics. IACC includes more than 400 member conference venues from Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, Wales, Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico and the U.S. The IACC mission statement: “To bring together the brightest industry minds to promote the best meeting venues, which deliver exceptional meeting experiences. There are meetings… and then there are IACC Meetings.” The IACC Vision: “IACC is a global community of passionate people and organizations delivering innovative and exceptional meeting experiences. For more info, visit www.iacc.org.
