The Meetings Industry Association (mia) celebrated key achievements of the past year at its AGM, it also looked forward with a restructured board.
During the 33rd annual general meeting the association focused on its lobbying efforts towards relevant powers to the events industry’s ability to trade.
Steve Jones, outgoing chair, mia, said: “We are in regular dialogue with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and hold a three-way meeting every six weeks.
“The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), part of the Ministry of Defence, connects us with organisations that have benefited from grant funding and have developed new safety and security innovation that could support the meetings industry.”
Other focus areas for the association over the next year include helping its members understand the value of SIC codes and encouraging greener meetings and more sustainable ways of operating.
Concluding the AGM was the appointment of the mia board for 2023/2024. Charles Sargeant of Whittlebury Hall takes over as chair from Steve Jones, who becomes past chair. Barry Cope of ACC Liverpool retains the title of treasurer and Kevin Breeze of Robinson College University of Cambridge remains as company secretary.
Other board members for 2023/24 include: PwC’s Samantha Van Leeuwen; Lime Venue Portfolio’s Jo Austin; NEC Group’s Allan Boyle; Meet Devon’s Nicky Harding; Hilton Birmingham Metropole’s Nicola Underhill; Off Limits Group’s Martin Stevens; The Delegate Wranglers’ Neil Thompson; Grand Brighton and Richmond Hill Hotels’ Andrew Mosley; Park Plaza Hotel Group’s Manju Goel; and NFS Technology Group’s Luis Desouza.
