Scott Graf, global president of BCD Meetings & Events (BCD M&E), will retire from the role after 26 years with the organisation. Bruce Morgan, BCD M&E’s former chief operating officer, will now take on the role of global president.
“After more than 36 years in the meetings and events industry, the time has come for me to spend more time with family and friends before pursuing new career aspirations,” said Graf. “I am confident that now is the right time for me and for our business. The Covid cloud has completely cleared; volume is at an all-time high as we trend toward another record year; and we continue to strengthen relationships with our customers and supply partners with passion, determination, and heart.”
In 1997, Graf joined McCord Corporate Travel in Chicago to begin its meetings and events division. Through an acquisition, the brand changed to WTMI (WorldTravel Meetings & Incentives) in 2001; and with the acquisition of TQ3 Travel Solutions in Europe and The Travel Company in the UK, BCD M&E was formed in 2006.
Graf and his team have built a leading global meetings and events agency that has expanded through organic growth and significant acquisition activity into more than 60 countries, with nearly 2,000 employees operating more than 60,000 events per year. Under Graf’s leadership, BCD M&E executes end-to-end services across meetings management (with a Life Sciences Center of Excellence), experience and event solutions, production and content, venue search, sports travel and hospitality and an in-house brand experience agency, The Collective.
“I am excited to transition my responsibilities to my friend and colleague, Bruce Morgan,” Graf added. “As our former COO, he is perfectly suited to lead BCD M&E into the future as it continues to innovate, challenge the status quo, and pursues its quest to be the most trusted and creative meetings and events agency in the world.”
Morgan, based in Chicago but originally from the UK, brings to the role more than 30 years of industry experience across various functions and global regions – with nearly 20 of those years focused on driving results within BCD M&E. BCD M&E’s COO since 2019, Morgan has also held roles throughout his career within sales and marketing management, global event management, sports marketing, performance improvement and regional leadership.
“The team and I are saddened to see Scott leave our organisation, but his legacy is a shared vision that is core to my beliefs: stagnation kills passion,” said Morgan. “We will continue to take chances and embrace change … driving innovation in our industry and simply ensuring our clients and people are happy.”
Graf will continue to support the BCD M&E leadership team and transition plan through the end of 2023, although Morgan’s appointment as global president is effective immediately.
After some time off, Graf will embark on another business venture that will keep him close to the BCD family: In April 2024, he will move into a new partnership with BCD founder John Fentener van Vlissingen. This new venture will sit within BORON, the van Vlissingen family’s private investment company.
“We are deeply grateful to Scott for sharing his sharp business acumen, love of the industry and inspiring leadership with BCD for so many years, and we are excited to see him bring these attributes to a new endeavour with the family,” said Stephan Baars, president and CEO, BCD Travel.
