CHICAGO, IL – Sheriff Karamat, CAE, President and CEO, PCMA & CEMA, today announced PCMA’s newly appointed European Advisory Board, bringing together business events leaders from across a diverse range of markets, sectors and perspectives to further shape PCMA’s strategy, growth and impact across Europe.
The new Board reflects an evolution in PCMA’s approach to the EMEA region. Informed by market insights and feedback from its community and existing EMEA Advisory Board, PCMA will establish a dedicated European Advisory Board while the association develops distinct strategies and advisory groups for the Middle East and Africa. All three will remain connected through PCMA’s overarching EMEA strategy, allowing greater focus on the needs, opportunities, and stages of development within each market.
“The world is changing faster than any of us can fully track, and the organizations that get ahead are the ones that can be deeply local while staying connected to something bigger,” said Karamat. “That is exactly the combination this Advisory Board gives us in Europe — leaders who understand their markets from the inside, backed by the reach and perspective of a truly global community. Right now, that combination isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity.”
The European Advisory Board will come together for the first time in Lisbon ahead of Convening EMEA, 13–15 September 2026, where members will collaborate in a dedicated workshop focused on PCMA’s future direction and priorities in Europe.
The following leaders enter the first of a two-year term (2026–2028):
- Monica Freire, COO, European Society of Endodontology
- Sam Johnston, Manager, Dublin Convention Bureau
- Patrick Keller, Director Sales – Locations of Messe München, Messe München GmbH
- Sophie Morris, Managing Director, Worldspan Ltd
- Christina Petrova, Senior Global Event Manager, Gartner
- Steven Small, Vice President – Air Transport Events, Informa
- Kim Smeets, Senior Congress Manager, European Society of Cardiology
- Stephane Teboul, Co-Founder, bnetwork
- Helen van Oers, Executive Director, International Society of Endocrinology
The following leaders are returning for an extended term of up to two years:
- Eszter Aszody Mattiassich, Head of Global Events, Siemens Healthineers
- Malin Erlandsson, Director of Sales, The Swedish Exhibition & Congress Center
- Clare Melton, Founder, Claremont Corporate Events Consulting
- Jack Owens, Head of Sales, Horizons DMC by Tour Partner Group
- Ulrike Tondorf, Brand Activation & Engagement Lead, Bayer
- Eveline van der Pluijm-Degenhart, Manager Convention Bureau, Rotterdam Partners
- Kathleen Warden, Owner, K Warden Ltd
Global Board Liaison: Stephen Rose, Senior Vice President, Head of Global Communication Services, Siemens
Staff Liaison: Jaimé Bennett, Managing Director, EMEA, PCMA
The European Advisory Board will provide PCMA with market intelligence and insights into emerging trends, growth opportunities and challenges affecting the European business events community. Members will also help PCMA strengthen connections across markets, identify new opportunities for collaboration, and ensure its education, experiences and community remain relevant to the evolving needs of business events professionals.
“Europe is not one market, and our approach to the region has to reflect that,” said Jaimé Bennett, Managing Director, EMEA. “This Advisory Board brings together an incredible breadth of experience, influence and perspective from across our business events community, and their role is far from simply offering advice. We’ve listened carefully to what our community has told us, and this next chapter is about being far more intentional in how we grow across the region. Together, we have the opportunity to build a PCMA in Europe that is locally relevant, globally connected, and shaped by the people and markets we serve, while we develop distinct strategies for the Middle East and Africa that recognize the unique opportunities within those markets.”
For media inquiries from the Americas, APAC, EMEA and LATAM, please contact: Meghan Risch, PCMA Chief of Staff, Vice President, Corporate Communications
About PCMA
PCMA, PCMA Foundation and CEMA educate, inspire, and listen, creating meaningful experiences where passion, purpose and commerce come together. We are the world’s largest community for Business Events Strategists, providing senior-level education, networking, and market intelligence for the global business events industry. Our mission is to drive social and economic progress through business events. Headquartered in Chicago, IL, PCMA has 17 North American Chapters, regional communities in APAC, EMEA, and LATAM, and members in 72 countries and communities. The Corporate Event Marketing Association (CEMA), a PCMA subsidiary, advances strategic event marketing and marketing communications for senior-level event marketers and industry professionals. Visit us at pcma.org.
About PCMA Foundation
The role of the Foundation of PCMA is to support PCMA’s mission through fundraising and grantmaking focused on scholarships, education, and research that advance the business events industry. Annually, the Foundation funds over $900K in impact and, since 1985, has funded over 2,500 scholarships, 100 research studies and education programs, and $2.7M in charitable giving.
