WORLD – Karen Bolinger, CEO of the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB), has joined the BestCities Global Alliance as the 2014 Board Chair.
As well as leading the bureau team in Melbourne, Bolinger is the Australia Chair for the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Treasurer and Board member of the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux, Board member of Business Events Council of Australia and a member of the Victorian Advisory Board for the Starlight Children’s Foundation.
Since joining MCB in 2011, Bolinger has been involved with the bureau’s partnership with BestCities and is an active exponent for the continued growth of the alliance through her existing role on the BestCities Expansion Committee.
“As a BestCities founding partner, MCB has strong ties with BestCities and we value the power of the strategic relationship with our nine partners,” says Bolinger. “As such I am delighted to take on the role of Board Chair for 2014 and look forward to continuing the excellent work of my predecessors.”
One of Bolinger’s first roles will be to host a breakfast for visiting media at the MCB-owned Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo (AIME) in Melbourne next month.
“More face-to-face meetings, with clients and media are a key focus for the alliance this year and AIME will provide the first opportunity for us to sit down and talk to PCOs, meeting organisers and media about what’s in store for 2014,” says Bolinger.
“Following the successful launch of the Business Events Centre last year in Houston, we will also focus on developing additional client benefits that offer practical value to an association as well as to continue expanding into new markets through our Regional Affiliate Programme.
“One of BestCities’ most important business development activities is the Client Workshop which will be held in Cape Town in December, providing an opportunity for meeting planners and partners to come together and experience the best that South Africa’s most dynamic city has to offer,” she adds.
Supporting Bolinger on the 2014 board are senior representatives from all BestCities bureaus – Berlin, Cape Town, Copenhagen, Chicago, Dubai, Edinburgh, Houston, Singapore and Vancouver.
In addition, Heike Mahmoud from the Berlin Convention Office of VisitBerlin takes on the role of Alliance Committee Chair and Daniel Palomo from the Greater Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau is the new Alliance Business Development Chair.
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