BestCities appoints new Chair and board members

BestCities, the global alliance of business events destinations, has announced a series of new appointments to its board. Kit Lykketoft, director of conventions at Wonderful Copenhagen, will take over as Alliance Chair, focusing on legacies and the added value of congresses and events. Lykketoft has been the director of the Copenhagen convention bureau since 2017, where she works to attract international association conferences, meetings, and events to Copenhagen. Dr Edward Koh, executive director at the Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau, will be joining the Board in a new role of Incoming chair, which will be centred around partnership development and future-proofing the alliance. Meanwhile Julia Swanson, CEO at Melbourne Convention Bureau steps into the role of treasurer. Kit Lykketoft commented: “The uncertainties and challenges of the past year have underlined the importance of our cross-continental alliance. More than ever, we must stay focused and make sure that BestCities shows its worth and brings its core pillars to life. Our aims are to keep BestCities top of mind with innovative thought leadership, and build global partnerships with associations and the rest of the global community.” Edward Koh added: “The Covid-19 pandemic has been described as the crisis of our generation. At the same time, it has given BestCities clarity of the opportunities ahead. ‘Today’s cities shaping tomorrow’s world’ is a clear articulation of our ambition for a larger membership of forward-looking cities, guided by BestCities’ template for best practices in event safety, innovation and monetisation. “We are behind Kit – our new chair – and look forward to delivering results for our industry, members, and clients.”