PCMA Convening Leaders took place in San Diego, California, 7-10 January. At the event, PCMA and CEMA president and CEO Sherrif Karamat, CAE highlighted the global business events industry’s growth and transformation during his business keynote. “By 2025, PCMA plans to connect with over 10,000 business event professionals at live events on four continents, with a global community exceeding 35,000 people,” said Karamat. “We are thinking bigger, we are thinking bolder and always aiming to be better, not because we can, but because we must to make our community’s world a better place.”
Several announcements took place at the 2024 event:Sustainability and climate tech
In 2023, PCMA announced a partnership with the American Geophysical Union (AGU) which has since delivered on multiple initiatives including workshops, sessions, and approaches to strategy. Through these partnerships and investments, the industry’s first Sustainability and Climate Summit will be held in conjunction with Convening EMEA in Barcelona from 2-3 October 2024.
Advancing women in business events leadership
The PCMA Foundation and Business Events Sydney (BESydney) released the first of its two-part findings of a new global study into Advancing Women in Business Events. “The World Economic Forum last year predicted it would be 131 years until gender parity could be achieved globally. This is unacceptable, and as leaders of an industry with a strong female talent pool, we need to take collective and bold action to accelerate progress towards equitable leadership for all,” said Lyn Lewis Smith, CEO of BESydney. Part II of the report, scheduled for release later in the first quarter of 2024, will present recommendations for actions that companies and individuals can implement to address the challenges outlined in the initial report released during Convening Leaders 2024.
Spark AI updates
Convene magazine reported that 64% of business event professionals are currently using generative AI to manage their events. During Business Events Industry Week (BEIW) in Washington, DC, AI productivity tool Spark will host AgendAi, a workshop for event innovators and destination marketing technology professionals.
Convening LATAM 2025
PCMA will hold the inaugural Convening LATAM, the gateway to reimagining the possibilities of what transformative economies can deliver in a united Latin America, in Bogota, Colombia. 4-7 May 2025. Participants will gain insights from thought leaders on event design, sustainability, innovation, and audience engagement using AI within a collaborative community. Over the next few months, PCMA will share additional program updates.
Global event portfolio
According to PCMA, its global events portfolio is growing (pictured above, header). By 2025 the organisation expects to connect over 10,000 business event professionals at live events across four continents. They also expect to connect with over 35,000 professionals both in and out of the PCMA global community through their courses, webinars, labs, and chapter meetings.
