Karen Bolinger appointed MD Asia Pacific for PCMA

The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) has announced it has retained Karen Bolinger as Managing Director, Asia Pacific. PCMA President and CEO Sherrif Karamat said that the move to appoint the former Melbourne CVB chief was part of the association’s strategy of building on the anticipated recovery of the business events industry in the region, “As stakeholders in the global business events industry look towards a post-Covid-19 recovery, we believe that the Asia Pacific region will recover first and that the industry will be substantially changed,” said Karamat. “Karen will support PCMA’s APAC growth through her track record of business event industry leadership success and ability to introduce new strategic initiatives in the face of industry and marketplace challenges.” Bolinger stepped down as CEO of the Melbourne Convention Bureau in April 2019 and was also Chair of the BestCities Global Alliance. “In light of the current environment we find ourselves in, I’m excited to work with PCMA and the Asia Pacific team to develop a clear pathway of available opportunities to activate the recovery of the business events industry in the APAC region,” Bolinger said. She will be based in Melbourne, Australia, and will lead PCMA’s Asia Pacific operations team through its office in Singapore. Her focus will be on new initiatives to extend PCMA’s presence in the region. This includes region-specific events, thought leadership, curated content and education, as well as enhanced stakeholder engagement and identifying new business partners. The appointment is effective 27 April 2020. “PCMA is determined to ensure business events are a critical part of the recovery solution in a post-Covid-19 world. And today that solution starts in Asia Pacific”, added Karamat.