UK: The Meetings Industry Association (mia) is looking for a new chief executive as Jane Longhurst steps down to retire in December.
Longhurst has been at the helm of mia since 2004, taking membership from 320 to more than 800. The organisation supports members by providing accreditation, industry awards, research and more.
Speaking about her retirement, Longhurst said: “The mia board of directors has known for quite a while of my intention to commence the next chapter of my life but I decided to delay my departure to support the sector through what has been the most challenging time ever faced by our industry. I will be stepping down in December to provide plenty of time for a transition.”
Steve Jones, chair of the mia, said: “As a board we are very grateful to Jane for her commitment to the mia and our industry and for remaining in post to lead the trade association throughout the pandemic. Without Jane’s expertise, I fear the impact of COVID-19 would have been even more devastating for business meetings and events. She has been instrumental in pushing this sector to the forefront of the minds of government in terms of economic contribution and the value it brings to people’s lives and livelihoods.”
The mia is now seeking a new figurehead with experience of operating at a senior level.
Jones added: “We are looking for a dynamic, inspirational, strong, self-starting character to take over the mantle and build on the strong foundations that Jane and the team have built. We have ambitious plans, and the successful candidate will have huge amounts of autonomy to set the future vision while receiving strategic directional support from the board. We are delighted that Jane will also remain as a non-executive director to ensure we can continue to take advantage of her expertise, insight and knowledge.”
A full job description and details of the application process can be found here.
