The Meetings Industry Association (mia) has announced it will be appointing Kerrin MacPhie as chief executive when Jane Longhurst retires this autumn.
Kerrin, who will commence her new role spearheading the mia on 8 November, brings a wealth of business meetings and events experience having previously held senior posts in destinations, associations, hotels and convention centres as well as a number of voluntary board positions across the sector’s national and international associations.
Joining from VisitBritain/VisitEngland, where she has held the role of head of business events since 2017, Kerrin will be building upon Jane’s legacy championing the sector and realising the mia’s ambitious future plans.
Jane Longhurst, chief executive of the mia, said: “I am delighted to be handing over the baton to Kerrin, who I have no doubt with her boundless passion, enthusiasm and knowledge of the sector will be able to successfully lead the mia and the wider industry as we strive for recovery and beyond. It has been a huge honour serving as mia chief executive over the last 18 years and I will be truly excited to see the association’s future strategic vision coming to fruition under Kerrin’s expert leadership.”
Kerrin MacPhie said: “As the meetings industry begins the road to recovery from Covid-19, I am thrilled to be joining the mia in November at such a pivotal and exciting time for the industry. Throughout the last 18 months the mia has played a relentless and crucial role supporting the sector while lobbying and being a trusted advisor to government – it is essential that this work continues and evolves into the future. I am really looking forward to building on Jane’s legacy, leading the team and utilising my expertise to great effect on behalf of the mia’s members, partners and sponsors.”
Steve Jones, chair of the mia, said: “We are delighted that Kerrin has accepted the chief executive role. With her impeccable proven-track record, passion and knowledge of the sector, the board and I felt she was the perfect inspirational candidate to drive the mia’s ambitious strategic plan to further grow and deliver a first-class membership experience while ensuring the sector is recognised as a key economic driver by government. We are extremely grateful to Jane for her dedication and commitment to the mia and the industry throughout her tenure and are really pleased that she has agreed to remain as a non-executive director to ensure we can continue to take advantage of her dynamism, expertise, insight and knowledge.”
