Brian McDonald succeeds Alec Gilbert as National Chairman of SAACI

Brian McDonald, managing director of Global Conferences (Pty) Ltd, has been named as the new National Chairman of the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI).

SAACI, which was established in 1987, has more than 600 members in a wide range of companies serving the conference, meetings and events industries.

McDonald succeeds Alec Gilbert, who has served in this capacity for the past five years. Gilbert will, however, remain on the SAACI board in the newly created position of immediate past chairman.

McDonald comments: "I have very large shoes to fill, given the important role Alec Gilbert has played in growing the membership base and standing of SAACI over the past five years.

"He has had numerous successes over that time, the most recent being the establishment of three SAACI Chapters: the Professional Conference Organisers (PCO), Venues and Services Chapters."

He adds: "I have an exciting and a demanding job with Global Conferences., nevertheless, the challenges and dynamics of the conference industry and current SAACI projects excited me enough to accept the position.

"The fact that I will be able to call upon Alec's experience during my term of office, is also encouraging."

Denise Kemp, chairman of the PCO Chapter has accepted the position of Vice Chairman of the SAACI National Board.

Kemp runs PCO company Eastern Sun Events which, among others, co-ordinated a team to run this year's exceptionally successful SAACI Conference in the Eastern Cape.

New Board members include Carol Weaving, chairman of the Exhibition Association of Southern Africa (EXSA), Nina Freysen - Pretorius, owner, The Conference Company, and Lin - Mare Reeves - Williams, Group Public Relations Manager, The Port Elizabeth Hotel Group.

Serving SAACI for another term of office, are Daryl Howes, Anton Post, Craig Drysdale, Leora Burger, Lionel Hartmann and Carol Macnab.

"I am exceptionally lucky to be heading up such an energetic and professional team and am eager to build on the good work done by the previous chairman and board," he says.

One of McDonald's aims is to continue to improve communication between the Board, Chapters, regions, the Durban-based Secretariat and all SAACI members. He will be using SAACI's new website extensively in this regard.

"Together with the vice-chairman, I also plan to drive a review of the PCO accreditation system.

"Further objectives are to consolidate and grow the PCO Chapter, while trying to create greater awareness and high opinion for SAACI."