CEO Quarterly Update

As we approach the conclusion of the first quarter, I am pleased to share the continued momentum across the global business events community. The pace of change throughout our industry continues to accelerate — and so does our commitment to ensuring members, partners, and the profession itself are positioned to lead.

The following updates are a brief snapshot as to what has been accomplished and where we are headed. I hope you will join us for PCMA’s Annual Meeting and Town Hall on Monday, March 16 at 8:30 AM Chicago Time during which time our leadership team will provide additional details with regards to PCMA’s Vision 2030 progress and what’s ahead.

Expanded Engagement with Medical Meetings Community

Convening Leaders 2026 (CL26) marked a milestone moment as we celebrated PCMA’s 70th anniversary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the city where it all started in 1956 – with medical societies. While medical meetings remain one of the most complex and highly regulated sectors of our industry, PCMA is deepening engagement in this space through in-person experiences, year-round education, and a robust community infrastructure. A Medical Meetings Task Force will be in place prior to the end of Q1. This Task Force will be integral to the inaugural medical meetings workshop track at Business Events Summit (formerly edUcon) in June. Webinars and behind-the-scenes tours will be available in the third quarter.

CEMA Community

CEMA members have access to dynamic touchpoints that support professional growth and strategic connection. This year is already delivering a robust slate of programming that spans summits, regional exchanges, study tours, and peer-to-peer learning experiences and live events. Register early as these opportunities will sell out. Prior to the end of this quarter, a new online community platform will be available to seamlessly facilitate discussions and connections across roles and regions.

Education & Innovation

Formerly the Event Leadership Institute, PCMA Institute continues to expand its future-ready education portfolio with the 7th Edition of the Professional Meeting Management (PMM) textbook, last updated in 2015. The PCMA Foundation, whose mission is to advance education and research, made this critical update possible. The new edition will be available digitally and in print late March.

Two new strategic leadership programs will also become available mid- March via an application process. The Executive Leader Fellowship, a first-of-its-kind, mini-MBA style program is designed for directors, vice presidents, and senior leaders with 10+ years of experience and C-suite aspirations. The program will focus on applied learning through case studies and collaborative working sessions, rather than traditional lectures. The Business Event Strategist (BES) certification will formalize and recognize strategic leadership, helping professionals distinguish themselves and lead change throughout the global business events community. It demonstrates we do not simply deliver events— we drive enterprise results.

Innovation remains central to PCMA’s path to 2030.

We launched Spark a little over two years ago with a simple belief: AI should be accessible, not overwhelming. As innovation accelerates weekly, that belief matters more than ever. The enhanced platform – Spark 2.0 – provides users with access to more than 10 AI models. Expanded education through Spark Academy, team-based Spark Excellence programs, and SparkU for students ensures access and impact at every career stage. As the industry moves forward with AI, PCMA — through Spark — continues to lead with practical tools, real education, and measurable results.

Destinaitor, our AI-powered Saas platform, in partnership with dFakto, developed specifically for events strategists, is now integrated into the Spark platform. We hosted our first 30-minute webinar in mid-February to assist events strategists go beyond browsing to utilizing AI-powered insights to plan smarter. These virtual sessions will be available every six to eight weeks. If you’re not yet utilizing Destinaitor (at no cost), you may create your account here to join 13,000+ strategists already utilizing the platform.

Insights and Consulting

PCMA’s new Insights & Consulting Services will transform industry knowledge into strategic action. We fully understand and acknowledge our global community is seeking data-driven insights, expert guidance, and innovative solutions to navigate complex challenges.

Over the next few months, PCMA will introduce Insights with the 2026 Outlook report and the first of four Industry Sector reports focusing on the Financial Services sector. These will be available for download on the PCMA website.

2026 Events

PCMA’s 2026 global events portfolio is designed to connect, educate, and elevate the global business events community. The following flagship events, along with leadership forums, and community-driven programs advance our mission to foster innovation, leadership, and meaningful impact across the globe.

• Convening APAC | April 12–14 | Singapore
• Convening LATAM | May 3–5 | Quito, Ecuador
• Business Events Industry Week (BEIW) | May 5–7 | Washington, DC
• CEMA Summit | August 9–11 | Toronto, Canada
• Business Events Summit, previously edUcon | June 21–24 | Puerto Rico
• Convening EMEA | September 13–15 | Lisbon, Portugal
• Convene 4 Climate | September 15–16 | Lisbon, Portugal

The organizations and professionals who embrace innovation, elevate standards, and lead with purpose will define what comes next. PCMA is committed to being the catalyst for this essential leadership.

Thank you for your continued engagement, insight, and partnership.

Sherrif Karamat, CAE
President & CEO, PCMA and CEMA