Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) has announced the appointment of David Perks and David Downs to its board.
David Perks is the general manager of regional development, destination and attraction at WellingtonNZ, the Kiwi capital’s economic development agency.
He is also the chair of Regional Tourism New Zealand and a board member of Tourism Industry Aotearoa, and has held several other governance roles at tourism organisations.
Downs is a chartered member of the Institute of Directors. Among his many roles, he leads the New Zealand government’s Agritech taskforce.
Previously, Downs was the general manager of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, and was also the regional director for Microsoft in Southeast Asia for 13 years.
BEIA chair Tony Gardner said Perks and Downs will add valuable new skillsets, wide experience and influence to help the organisation respond to the most pressing issues facing the business events industry.
The other current board BEIA board members are deputy chair Prue Daly (New Zealand International Convention Centre), Georgina Grey (Accor), Tracey Thomas (Conference Innovators) and Jake Downing (Weta Workshop).
The board also includes two co-opted, non-voting members – Lisa Gardiner (Tourism New Zealand) and Blair Catton (Air New Zealand) – plus CEO Lisa Hopkins.
Bjoern Spreitzer from Tourism New Zealand has been nominated to take over Gardiner’s seat when she takes parental leave in March.
Featured image source: iStock/Igor Kutyaev
