Meetings & Events Australia CEO resigns

Meetings & Events Australia CEO resigns

Meetings & Events Australia (MEA) has announced that Robyn Johnson has resigned from her role as CEO after more than four years in the role.

Johnson, who will officially depart MEA on 12 November, will be relocating to the NSW South Coast, in what she describes as a long-planned “escape to the country”.

“It has been a privilege to work with the MEA membership and stakeholders and I am extremely proud of what has been achieved on behalf of our industry,” she said in a statement.

“When I became CEO, MEA was going through an extremely challenging period. With support from the industry, in particular MEA’s partners, the board and branch committees, we were able to rebuild the organisation and continue developing and delivering new programs to support our members and the broader industry.

“I am leaving with mixed feelings, as the events industry is facing serious challenges as the result of the coronavirus.

“However, I am confident that things will eventually return to a ‘new normal’, and with the ongoing direction from the board and support from partners and the membership, MEA will continue to lead the way in vital areas of education and training and advocacy.

Commenting on Johnson’s impending departure, MEA chair Kate Smith said: “Robyn should be proud of her many achievements as CEO, including rebranding the flagship annual conference as Evolve and positioning it as a key event on the industry’s calendar, launching a scholarship program to educate NSW regional students, growing the MEA’s National Awards program and launching the Celebration of Excellence publication, and developing a new website and CRM platform for the organisation.

“On behalf of the board, branches, partners and members, we are grateful to Robyn for her tireless work and passion as CEO.

“She has re-engaged our members, partners and the broader industry during her four years, and the programs and services created are greatly valued. We thank her for all the work she has done, and we wish her every success for her move and for her next step in her career.”

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