BEIA names new Board members

MICE News

Thursday, 18 February 2021

New Zealand’s Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) has appointed two new Board members — David Perks from WellingtonNZ and independent board director David Downs.

Perks is general manager, Regional Development, Destination and Attraction at WellingtonNZ, the capital's economic development agency. He is also the chair of Regional Tourism NZ, a board member of Tourism Industry Aotearoa and has held other governance roles in tourism sector organisations.

Downs is a chartered member of the Institute of Directors. He leads the NZ government’s Agritech taskforce. Previously he was a general manager at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) in the technology sector.

The other current board members are BEIA Board chair Tony Gardner, Prue Daly from New Zealand International Convention Centre, who is also the deputy chair, Georgina Grey from Accor New Zealand, Tracey Thomas from Conference Innovators and Jake Downing from Weta Workshop.

The board also includes two co-opted non-voting members - Lisa Gardiner from Tourism New Zealand and Blair Catton of Air New Zealand, plus chief executive Lisa Hopkins.

Bjoern Spreitzer from Tourism New Zealand has been nominated to take over Gardiner’s seat when she takes parental leave in March.