IAPCO and PCMA Forge Strategic MOU to Advance Education, Research, and Future Leaders

Sherrif Karamat, CAE, President & CEO, PCMA and CEMA and Sissi Lignou, President, IAPCO signing the two-year MOU at PCMA Convening Leaders 2026 © Whatever Media Group

The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) and PCMA have formalised a strategic collaboration through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at PCMA Convening Leaders 2026, last week in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The agreement strengthens cooperation across thought leadership, professional education, research, and emerging leader engagement within the global business events industry.
 
The two-year MOU establishes a structured framework for collaboration between the two global organisations, aligned by a shared commitment to advancing professionalism, insight gathering and long-term capability across the international meetings and events sector. 

Under the agreement, IAPCO and PCMA will work together on a defined programme of reciprocal and joint initiatives, including: 

• Thought leadership exchange, with senior leaders from both organisations contributing to CEO-level panels and sessions at flagship events, including IAPCO’s Annual Meeting & General Assembly and PCMA’s Convening Leaders;
   
• Reciprocal education access, providing members of both organisations with a 20% discount on online educational content and learning resources;
   
• Joint research initiatives, with one collaborative research project delivered annually, focused on Next Generation talent or government policy impacting the business events industry;
   
• Emerging leaders and student engagement, through one joint initiative per year targeting university programmes or student associations, incorporating education access, awareness campaigns or live sessions;
   
• Shared educational delivery, including at least one joint session annually at a major international industry trade show.
   

Sherrif Karamat, CAE, President & CEO, PCMA and CEMA, Sissi Lignou, President, IAPCO and Ori Lahav, CEO Kenes Group, Board Member PCMA, Past President IAPCO at PCMA Convening Leaders 2026 © Whatever Media Group

Sissi Lignou, President of IAPCO, said the agreement reflects a deliberate focus on collaboration that delivers practical value for members.
 
“This partnership reflects IAPCO’s commitment to meaningful collaboration that advances the professionalism and global impact of the business events industry across our communities.
 
“By partnering with PCMA on shared thought leadership, education access, research and Emerging Leaders engagement, we are creating tangible value for our members whilst jointly shaping the future of our industry.
 
“This collaboration brings together two global communities with a common purpose: to elevate standards, amplify insight, and invest in the next generation of industry leaders, and we are thrilled to further develop our long-term collaboration with PCMA in this way.”

Sheriff Karamat, CAE, President & CEO, PCMA and CEMA, said this partnership is yet another vehicle to deliver value to the global business events community.  
 
“Through this multi-year framework, IAPCO and PCMA are strengthening global connectivity, advancing leadership at every career stage, and contributing informed insight to the evolving international business events landscape.”

IAPCO is the only global accreditation body for Professional Conference and Congress Organisers (PCOs), representing the gold standard of excellence in the global meetings industry. A not-for-profit, member-driven organisation, IAPCO exists to elevate professional standards in the planning and delivery of world-class conferences and meetings. IAPCO has 97 members, with over 10,000 meeting professionals, operating from over 187 offices across the globe.

PCMA, PCMA Foundation and CEMA educate, inspire, and listen, creating meaningful experiences where passion, purpose and commerce come together. They are the world’s largest community for Business Events Strategists, providing senior-level education, networking, and market intelligence for the global business events industry, with the mission to drive social and economic progress through business events.

Published by Meeting Media Company, the publisher of Headquarters Magazine (HQ) – a leading international publication based in Brussels, serving the global MICE industry and association community.