Sumate Sudasna, DES, CEM
President
Conference & Destination Management (CDM), Thailand
Sumate is Managing Director of Conference & Destination Management (CDM) and has been active in the business events industry for over 30 years. A Digital Event Strategist (DES) and Certified in Exhibition Management (CEM), he is the first president of the Thailand Incentive and Convention Association (TICA) hailing from the private sector, and is currently serving his 8th term. In addition to managing CDM, Sumate devotes much of his time to Thailand’s meetings industry, including shaping projects and participating in training programs. He is a longstanding member of the board of directors of the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) as well as that of the Asian Federation of Exhibition and Convention Associations (AFECA).
President
Conference & Destination Management (CDM), Thailand
Sumate is Managing Director of Conference & Destination Management (CDM) and has been active in the business events industry for over 30 years. A Digital Event Strategist (DES) and Certified in Exhibition Management (CEM), he is the first president of the Thailand Incentive and Convention Association (TICA) hailing from the private sector, and is currently serving his 8th term. In addition to managing CDM, Sumate devotes much of his time to Thailand’s meetings industry, including shaping projects and participating in training programs. He is a longstanding member of the board of directors of the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) as well as that of the Asian Federation of Exhibition and Convention Associations (AFECA).
André Vietor
Immediate Past President
Bco Congresos, Spain
An industry veteran with 35 years of experience, Andre Vietor was President of the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) from 2006 to 2008. He also served as IAPCO's Training Academy Chair from 2012 to 2017. He is currently the Managing Director for Bco Congresos, based in Spain. His areas of expertise are consultancy services in business development and designing business plan strategies for destinations and associations, the planning and management of bid presentations, destination marketing as well as association management.
Immediate Past President
Bco Congresos, Spain
An industry veteran with 35 years of experience, Andre Vietor was President of the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) from 2006 to 2008. He also served as IAPCO's Training Academy Chair from 2012 to 2017. He is currently the Managing Director for Bco Congresos, based in Spain. His areas of expertise are consultancy services in business development and designing business plan strategies for destinations and associations, the planning and management of bid presentations, destination marketing as well as association management.
Caroline Knies
Vice President
Meetagain AB, Sweden
Founder and Managing Director of Meetagain, Caroline has over 30 years of industry experience in conference management. Meetagain is a certified IAPCO member and is currently holding a council position. The company strive to create successful meetings with high emphasis on sustainability and the future of meetings.
She loves networking and building long-term relationships with clients, suppliers and is working closely with the convention bureaus to bring meetings to Sweden. Meetagain believes in a meeting industry globally where we work together towards a mutual goal.
Vice President
Meetagain AB, Sweden
Founder and Managing Director of Meetagain, Caroline has over 30 years of industry experience in conference management. Meetagain is a certified IAPCO member and is currently holding a council position. The company strive to create successful meetings with high emphasis on sustainability and the future of meetings.
She loves networking and building long-term relationships with clients, suppliers and is working closely with the convention bureaus to bring meetings to Sweden. Meetagain believes in a meeting industry globally where we work together towards a mutual goal.
Jean-Paul de Lavison
Treasurer
JPdL International, Canada
Founder of JPdL International, Jean-Paul has been organizing events (for over forty years) since flip phones were a thing. A seasoned professional with a sharp sense for people and partnerships, he believes success lies in surrounding yourself with those who know more than you do. Rooted in tradition but driven by trust, Jean-Paul values in-person connection and timeless service over fleeting trends. His leadership style? Step back, choose the right people, and let them shine. Jean-Paul leads a team spread across Canada from Vancouver to Quebec City. JPdL continues to carry out mandates worldwide with a special emphasis on North America and Europe. Jean-Paul and his team are actively involved in industry associations both locally and beyond North America. Thinking local and acting globally.
Treasurer
JPdL International, Canada
Founder of JPdL International, Jean-Paul has been organizing events (for over forty years) since flip phones were a thing. A seasoned professional with a sharp sense for people and partnerships, he believes success lies in surrounding yourself with those who know more than you do. Rooted in tradition but driven by trust, Jean-Paul values in-person connection and timeless service over fleeting trends. His leadership style? Step back, choose the right people, and let them shine. Jean-Paul leads a team spread across Canada from Vancouver to Quebec City. JPdL continues to carry out mandates worldwide with a special emphasis on North America and Europe. Jean-Paul and his team are actively involved in industry associations both locally and beyond North America. Thinking local and acting globally.
Kaoru Shibuta
Secretary General
Congrès Inc., Japan
As Director and Executive Advisor of Congrès Inc. and President of MICE One Corporation, Congrès Group, Kaoru Shibuta has over 30 years' experience in conference management. She has been involved in many high-profile events, including the 34th World Ophthalmology Congress® (WOC), the 50th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Yokohama 2017, the G20 Japan 2019 Ministerial Meetings (Finance, Energy and Environment) and the G7 Hiroshima Summit 2023. Under Kaoru's direction, MICE One Corporation fast-forwarded development of its virtual meetings platform MICEvirtual® in 2020 and it has been utilized for many diverse medical and academic meetings, enabling vital scientific and medical breakthroughs to be shared even during the pandemic. Kaoru is also a Board Member of the Japan Congress & Convention Bureau (JCCB) and a specially-appointed Professor of Tohoku University School of Medicine.
Secretary General
Congrès Inc., Japan
As Director and Executive Advisor of Congrès Inc. and President of MICE One Corporation, Congrès Group, Kaoru Shibuta has over 30 years' experience in conference management. She has been involved in many high-profile events, including the 34th World Ophthalmology Congress® (WOC), the 50th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Yokohama 2017, the G20 Japan 2019 Ministerial Meetings (Finance, Energy and Environment) and the G7 Hiroshima Summit 2023. Under Kaoru's direction, MICE One Corporation fast-forwarded development of its virtual meetings platform MICEvirtual® in 2020 and it has been utilized for many diverse medical and academic meetings, enabling vital scientific and medical breakthroughs to be shared even during the pandemic. Kaoru is also a Board Member of the Japan Congress & Convention Bureau (JCCB) and a specially-appointed Professor of Tohoku University School of Medicine.