The Association of Event Venues (AEV) has announced two new chairs and five new vice-chairs of its working groups, chosen in accordance with each individual group’s articles and schedules.

The Event Managers Working Group has welcomed Pamela Newbould, senior event manager, East of England Arena & Events Centre as its new chair, and Jill Wadge, team manager, conference and events, Scottish Events Campus (SEC), as its new vice-chair.

The Event Industry HR Group’s new chair is Raj Pragji, HR Director, QEII Centre and the former vice-chair, with Katrina Rowbury, HR director, Global Experience Specialists (GES), succeeding her as the new vice-chair. Lucy Merritt, head of marketing and communications, ExCeL London, is the new vice-chair of the MarComms Working group; Henry Havis, head of security, ExCeL London, is the new chair of the Security Working Group, and Nigel Winer, rigging and technical manager, also ExCeL London, is the new vice-chair of the Health & Safety Working Group.

Lucille Ryan, sustainability manager, EMEA, Informa PLC, becomes chair of the Sustainability Working Group, and she is joined by co-vice chairs Tim Byrne, health & safety manager, ExCeL London, and Emily Pritchard, conference and events sales manager, Kia Oval.

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Rachel Parker, AEV director, welcomed the new chairs and vice-chairs to their roles, saying, “Our working groups, whether they are industry-wide or venue-specific, have done outstanding work during the pandemic. Now, as we anticipate a return to events, and with member engagement at an all-time high, our groups are all focused on restarting and rebuilding the industry. They will need to cooperate and collaborate closely with each other, and I look forward to our new chairs and vice-chairs bringing their considerable experience and knowledge to bear on this and many other challenges.”