Eventia board elects new chairman

Rob Allen, chief executive of agency TRO, has been elected chairman of Eventia, replacing Nigel Cooper. Allen will be supported by new vice-chairman Patrick Collins, chairman of agency Universal. Collins and Allen were members of Eventia’s 2006-7 board and were unanimously elected by fellow members. “I was a cynic about trade associations, so it says a lot about Eventia that a cynic like me has put his hat in the ring to fill Nigel Cooper’s large shoes,” said Allen. Eventia executive director Izania Downie said: “Rob’s broad marketing communications experience, including business-to-consumer activity, supported by Patrick’s excellent standing in the international arena, will give us a dream team to represent the entire corporate events sector.” The Eventia board has resolved to reduce the chairman’s term of office from two years to one year, in a bid to strengthen the leadership structure of the board. The incumbent vice-chairman will automatically succeed the chairman. Both will work with the immediate past chairman, Cooper, and executive director, Downie, to maximise the board’s stability.