Svenska Möten's new CEO is Michael Schüller. With extensive experience from the business travel agency world behind him, he takes on the challenge of meeting the changing needs of the market and driving the meetings industry into the future.
A structural transformation
The corona pandemic has hit the entire tourism industry hard, and among those hardest hit are the players in the meeting industry. At the same time, digital meetings and new meeting formats have developed rapidly since the outbreak of the pandemic.
Now, Svenska Möten, together with the entire meetings industry, is facing a comprehensive structural transformation. And a need for adaptation and digitalization to meet the market's new demands.
Leading the change process
Michael has been assigned to lead the change process and work for the interests of Svenska Möten's owners.
“I am extremely excited to take on the task of leading Swedish Meetings into the future..” Says Michael Schüller. “I will spend the summer meeting as many employees, members and customers as possible to create an overall picture of the challenges and opportunities that exist and be able to start work immediately this fall.”
Michael previously worked as CEO at Swedish Egencia (part of Expedia) and as Vice President EMEA Meetings & Events at American Express. Most recently, he came from the role of Chief Commercial Officer at DIB Travel.
Signs point in the right direction
May was a turning point for bookings for physical meetings and conferences. Inquiries to Svenska Möten increased by 170 percent during the last week of May and the trend line continues to point upwards – the forecast for June is that incoming inquiries will be on par with 2019.
But even though all signs are now pointing in the right direction, booking levels are still far from pre-pandemic levels. The risk of a fourth wave through mutations of the virus makes the sober industry cautious about blowing the risk out of proportion. It also remains to be seen what the rapid development of digital meetings means for physical meetings at external facilities when restrictions are lifted.
Michael will take up his position on June 21.
Source:Swedish meetings
