Scott Graf, global president
of BCD Meetings & Events (BCD M&E), will retire from the role after 26
years with the organisation. Bruce Morgan, BCD M&E’s former chief operating officer, has been named global president.
“After more than 36 years in the meetings and events
industry, the time has come for me to spend more time with family and friends
before pursuing new career aspirations,” said Graf. “I am confident that now is
the right time for me and for our business. The COVID cloud has completely
cleared; volume is at an all-time high as we trend toward another record year;
and we continue to strengthen relationships with our customers and supply
partners with passion, determination, and heart.”
In 1997, Graf joined McCord Corporate Travel in Chicago to
begin its meetings and events division. Through an acquisition, the brand
changed to WTMI (WorldTravel Meetings & Incentives) in 2001; and with the
acquisition of The Travel Company in the UK and TQ3 Travel Solutions in Europe,
BCD M&E was formed in 2006.
The agency has since expanded into more than 60 countries, with nearly 2,000
employees operating more than 60,000 events per year. Under Graf’s leadership,
BCD M&E executes end-to-end services across meetings management, experience and event solutions, production
and content, venue search, sports travel and hospitality and an in-house brand
experience agency, The Collective.
“The culture of a company is defined by its people, and BCD
M&E has the best in the industry,” said Graf. “They have inspired me throughout my career, and I continue
to learn from them today. Specifically, our leadership team across the world
are the best of the best, which is why I am excited to transition my
responsibilities to my friend and colleague, Bruce Morgan. As our former COO,
he is perfectly suited to lead BCD M&E into the future as it continues to
innovate, challenge the status quo, and pursues its quest to be the most
trusted and creative meetings and events agency in the world.”
Morgan, based in Chicago and originally from the UK, brings
to the role more than 30 years of industry experience across various functions
and global regions—with nearly 20 of those years focused on driving results
within BCD M&E. BCD M&E’s COO since 2019, Morgan has also held roles
throughout his career within sales and marketing management, global event
management, sports marketing, performance improvement and regional leadership.
“The team and I are saddened to see Scott leave our organisation,
but his legacy is a shared vision that is core to my beliefs: stagnation kills
passion,” said Morgan. “We will continue to take chances and embrace change as
we focus on what makes us great: providing impeccable service, driving
innovation in our industry and simply ensuring our clients and people are
happy.”
Graf will continue to support the BCD M&E leadership
team and transition plan through the end of 2023, although Morgan’s appointment
as global president is effective immediately. After some time off, Graf will
embark on another business venture that will keep him close to the BCD family:
In April 2024, he will move into a new partnership with BCD founder John
Fentener van Vlissingen. This new venture will sit within BORON, the van
Vlissingen family’s private investment company.
“We are deeply grateful to Scott for sharing his sharp
business acumen, love of the industry and inspiring leadership with BCD for so
many years, and we are excited to see him bring these attributes to a new
endeavour with the family,” said Stephan Baars, president and CEO, BCD Travel.
“We are equally excited by BCD M&E’s future under Bruce’s leadership. When
we keep people, customers, partners and innovation at the core of our business,
nothing can stand in our way.”
