The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) has elected Christoph Tessmar, director of the Barcelona Convention Bureau, as its new president.
The announcement was made at the association’s General Assembly, held during the 2026 ICCA Congress in Panama City between 8-11 November. Tessmar succeeds outgoing president Marta Gomes.
Tessmar will work with ICCA’s board, leadership team and international membership as the association continues to expand its advocacy work and strategic partnerships.
ICCA CEO Dr Senthil Gopinath welcomed the appointment. “I am delighted to welcome Christoph as our new President at such an important moment for our association and our industry,” he said.
He added that he looked forward to working with Tessmar and the board to strengthen ICCA’s position as the global advocate for the business events industry and to show the value international association meetings bring to economies, communities and society.
The 65th ICCA Congress in Panama is being held under the theme “CrossWorlds: The Crossings We Bring, The Crossings We Choose”. The organisers say the theme reflects an aim of encouraging collaboration across industries and disciplines.
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
