Governance
The International Association for Events Studies is governed by a founding board of events scholars and practitioners from across the world. The board provides strategic leadership, supports the association’s international community and oversees its activities in accordance with IAES’s governing arrangements.
Founding board
President
Dr Mu Guo
Affiliation: Honorary President, Zhejiang International Event Association, and President, Asia-Pacific Event Institute, People’s Republic of China.
Biography: Dr Guo is an experienced events scholar and practitioner whose work encompasses event economics, event education and international exhibitions. He has been engaged in international trade and cultural exchange since 1989 and has published extensively on the event industry in China.
CHAIR
Dr James Kennell
Affiliation: Associate Professor, Surrey Hospitality and Tourism Management, University of Surrey, United Kingdom.
Biography: James researches a range of issues in events, tourism and hospitality, with a particular focus on how politics and policy affect the governance of these industries.
SECRETARY-GENERAL
Dr Mingguang Liu
Affiliation: Director of the Department of Event Communication, School of Culture and Tourism, Zhejiang International Studies University, People’s Republic of China.
Biography: Dr Liu holds a PhD in International Politics. His research interests include international event comparison, digital events and major-power strategy. He is a co-initiator of IAES and Vice President of the Zhejiang International Event Association.
FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER
Dr Emma Abson
Affiliation: Senior Lecturer in Events Management, Sheffield Hallam University, United Kingdom.
Biography: Emma’s research focuses on leadership in the events industry, including leadership and gender, diversity, equity and inclusion. She has co-authored a leading events-management textbook and published a book on event leadership.
FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER
Dr Mike Duignan
Affiliation: Associate Professor, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida, and Editor-in-Chief of Event Management, United States of America.
Biography: Mike examines the economic and social impacts of major sporting and cultural events. His research also addresses event-led development, tourism, human rights and how events can contribute to social and economic benefit.
FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER
Dr Melise de Lima Pereira
Affiliation: Assistant Professor in the Department of Tourism and Head Coordinator of the Postgraduate Programme in Tourism, Federal University of Paraná, Brazil.
Biography: Melise holds a doctorate in Tourism and Hospitality. Her research applies quantitative methods to tourism, events and hospitality.
FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER
Professor Tembi Tichaawa
Affiliation: Professor and Head of the Department of Tourism, University of Johannesburg, South Africa.
Biography: Tembi is an experienced teacher and researcher whose work examines tourism, hospitality and events management, particularly within developing contexts. He has an extensive record of publication, conference participation and postgraduate supervision.