ITMSA Event

 The Institute of Travel and Meetings Southern Africa (ITMSA) is hosting a forum and its AGM at the Protea Hotel O.R. Tambo on the 21st of February. The forum is titled ‘What is Meetings Management?’ Strategic Meetings Management (SMMP) is the current global term used to manage meetings, conferences and “events” – in some instances it will also include incentive travel.
 By definition, it is the process of consolidating group travel, meetings and event planning into a centralised function, strategically determining how total spend, volumes, standards, suppliers and risk can be managed more effectively to align with the company strategy, maximise on resources and have a positive impact bottom line.
 The South African business environment, and in particular global companies, have started to explore this initiative in the hope that they can achieve the same results as with corporate travel management. It is, however a new and evolving initiative and still at the beginning stages, with a great deal of work to be done to achieve the full benefit.
The ITMSA will have two expert panels, with panellists including corporate travel buyers and SMMP industry specialists, who will be on hand to answer questions as well.
 Registration and breakfast are at 07h30, with the forum commencing at 08h00. The AGM will take place at 09h30. The forum is free for ITMSA buyer members, whilst the supplier member fee is R350. ITMSA connect members will have to pay R450, whilst non-members will have to pay R550. For more information, contact nicky.duplessis@itmsa.org.

SAA Board Members Quit

Chairwoman Cheryl Carolus and six others have resigned from the board of South African Airways. This comes after a decision by South Africa’s Public Enterprises Minister, Malusi Gigaba to cancel SAA’s AGM this week and his request to parliament for a two-month postponement of the tabling of its annual report. Carolus was quoted as saying that “there has been a breakdown in the relationship with the shareholder. I thought we had agreed on a strategy.
I’m finding it frustrating that this notion continues to exist that there is no strategic vision on the table at SAA." The board members who told Carolus they were leaving with her are Bonang Mohale, David Lewis, Jabulani Ndlovu, Louis Rabbets, Margaret Whitehouse and Teddy Daka.
The first board member to go, Russel Loubser, resigned with immediate effect on Wednesday, citing a lack of support from the Department of Public Enterprises - the airline’s shareholder. Earlier this year, it emerged that SAA was looking for up to R6-billion in extra funding from the South African government. Eight of SAA's 14-member board have resigned so far.