Global corporate travel and events leader Reed & Mackay has announced two key appointments to its expanding Reed & Mackay Events team with Emma Chamberlain joining as commercial director of events and James Kent as head of growth.

A passionate leader in the events industry with strong global relationships across suppliers, associations such as MPI /SITE/EMA and advisory boards, Chamberlain brings 19 years of Meetings & Events industry experience to the team. She joins from FIRST where she was director partnerships & strategic sourcing, and previously spent 18 years at CWT M&E.

Chamberlain said: “I have been watching Reed & Mackay’s growth in the M&E space and it’s been impressive to see new acquisitions, along with great new hires from our industry. Reed & Mackay holds a highly regarded reputation with suppliers and clients, and I am excited to be part of the continued growth.”

Having previously worked in senior sales and account management roles across multiple TMCs and event agencies including Event Travel Management and Capita Travel and Events, James Kent joins after most recently leading the new business strategy for a public sector framework provider.

“I am absolutely delighted to be joining Reed and Mackay and re-entering the sector where I first started my career,” said Kent. “Reed & Mackay is a brand I’ve always followed with keen interest and whose values mirror my own. Their passion to delight clients through exemplary customer service, market insight and innovative technology really appeals to me, and I can’t wait to get started. I have been made to feel really welcome by the business and I am looking forward to collaborating with my colleagues across Reed & Mackay and Navan.”

The appointments come as Reed & Mackay continues to grow the team globally with the recent appointments of Jose Antonio Ruiz as deputy director of events, Spain; Karin Liberg as senior director events & business development, Nordics; and Barbara Labrit as head of events in France.

Last week, Reed & Mackay also announced its latest European expansion with the acquisition of Italian travel and event company, Regent International. In addition, the company has recently expanded its dedicated team with a Legal Desk for Meetings & Events, invested in its global technology platform and partnered with leading meetings & events software company, Qondor.

Julie Oliver, CEO UK, Europe and Global Events at Reed & Mackay, said: “We’re so excited to have these two key new starters join us at this pivotal time. The expansion of our world-leading global team highlights our commitment to service excellence for our clients and demonstrates our continued investment in our Events operation across all Reed & Mackay markets.”