DALLAS
MPI has named Paul Van Deventer president and CEO of the association following a long search.
Van Deventer, who will assume the position April 29, most recently served as a vice president in the Health & Wellness Division at Walgreens, and was responsible for overseeing revenue generation and client retention for the drugstore chain’s $500 million healthcare plan. He also led the national sales and account management team for Walgreens’ $1 billion Prescription Benefit Management subsidiary, Walgreens Health Initiative.
Van Deventer’s past experience includes 22 years with American Express, including working in leadership roles in its business travel sector and meetings and events. While there, he led a $350 million global business unit with responsibility for more than 50 business travel customer service centers, 500 employees and a meetings and events group focused on the automotive industry. He also directed Amex’s $3 billion travel and corporate card businesses in Australia and New Zealand and led a team managing $8 billion in global corporate card relationships with the company’s largest multinational customers.
According to Kevin Hinton, MPI’s chairman and the leader of the search committee, and executive vice president of Associated Luxury Hotels International, Van Deventer’s selection reflected an increased emphasis on the association’s international presence.
“We were looking for someone to grow and improve our business outside of the U.S.,” Hinton said in a conference call with meetings industry press. “We work closely with our European members, but we also know there are opportunities for MPI in China and other areas of Asia, as well as in the Middle East. From the search committee’s standpoint, it was a very important part of the process and criteria to find someone to work in those areas, as well as in North America.”
Van Deventer, who brings years of international experience to the job from his stint at American Express, echoed Hinton’s statement.
“I’m really excited to be a part of the team,” he said. “The role of president and CEO of MPI is one of the top leadership roles in the meetings industry. We will work to invigorate and expand the membership and grow MPI’s international reach, and grow its role as an international advocate. These markets have real upside. MPI has had some real strong presence in Europe, and in the markets Kevin noted there is a lot of opportunity.”
