A trade body in Birmingham has welcomed a brace of new interim chairs as it returns to networking events post-pandemic.
Birmingham Publicity Association (BPA) has appointed Selena Higgins-McCarron and Steve Price as joint chairs, following the three-year tenures of outgoing chairman Mark McDonagh and vice-chairman Stephen Walters.
The association brings together the media, advertising and creative industries from across Birmingham and also runs a calendar of fundraising activities, this year backing Winston's Wish which supports children and young people after the death of a loved one.
The pair will now work with the BPA's leadership team for a year ahead of the appointment of the next full-time chair.
Mr McDonagh said: "While the last three years have been unusual, to say the least, it's been an honour to hold the role of BPA chair during this time.
"It's a testament to the organisation's strength that, despite all the challenges, we have still been able to host events and raise money for charity. I know I'm leaving the BPA in very good hands and I am sure it will go from strength to strength."
Mr Price is the creative director of advertising agency M3 in Birmingham and has been a member of the BPA since 2008.
He said: "We are proud to once again be at the helm of which is a steadfast group for the creative and related industries in the West Midlands and beyond.
"It's been a testing time for the BPA, as it has for many organisations in our space, and both myself and Selena felt the old ship needed some not-quite-so-old hands to steady it as we hopefully head toward a brighter future.
"But we are not the future of the BPA. It's our job now to go out there and plot what that future looks like by encouraging new talent to come on board and help to reinvent the BPA for today and tomorrow."
Ms Higgins-McCarron is a sales controller at AdSmart from Sky and has been both chairwoman and president of the BPA in recent years.
She said: "As interim chairs for the next 12 months, it is mine and Steve's goal to steer the BPA out of the pandemic and ensure that we deliver on our aim to inspire, support and collaborate with all who work within the creative and media industries across the West Midlands."
