Martin Sirk runs the strategic consultancy Sirk Serendipity, set up in September 2018. His most important client is Global Association Hubs Partnership, advising Brussels, Dubai, Singapore and Washington DC how to assist international associations in achieving their strategic goals. Martin also works with International Association for the Study of Pain, helping IASP build strategic relations with European and Asia-Pacific healthcare associations and prize-winning tech start-up Kubify, whose Learning Toolbox enables more intelligent, informed and interactive Round Table and Poster sessions at any size of meeting. Projects have also been undertaken for a range of other leading companies and organisations in the meetings and association worlds, including IMEX, SITE and UFI.
From 2002 to July 2018, Martin was CEO of ICCA, the International Congress and Convention Association, during which time the association doubled in size to almost 1,200 member organisations in 100 countries. Prior to that, he held senior sales and marketing positions with Hilton International, Brighton and Hove City Council, and the British Tourist Authority (as VisitBritain was then known).
Areas of expertise and interest include meeting design, association strategy and development, social and economic impact of meetings, destination marketing, networking theory, and the future evolution of the meetings industry.
Martin divides his time between Amsterdam and the USA, when not travelling on projects.