Chiara Giorgi will leave her role as Global Brand & Event Director at Seatrade Cruise on My 5, 2026, and will join CLIA as Senior Vice President, Partnership & Membership Strategy, effective June 15, 2026.
At Seatrade, Giorgi has led the strategic direction and development of the cruise industry’s leading global events portfolio. In her new role, she will lead CLIA’s global efforts to expand membership, strengthen strategic partnerships, and advance long-term growth.
Giorgi brings extensive experience to CLIA from her leadership role with Seatrade Cruise and Informa Markets, where she has been working closely with stakeholders across the cruise ecosystem. She previously held senior roles in international event management and marketing across London, New York and Los Angeles, and has worked onboard Silversea.
Mary Bond, Group Portfolio Director of Seatrade Cruise, added: “Chiara has been an exceptional leader and colleague, whose vision and dedication have been integral to the success of Seatrade Cruise. While we will miss her presence on the team, we are pleased she will continue to work closely with us through her new role at CLIA. Her passion for the industry and commitment to collaboration will continue to benefit the broader cruise community.”
Giorgi’s appointment follows the decision announced last year by Karyn Gruenberg, Senior Vice President, Membership & Enterprise Development at CLIA, to retire in June 2026. Gruenberg joined CLIA in 2023. Following her decision, Gruenberg has continued to lead the organization’s membership and partner strategy, while supporting a smooth transition.
During her time at CLIA, Gruenberg has led a meaningful transformation of the organization’s membership and executive partner programs—strengthening engagement, significantly improving retention, including introducing new engagement models, refreshing key programs and events, and enhancing both the scale and strategic value of partnerships across the cruise ecosystem.
“Karyn has played a pivotal role in transforming our membership and partner engagement model,” said Bud Darr, President & CEO of CLIA.
Building on the foundation established by Gruenberg, Giorgi will be responsible for enterprise-wide membership strategy, development, and partner engagement.
“Chiara brings a strong global perspective and deep industry experience that builds on that momentum,” Darr added. “Her ability to connect stakeholders across the industry will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen member value, expand partnerships, and advance our work across the cruise community.”
With Giorgi’s departure from Seatrade, Emma Bond, who has worked at Seatrade Cruise since 2013, will be promoted to Event Director, responsible for the day-to-day management and success of the Seatrade Cruise global events portfolio and Jacqui Pressinger, who joined the team in 2024, will be promoted to Senior Relationship Manager, responsible for expanding buyer relationships and partnerships across Seatrade Cruise events. These positions become effective May 1, 2026.
