Rudi Van Der Vyver

Rudi van der Vyver is an industry patron and the Chief Executive Officer for We Are Events and We are Virtual, an in-person, virtual and hybrid Event Management and Production company focused on delivering unique and innovative in-person, virtual and hybrid eventing solutions to clients. Prior to this role Rudi served the industry through his tenure as CEO of the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI). Rudi having successfully completed the international masterclass on the Neuroscience of Event Design and Architecture is one of only 18 event practitioners in Africa to hold this distinction. He holds the designation of Certified Event Management Professional (CEPA). He is the current chair of CEPA (Council of Events Professionals Africa) and have served on the CEPA council for the last 8 years. He is also a board member of the South African Communications Industry Association (SACIA). He has also served on the boards of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa and The Event Greening Forum. In 2024 he has received awards as “Best Virtual Event CEO in Africa” by both the CEO Global Excellence Awards as well as the Middle East CEO of the Year Awards. We Are Events were also crowned as the “Most Innovative Events Company” by the Travel & Tourism Awards and received “Event Management Company of the Year” in the Corporate LiveWire Innovation & Excellence Awards. In 2025 he has been awarded “Global Event Management CEO of the Year” in the Global CEO Excellence Awards. He previously served as a member of the Minister’s Tourism Leadership Forum, the National Department of Tourism’s National Tourism Stakeholder and Transformation Forum and the National Tourism Department’s Tourism Service Excellence Forum. Bringing a wealth of management and eventing experience from the financial services, business consulting and hospitality industries as well as having played a crucial role in driving the events sector Forward in Southern Africa. Rudi is passionate about event strategy, psychology, creating unique and Memorable experiences and driving return on investment for clients through effective and creative Event management principles. A driven, innovative and creative individual with a comprehensive management and leadership Background, Van Der Vyver brings to the table more than 20 years of extensive and diversified Experience, a comprehensive training foundation and an exemplary career at leading international Organisations. Rudi van der Vyver holds a BCom (Hons) degree in marketing with the designations of Chartered Marketer CM (SA) and Virtual Event Institute Professional (VEIP). He is a Professional Business and Life Coach who has successfully implemented various strategies while with the industry Association to drive growth and collaboration within the Southern African events industry and was instrumental in driving the brand of the association into international markets to have SAACI seen as the official industry body for Africa and further drive the image of South Africa as an events destination of choice. He is an advocate for the events industry and the business of events.