British Computer Society swallows up CMA

BCS and CMA expected to join forces as IT and communications roles converge

The Communications Management Association (CMA) is set to become a subsidiary of the British Computer Society (BCS), reflecting the steady convergence of IT and communications manager roles over the last few years.

CMA members, which number around 1,400 members in total, will use the organisation's July AGM to decide whether they want to affiliate themselves to the 60,000-strong BCS, with the motion widely expected to carry.

Chief executive Glenn Powell denied that CMA membership has flagged as more communications managers had started to see the BCS as the professional body more relevant to their role.

"This is not a negative thing at all – our membership numbers are growing – it is about these disciplines now being part of a single department," he said.

BCS chief executive David Clarke revealed that mobile telecoms is a major crossover point for the two organisations, as IT/communications professionals look to the BCS for support and knowledge resources to help them network with their peers and implement enterprise mobility strategies.

However, the CMA will retain its own branding. BCS members will be eligible for a discounted CMA subscription fee and vice versa, Clarke added.

"If you were a member of both organisations previously, you would have to pay both fees, but you will not have to do that in the future. We have not worked out what the additional fee will be yet, but it will represent a saving [on two separate fees]," he said.