"… a deep understanding of international governance, federation structures, and the complexities of working across cultures and jurisdictions"
Paolo Sanzo, President, IFOMPT
Practitioner. Executive. Adviser. A career built at the intersection of associations and the business events sector.
Owner and founder: Tracy Bury
As former interim CEO (2024-2025) and deputy CEO for World Physiotherapy (2017-2023), and other roles there prior to that, she worked extensively at board level, leading strategic planning, delivery of the World Physiotherapy congress, financial management, business development, developing and implementing education activities, policy and advocacy, the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and supporting communities of practice.
Under her leadership the World Physiotherapy congress won Best International Association Conference at the Singapore Tourism Awards (2015) and one of the first ICCA and BestCities Incredible Impacts award (2017) for its range of legacy activities that benefitted South Africa and the wider community.
Board level volunteer leadership
As well as working for an international association, Tracy understands what it means to be a volunteer leader internationally, having served on the board of AC Forum for eight years, including two as President Elect and two as President. Her term as President (2020-2022) coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, which required responding to the changing needs of members, but she was also able to lead transformational sustainable change for the future. This included a review of governance, a new strategic plan, setting up a permanent secretariat and leading important conversations on diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as partnerships with key external stakeholders to seek collaborative advantage across sectors.
During the pandemic she was frequently requested to provide thought leadership to the business events sector's efforts to shape recovery. She has served two terms as part of the Strategic Thinkers Advisory Group for the BestCities Global Alliance, most recently 2023-2025.
Background and qualifications
Tracy's experience as a health professional, association executive, and volunteer board leader gives her a perspective that few advisers can offer. She has sat on both sides of the board-management relationship, navigated governance under pressure, and delivered change in organisations where volunteer commitment and professional purpose are the driving forces. She applies research, critical analysis, and reflection to ensure that solutions are developed collaboratively and owned by all stakeholders. That breadth and that approach inform everything she does.
Tracy qualified as a physiotherapist and worked in the UK National Health Service before becoming Head of Research and Development at the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. She holds a Masters in Health Science from the University of London and completed the Executive Strategy programme at the University of Oxford. This combination of clinical grounding, research expertise, and strategic leadership education underpins her evidence-driven approach to advisory work.
Writing
Tracy has co-written the first book on evidence-based practice for the therapy professions, published in peer-reviewed journals, contributed thought leadership perspectives to association publications, prepared news stories, and led the writing of international policies, as well as global education documents.
She served as associate editor of the Physiotherapy journal for 17 years and has extensive experience as a peer reviewer.
Recent articles include:
Speaking
Tracy is an experienced international speaker, chair, and moderator, contributing across the physiotherapy, association, and business events sectors.
She has contributed to events run by AC Forum, ASAE, ESAE, IMEX, PCMA, ICCA, Host Cities, The Meetings Show, World Physiotherapy, its regions, member organisations and subgroups.
She contributes on a range of topics including:
equity, diversity and inclusion
event strategy, design and delivery
governance
leadership development
legacy and impact
physiotherapy professional issues
relationship and stakeholder management
strategic planning
