International Convention Centre Sydney chief executive, Geoff Donaghy, has been elected president of the International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC) for a second term.
The announcement was made at the AIPC Annual Conference in Boston.
Donaghy, who is also group director of convention and exhibition centres for AEG Ogden, was the first president of the international association to be appointed from the Asia Pacific region.
Speaking of his re-election, he said: “AIPC is committed to encouraging and recognising excellence in convention centre management, while at the same time providing the tools to achieve such high standards through its research, educational and networking programs. It is a great honour to be recognised and trusted by my global peers to continue working in such a unique position amongst the various organisations that represent the meetings industry.”
Discussion highlights from the AIPC Annual Conference included:
- The importance of interactions between convention centres and their respective communities
- The need for centre managers to play a much more powerful role in the priorities and affairs of their cities – from urban planning, to branding and even economic policy setting
- The evolving challenges faced by centres in the global marketplace
- The need to work effectively with key partners such as the association, accommodation and exhibition communities, centre safety and security, and the available cost-effective responses to new technology demands
AIPC has announced its Annual Conference will be held in Sydney in 2017. The 2016 Annual Conference takes place in Nantes, France.
AIPC represents a global network of 175 leading centres in 58 countries with the active involvement of over 900 management-level professionals.
- Words by Paul Colston
