Global business events experts head to first ever CINZ Conference in Auckland

Future challenges and opportunities for New Zealand’s business events sector will be explored by global expert, Oscar Cerezales in his keynote presentation at the CINZ annual conference in Auckland next week.

Brought to the conference with the support of Tourism New Zealand Business Events, Cerezales currently manages the Asia-Pacific region for the community-building company specialising in business events, MCI Group.

Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) Chief Executive, Sue Sullivan says the Singapore-based meetings expert will present his bold predictions for the global business events sector, the potential roadblocks and the way forward.

Sullivan explains “with a presentation entitled Opening Pandora’s Box, he is set to bring strong strategic thinking to New Zealand organisers as we look to implement new business models.”

Cerezales has been working in the meetings industry for more than 25 years. Currently, he is a member of the Board of Trustees for PCMA, Chair of the ICESAP Asia Pacific Advisory Board, Chair of the SMF Conference, as well as Member of the Scientific Board for the Latin American Association of Convention Bureaus. MCI Group has 61 offices in 31 countries and manages international congresses and corporate events and provides consulting and strategic management for companies and associations.

Introducing his presentation, Cerezales (pictured below) explained “I want to demonstrate to the New Zealand audience how the business events sector is not about tourism, it is about economic development. We all need to re-examine our way of doing business, and our go-to-market strategies to compete in a radical new era.”

Cerezales joins a group of 21 speakers for the two-day CINZ Annual Conference at Cordis, Auckland. They include international business events leader Jan Tonkin, Managing Director of The Conference Company, who will be presenting latest trends in conference design. Her team organises meetings throughout Australasia and Asia, and she has recently finished a two-year term as President of IAPCO, the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers and is the Chair of the Association’s Training Academy.

She will be followed by international convention centre advisory expert, Alec Gilbert from Gaining Edge sponsored by Te Pae, Christchurch.

Most recently Gilbert was Chief Executive of the Adelaide Convention Centre which completed a two-stage $400 million redevelopment last year.

Shamubeel Eaqub, economist, financial analyst and author will examine the New Zealand visitor economy and the particular contribution of the business events sector. He will focus on the opportunities ahead with the opening of major infrastructure projects such as the New Zealand International Convention Centre and Te Pae, Christchurch.

Cerezales will also run a follow-up workshop session offering CINZ members a deeper dive into the business events sector and the top trends ahead.

Breaking New Ground is the theme for the CINZ Conference 2018, which is being held in Auckland for the first time.

More than 140 CINZ members including owners and managers of key venues, catering companies, accommodation providers, activity operators and regional convention bureaux will meet on 31st October and 1st November at Cordis, Auckland.

Click here for more information on CINZ Annual Conference in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.