NZICC’s domestic focus
Ahead of an expected 2025 opening, the NZICC in Auckland has brought team members onto its sales team, all focussing on the domestic event market.
Josephine Hutton will be the new associate director of sales for New Zealand, while Sheena Zheng will be sales manager for associations and government and Natasha Sikivou will be sales manager for corporate and special events.
Both Hutton and Sikivou are joining the NZICC team from SkyCity Auckland, which, like the NZICC, is owned by SkyCity Entertainment Group.
Zheng is joining the convention centre team from Auckland Conventions, Venues and Events.
The new domestic team will be taking event enquiries from December 2023, for events at the centre from mid-2025. An opening month for the venue is expected to be confirmed next year.
Te Pae Christchurch appoints marketing and communications manager
The first of New Zealand’s new generation of convention centres Te Pae Christchurch has taken on Melanie Gurden as its new marketing and communications manager.
Gurden joins the venue with a background in marketing, communications and brand management in professional services organisations.
“We are delighted to have Mel join the Te Pae Christchurch team, her experience and enthusiasm will ensure Te Pae Christchurch remains a strong and visible brand in our key markets,” said Te Pae’s general manager Ross Steele.
TTNQ gets new board chair
In northern Queensland, former Tourism Australia managing director John O’Sullivan has been appointed chair of destination organisation TTNQ’s board.
O’Sullivan was managing director of Tourism Australia for over five years, until mid-2019. Since July 2019, he has been CEO of Experience Co, which has a number of products located in and around Cairns, Port Douglas and the Great Barrier Reef. He has been a member of the TTNQ board since May 2021 and was selected as its chair at the organisation’s annual general meeting earlier this month.
