The awards celebrated the contributions of 12 advocates of Melbourne who have secured 12 international conferences for the city over the last year – double the number from the year prior.
Wins ranged from the World Congress on Animal Production 2024 to the World Cancer Leaders’ Summit 2025, the International Symposium on Digital Earth Summit and Locate 2026 and the Asian Australian Rotorcraft Forum 2024.
Professor Frank Dunshae, Professor Alistair Moffat, Todd Harper AM, Dr Zaffar Sadiq Mohamed-Ghouse and Dr Arvind Sinha were all recognised as bid winners while Professor Sanchia Aranda AM, Professor Ron Wakefield, Professor Grant McArthur, Professor Jonathan Shaw, Associate Professor Anna Boltong and Emeritus Professor Milton Hearn were recognised for their assistance on winning bids.
Professor Geoffrey Metz AO was also honoured with the Club Melbourne Award for Excellence celebrating his role in bringing four conferences to Melbourne since 2005, which have a collective economic impact of $64.3 million.
“Our Club Melbourne Ambassadors are some of the best and brightest minds in our city,” said MCEC chief executive, Natalie O’Brien AM.
“The annual awards night celebrates their ongoing advocacy efforts and commitments to building Melbourne’s reputation for research, business and exceptional events.
“And we’re so proud this year to celebrate almost triple the economic impact from the high-profile events secured for MCEC.”
MCEC owns and manages the Club Melbourne program, with support from Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) and the state government. The program has more than 80 ambassadors, covering fields including medical, science, agriculture business and engineering.
MCB’s CEO Julia Swanson also congratulated the Club Melbourne ambassadors celebrated last week for going “above and beyond to help secure and deliver impactful conferences for Melbourne”.
“MCB has worked closely with Club Melbourne Ambassadors to secure prestigious business events for Melbourne,” said Swanson.
“Together, we make a formidable team, providing a unique opportunity to connect prominent thinkers and leaders in the promotion of Melbourne as one of the world’s premier conference and event destinations.”
