Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) chief executive officer, Julie-May Ellingson, has become the first ever African representative to be voted onto the AIPC Board. Julie-May was elected onto the board at the 2015 Annual Conference and 57th General Assembly which was held in Boston, USA last month.
AIPC, the International Association of Convention Centres, is the industry association for professional convention and exhibition centre managers worldwide. The association is committed to encouraging and recognising excellence in convention centre management, while at the same time providing the tools to achieve such high standards.
With many experts from around the world in one room, the conference explored the many aspects of the critical interactions between convention centres and their respective communities. The overall conclusion: that centre managers can and need to play a much more powerful role in the priorities and affairs of their cities in areas ranging from urban planning to branding and even economic policy setting.
“In a highly competitive global market we need to think differently with collaboration being the key to success. I strongly advocate for partnerships and knowledge exchange and believe my experience gained within the public and private sectors, leading two significant international convention centres in Africa, as well as my understanding of the African market will contribute to the continued growth in the value proposition of the AIPC in both Africa and internationally,” says Julie-May.
She is a true strategic visionary who is passionate about service delivery; couple this with her proven track record on various prominent projects and it’s no surprise that she was elected onto the AIPC Board.
“We’re delighted that Julie-May has joined the AIPC Board of Directors! It is the first time that we have representation from Africa and we look forward to increased collaboration with the African continent in our quest to share knowledge and best practise,” added Geoff Donaghy, AIPC president.
“I am honoured to be elected to the AIPC Board, and have every intention of living up to their mandate to ensure that excellence and international best practice prevails within the industry,” concluded Julie-May.
