Conference & Meetings World Issue 101 — July / August | Page 12

Day in the Life
All in a day’s work
AT IMEX FRANKFURT, INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE SYDNEY LAUNCHED ITS NEW
‘MORE THAN A VENUE’ CAMPAIGN, DESIGNED TO SHOWCASE WHAT IT CALLS ITS SPECIAL COMBINATION
OF PEOPLE, SERVICES, PARTNERS AND FEATURES. CMW GOES BEHIND THE SCENES AT ICC SYDNEY
TO MEET SOME OF THE KEY STAFF THAT MAKE THAT MAGIC HAPPEN
y role is fast paced and
hands-on. Each day, I work
closely with clients as their main
point of contact to ensure their
event vision becomes a reality. Behind the
scenes, I’m busy coordinating our teams to
ensure we provide the best service, product
and experience.
This means I could be doing anything from
hosting a site visit and presenting plans, to
bringing an upcoming convention to life,
running final briefing sessions to ensure
everything is in place for an exhibition, or
developing a training programme for my
team to ensure we’re constantly improving.
I love seeing an event through from
concept to fruition, and achieving the
outstanding satisfaction ratings we have fuels
me. Our collaborative
approach and laser focus
on exceptional standards
help us deliver some of
the world’s best events,
something I’m proud to
be part of.
Event Planner
Dewi Gutierrez
iven that I am a chef, people
might think that my role is all
about food, but it is also about
developing relationships. From
suppliers, to staff and clients, it’s the people
and the way we work together that truly
make a difference.
My days are often hectic, but I would not
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ISSUE 101
have it any other way. I might be preparing
for a gala dinner, and developing a bespoke
menu for a new client, or training my team,
then heading out to see partners to ensure our
menus are bursting with delicious, seasonable
flavours and the best ingredients from across
New South Wales.
Meeting with our clients to understand
their needs is, however, one of my favourite
parts of the job as it allows us to tailor an
approach that will deliver for them. It also
allows me to tell them
more about our
culinary philosophy
and commitment to
sustainability. I love
sharing this with
clients.
Executive Chef
Tony Panetta
t ICC Sydney, my role is to
help represent both our iconic
venue and Sydney as a whole,
showcasing the beauty,
creativity and intellectual capital of our city
on the global stage.
From Sara Mansour, a spoken word artist
from Bankstown, and Michelle Simmons, a
Professor of Quantum Physics and 2018
Australian of the Year, to Aunty Margret
Campbell, one of our First Nations advisory
committee members running client cultural
tours, each day I work with amazing people
to tell the story of Sydney and ICC Sydney’s
place within it.
A key priority for me is to also work
closely with clients to understand their
communications, marketing and CSR
objectives, and deliver plans that will
achieve these, looking for creative solutions
along the way. As part of this, my team and
I will craft compelling content which can be
leveraged across channels, and used to help
drive interest and participation. My team
will also connect clients with community
members via our Legacy Programme, to
enrich visitor experiences while providing
an opportunity for clients to give back.
I’m exceptionally proud of our
award-winning communications approach
and initiatives like this, as they set our
venue and our people
apart and underscore
our position as one
of the world’s most
sought-after
business events
destinations.
Director of Corporate
Affairs and Communications
Samantha Glass
“
From suppliers,
to staff and
clients, it’s the people
and the way we work
together that truly
make a difference.