NZICC Supports Growth of Business Events Industry with IAPCO Partnership

With the much-anticipated convention centre in Auckland’s city centre nearing completion, the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) is looking to bolster the global Business Events Industry by developing a multi-year leadership programme in partnership with the International Association for Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO).

The ‘Next Generation Leaders Programme’ is aimed at IAPCO members who fulfil the criteria and are seeking to enhance their leadership skills and capabilities. This programme, in partnership with NZICC, will be designed specifically for IAPCO Members in the APAC region through a series of online education workshops organised by NZICC alongside the IAPCO Training Academy.

One participant each year will also secure a coveted scholarship, named after former IAPCO President, The Conference Company founder and New Zealand industry savant Jan Tonkin, to attend IAPCO’s Annual Meeting and General Assembly alongside senior leaders within the global business events community.

Sarah Markey-Hamm, IAPCO President says, “Without Jan’s involvement with IAPCO our association would not be in the place that it is in today. She lives and breathes the business event sector and has been instrumental in developing the IAPCO education programmes over the last 15 years. Her wisdom and counsel are cherished and freely given when asked. Even though her formal involvement with IAPCO Council has concluded she remains a strong contributor to the educational content across IAPCO’s products whilst serving on Faculty. It’s an honour that she has agreed to lend her name to the scholarship programme in our region.

“We’re anticipating strong interest from our Asia Pacific members. The online format of the workshops has opened up this opportunity to a vast audience. I’m excited to see the impact of this programme and the benefits it will bring to the participants involved and to the wider business and professional events industry in New Zealand and beyond.”

NZICC General Manager, Prue Daly says, “It’s a real privilege to be partnering with IAPCO, an organisation who shares our commitment to the growth of talent within the business events industry and we are excited about showcasing New Zealand’s and NZICC’s commitment to embracing cultural awareness and community impact as part of the education content.”

NZICC is committed to supporting the development of future talent both locally and within the Asia Pacific region to support the growing business events industry. The venue, in the heart of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, has already secured a number of large international conferences.

The World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education (WIPCE) has been confirmed as one of the first to use the world-leading NZICC facilities in November 2025. The conference will see 3000 international visitors welcomed to the city, delivering an estimated economic impact of more than $6m.

Applications for the Next Generation Leaders Programme will open in late May, with the NZICC looking forward to running the first workshop in July 2023.