ell us about your early career in hospitality , and how you moved into destination marketing . I spent 13 years in the hotel sector , initially in operations and then into an area director of sales and marketing role . I loved that sector but was drawn to having a broader scope of promoting the city I love to an international audience .

Business events is an amazing sector to work in ; we work with such a variety of venues , professional conference organisers , hotels , event producers and exhibition companies . We are also fortunate to work with global leaders in science , medicine , business and academia , for whom we can help build international collaboration platforms . It is very rewarding seeing business events come to life and deliver real economic and social outcomes for the city .

What was a good early piece of career advice that has stood you in good stead , and who was an early mentor for you in the industry ? An early leader told me not to stress about anything you can ’ t control , which is easier said than done in a global pandemic . However , it reminds me to stay focused on what you can do and not what you can ’ t . Mental resilience is more important now than ever for all leaders .

In my career I ’ ve had the fortunate experience of working under some incredible female leaders : Leanne Harwood at IHG , Sandra Chipchase and Karen Bolinger at MCB . All very different leaders , but ones that have been great to learn from .

Did it seem to you that Melbourne would go on to earn the accolade of Australia ’ s events capital when you were first working hard to research and win bids for major events for Victoria state and Melbourne ? Melbourne has always been known as Australia ’ s events capital domestically , so it was a natural evolution that awareness of the city ’ s credential would build internationally .

Our infrastructure paves the way for highly successful conferences and events , with world-leading conference facilities and venues , excellent connectivity , quality accommodation and an extensive transport system . We have the highest concentration of conference facilities in Australia and offer international associations access to our world-leading research institutes and connections to academics to facilitate strong education programmes , powerful knowledge sharing and fostering of world-leading innovations .

When you add those elements together with our collaborative ‘ Team Melbourne ’ approach , this powerful combination is a significant drawcard for some of the world ’ s largest and most prestigious conferences .

You have made a policy of aligning the strategy of MCB more with Visit Victoria . How has this borne fruit ? Our integration into Visit Victoria gives us an edge over our local and international competitors in accessing major events and generating opportunities for incentive groups and pre- and post-conference touring programmes that are new and immersive .

It ’ s also testament to the city ’ s holistic approach to events – they are integral to the culture of the city .

• This financial year alone , MCB has secured nine international business events expected to inject AUD $ 42.5m into the Victorian economy .

• MCB is managing more than $ 530m worth of bids that have the potential to contribute 260,000 room nights for Victoria .

• As of the end of February 2021 , 18 international business events are still pencilled in for this year and expected to deliver a A $ 62.4m economic contribution to the Victorian economy .

What has been the impact of Covid on Melbourne ’ s international events business and the extent of the hit to its MICE economy ? Like all destinations across the globe there has been a significant impact on international business events . It has been an incredibly challenging time and we ’ ve remained focused on supporting our clients and the events sector throughout this period . We ’ re pleased that the majority of our clients have been able to keep their future events in Melbourne .

The Australian government and , in turn , the Victorian government ’ s response plays in our favour , and already clients are telling us that Australia is being seen as a much lower risk destination , which will be an important factor for the selection of destinations in the future .

Business events can currently be held in various settings across Victoria , from meeting rooms in hotels , museums , restaurants and cafes , to dedicated conference facilities . Our iconic Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre ( MCEC ) is open and able to host events at 75 % capacity .

Our governments have the appropriate policies and strict health and safety procedures in place to assist the resumption of operations in the hotel and accommodation sector , venues and events supply chain , safely in accordance with the easing of restrictions .

We anticipate mostly domestic business this year and international business is set to resume in 2022 . In the meantime , Melbourne has an innovative supply chain to support the delivery of hybrid events with domestic face-to-face delegates and virtual elements for international delegates .