Club Melbourne welcomes diverse leaders to Ambassador Programme

Artist and community leader Mandy Nicholson; CEO of Industry Capability Network Dianne Smith and Laureate Professor Eric Reynolds AO are the latest inductees to Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre’s (MCEC) Club Melbourne Ambassador Programme. Nicholson is the founder, singer and songwriter of Djirri Djirri, the only Wurundjeri female dance group. Currently pursuing a PhD at Monash University, she is researching ways that Aboriginal people connect to Country, off Country. She is the first Traditional Owner to join the Club Melbourne Ambassador Programme.    Dianne Smith’s organisation, meanwhile, provides support services for buyers and suppliers across Australia. Having previously held chief executive positions at Melbourne Chamber of Commerce and Victorian Tourism Industry Council, Smith adds her extensive industry and government connections to the Club Melbourne Ambassador Programme. Laureate Professor Eric Reynolds AO is the CEO and Research Director of the Oral Health Co-operative Research Centre at the Melbourne Dental School. Eric’s distinguished career in molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology, microbiology, cardiology and periodontology has led to the development of 19 patents and has earned him numerous awards for his contributions to science. Clare Kellett, Club Melbourne manager, said: “It is a privilege to have the expertise of Mandy, Dianne and Eric as part of our Club Melbourne programme. These new Ambassadors reflect the diversity of people, ideas and innovations across our city,” she said.     “Our newest Ambassadors will contribute to the legacy of the programme and Melbourne’s reputation as a thriving cultural hub, bringing thought leadership to the city and boosting the local economy,” she added. Mandy, Dianne and Eric’s appointments follow the recent inclusion of chef Alejandro Saravia and Emma Coath, both innovative thinkers and leaders in food and agriculture. The Club Melbourne programme now includes 80 Ambassadors who are business and community leaders in different fields including agriculture, science, medicine and technology. Club Melbourne Ambassadors work alongside the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) to secure significant conferences and events that promote Victoria as a leading knowledge destination. Since its inception in 2005, the Club Melbourne Ambassadors, together with MCB, have secured over 160 international conferences worth over AUD$1bn to Victoria’s economy and brought tens of thousands of visitors to the city.