New members for NZ’s Business Events Industry association Board

New Zealand’s Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) association has elected one new Platinum member and co-opted another Board member in Air New Zealand’s seat. The appointments followed the association’s annual general meeting in Napier, 6 October. Ross Steele (pictured), general manager of Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, was elected to replace Georgina Grey from Accor New Zealand, who has stepped down after three years in the role. Iain Walker fills Air New Zealand’s co-opted seat, replacing Blair Catton. BEIA’s 10-strong Board includes independent chair Steve Armitage, plus two seats from the Platinum member category, and one seat from each of the Gold and Silver member categories. The Board also includes one non-voting seat for Air New Zealand, one non-voting seat for Tourism New Zealand, and two appointed members. Armitage welcomed the new Board members at what is, he said, a time of major growth and change for New Zealand’s business events industry. “Ross will share his valuable experience in industry advocacy, international business events marketing, sales and venue management,” he said. Prior to moving to Christchurch in March 2019, Steele was general manager of the Cairns Convention Centre, which was voted AIPC World’s Best Congress Centre 2014, and before that he was with the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Walker, meanwhile, has over 14 years’ experience in Air New Zealand, and has worked across many roles within Revenue Management, Commercial, Tandem Travel and Alliances, Armitage noted. The 2022-2023 Board’s other Platinum category member is Prue Daly from NZICC / SkyCity Entertainment Group. The Gold representative is Tracey Thomas from Conference Innovators has been retained for another two-year term. The Silver representative is Jake Downing from Weta Workshop. The Board also includes co-opted members Bjoern Spreitzer, Tourism New Zealand, plus chief executive Lisa Hopkins.