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CEO Update – May 2022

09 Jun 2022

First and foremost, ICC Sydney enjoys connection on a global scale through the ASM Global family of over 320 venues worldwide, giving us access to our industry colleagues and their breadth of experience and expertise from around the world.

The transformative impact of the pandemic has highlighted the power of connections and the critical role face to face business events play in sparking creativity and learning, facilitating business and trade and building culture by bringing people together in engaging and memorable ways.

The industry’s power to connect people can be experienced year-round here at ICC Sydney through our industry leading Legacy Program. As Australia’s premier convention, exhibition and entertainment venue, we believe we have both an opportunity and an obligation to deliver positive social impact through the events hosted at ICC Sydney. Designed to contribute to the intellectual, social and cultural capital of Sydney long after the conclusion of an event, our Legacy Program connects event organisers with a cross section of leading and emerging talent or charitable opportunities to provide enriching experiences during events.

At the heart of ICC Sydney’s modus operandi, is a team dedicated to delivering the best outcomes for event organisers and attendees as well as the community in which we operate. Through the Legacy Program attendees are linked in with local bright and enquiring minds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses or cultural experiences, emerging creative talent and sustainable event practices.

The Legacy Program is complemented by ICC Sydney’s food and beverage philosophy of bringing the best of local and regional food and wine producers to the table. Business events are a driving force for innovation, providing researchers and practitioners with a platform to discuss and disseminate new ideas. They are where brilliant thinkers come together to solve the world’s problems — from health and medical breakthroughs, technology and ethics, engineering and development, to environmental sustainability and more. Our Legacy Program also connects event organisers with Sydney’s top universities, which are located on the venue’s doorstep.

Experience has shown that an agile, flexible and consultative approach backed by technological infrastructure and expertise best supports connection. ICC Sydney’s innovative technology and talented team ensure we are well placed to enable business exchange, investment, education and celebration.

With a sharp focus on client and delegate satisfaction, our approach to connecting people extends to providing multiple event scenario planning for in person, hybrid and virtual events which has become the benchmark of event management excellence. Whether your presenters and attendees are in person or online, they will receive professional advice and a warm welcome from our passionate people.

Situated at the nexus between business, community and academia, ICC Sydney, provides connective infrastructure, a built environment optimised for connection, trade and knowledge exchange.

The architecture of the venue was purpose built to provide connection. It’s possible to traverse three buildings through an interconnected walkway in minutes. The interior design signifies connection through to the natural world at its door step with spectacular views over the water, parkland and city skyline. Styled in blue and shimmering silvers, the Convention Centre overlooks the sparkling waters of Darling Harbour to our North. The Exhibition Centre visually adjoins the green of Tumbalong Park to our East. The energetic red of Aware Super Theatre marries with the dynamism of Sydney’s Chinatown as well as start-up and university student enclaves to our South. It also overlooks the tranquil Chinese Garden of Friendship.

With the wellbeing of attendees in mind, ICC Sydney launched Connect Outdoors — a styled, open air networking event service that capitalises on the venue’s outdoor spaces and fantastic outlooks. The service meets renewed demand for in person connection and experiences though our distinct packages that can be integrated into a broader event program, complete with recommended theming solutions.

ICC Sydney is a place that connects its visitors to history. For over 60,000 years, First Nations people have gathered in Gomora and Tumbalong, or what is today known as Darling Harbour, to celebrate, meet, exchange information and trade. Through our connection with community, we continue to provide opportunities for some of those early stories to continue to be told.

The power of this place, Tumbalong (land) and Gomora (water), is enlightened by Aboriginal leaders such as Aunty Margret Campbell of Dreamtime SouthernX who conducts walking tours for event attendees around the venue, explaining the First Nations culture and storytelling unique to this location — another activity that can be scheduled into your event program through ICC Sydney’s Legacy Program.

If the pandemic presented obstacles to connection with history or geographic destination, ICC Sydney has creatively overcome them with agility. For instance, at the height of the crisis when virtual events emerged as an essential meetings solution, ICC Sydney collaborated with its partners at the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council to embed a traditional Welcome to Country delivered by Uncle Allen Madden, Gadigal Elder, via a pre-recorded video into the broadcast event format.

ICC Sydney continues to drive connection to people, history and place. We look forward to welcoming you to a place where the event attendee wins — their end to end journey being considered, where moments that will educate, inspire and delight are factored into the experience and where opportunities exist to leave a lasting, positive impact.