The success of Claudelands Conference and Exhibition Centre is reaching new heights with nearly 250,000 international, national and local visitors welcomed to around 300 events, since its launch in June 2011.

Leading the team bringing conference and function business to Claudelands is Business Development and Sales Manager, Jessica Vandy. With a background in conference sales, as well as national and international experience, including working for Melbourne’s Convention & Exhibition Centre, Vandy has been instrumental in building the centre’s conference and function business profile to date.

“It has been an exciting year of growth for us; the increasing number of conferences and functions coming through the doors at Claudelands shows how the venue has already established a strong position in the market”, says Vandy.

Claudelands’ impressive track record includes the New Zealand Veterinary Association who returned for a second year to hold their annual conference which was attended by more than 1,000 delegates, the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology (NZIFST) conference which attracted around 400 delegates from the food production sector and the recent New Zealand Resource Teachers Learning and Behaviour Association (NZRTLB) conference, to name a few.

NZRTLB conference co-convener Kris Purden was extremely pleased with the overall experience, in particular the Claudelands staff.  “The staff were incredibly helpful. We would definitely recommend it to other people wanting to hold a conference,” Purden says.

Vandy has recently been joined by two new Business Development Executives, Carene Cohen and Tony Dickson, who are tasked with helping grow national conference and function business at Claudelands.

Cohen is a Bachelor of Media Arts graduate and has a broad background in event management and marketing both locally and nationally.  Her role will be primarily focused on the corporate conference market with a supporting role for association business alongside Vandy.

Dickson joins direct from leading audio-visual solution provider Vidcom, bringing sales, communications and marketing experience along with a sound knowledge of the industry. Dickson will look after corporate functions and events including large-scale dinners and award ceremonies.

Hamilton City’s Event Facilities Director of Business Development, Murray Jeffrey, is excited to have a strong team of business professionals in place.

“Jessica and her team have a great mix of skill and experience to complement the fantastic venue we have at Claudelands, strengthening our overall proposition. Clients can be confident that their conference or function is being placed in the most capable hands”, says Jeffrey.

With continued success from conferences, hosting both national and international delegates, Claudelands continues on its respected path to being recognised as a world-class operation.