Claudelands Conference and Exhibition Centre has announced two new appointments within its Business Development team.

Wendy Harrison is joining the Hamilton venue as its Business Development and Sales Manager from 20 May, while Dawn Stewart has been promoted to the role of Business Development and Sales Executive.

Wendy has previously held various roles with leading companies within the travel sector – including as a Groups, Conferences and Events Manager, and most recently as an international Marathon Tours Specialist.

These roles have seen her manage groups, conferences and events requirements for a large number of regional and national companies, as well as lead groups of Kiwis to some of the biggest events around the world, including the TCS New York City Marathon – the world's largest live sporting event.

Wendy says she is excited to be part of the fast-paced and dynamic MICE sector and join the award-winning Claudelands team.

“I look forward to working in this highly-regarded team who are clearly good at what they do. I can’t wait to connect with our clients and help lead Claudelands forward into its next phase,” she says.

Dawn Stewart will be a familiar face to some, having worked with Claudelands for the past three years in the roles of Conference and Function Coordinator, Duty Manager and Event Manager – during which time she has managed a number of significant business events for the venue.

Along with Business Development Coordinator Sheree Hodges who returned from parental leave this month, the new appointments bring the Claudelands team back up to full strength.

H3 Director of Business Development and Marketing Murray Jeffrey says the appointment of Wendy and Dawn and return of Sheree means the venue is in good hands.

“We are pleased to have Wendy, Dawn and Sheree all on board and to have a full, strong and capable team focused on driving Claudelands forward and providing the best possible outcomes for our clients,” he says.

The team are currently preparing for the Meetings tradeshow, where they will be showcasing Claudelands alongside the likes of Hamilton & Waikato, and Hobbiton™ Movie Set.

“We’d love to see you at Meetings,” says Murray.  “Come and say ‘hi’, meet the team and find out more about what makes our venue so special.”