The Scottish Exhibition + Conference
Centre (SECC) is as good as gold!
The SECC, in-house caterers, Leith’s
and The Convention Bureau of
Glasgow City Marketing Bureau
(GCMB), were all winners recently at
the Meetings and Incentive Travel
magazine awards, beating off stiff
competition to be awarded ‘Best UK
Conference Centre, ‘Best UK Food &
Beverage Supplier’ and ‘Best UK
Convention Bureau’ respectively.
At a glittering ceremony in London,
attended by HRH The Princess Royal,
readers of the influential Meetings and
Incentive Travel (M&IT) magazine
gave the top convention bureau
accolade to GCMB for the second year
running ahead of Manchester
Marketing, Visit London and
Birmingham Convention Bureau while
the SECC surpassed The ICC in
Birmingham, Church House
Conference Centre, London and
Edinburgh International Conference
Centre to collect the ‘Best UK
Conference Centre’ title.
The news of this outstanding
achievement for the SECC comes at a
time when Glasgow is riding high on
the success of winning the bid to host
the Commonwealth Games in 2014.
John Sharkey, Group Chief Executive,
SECC said “This is an outstanding
achievement for the SECC and
NEW
STRUCTURE
As the SECC makes headway on its
QD2 project, which will transform its
64-acre site into a complete exhibition,
conference and entertainments
complex through the construction of
Scotland’s National Arena, exciting
times are on the horizon.
To ensure the SECC can deliver the
Arena project, whilst maintaining and
growing its core business, there has
been restructuring of some senior
management positions.
The changes within the company were
announced by Ian Grant, Chairman of
SEC Ltd., the parent company of the
SECC on 7 May 2008.
Mike Closier (61), Group Chief
Executive of SECC since 1992, has
been appointed Executive Deputy
Chairman, with the brief of delivering
Scotland’s National Arena Project,
which includes not only the arena but
the newsletter for the scottish exhibition + conference centre 2008 issue 1
Glasgow and it’s down to the hard
work and commitment of all our staff
and I would like to thank them for
their efforts. Glasgow has struck gold
in more ways than one and we are
delighted to be a part of it!”
Ben Goedegebuure, Director of Sales
at the SECC, said: “It’s official, the
SECC and GCMB are the best in
Britain and this award is all the more
important because it is our clients
who have voted for us and no one is
better placed to measure service than
them.
“We are thrilled and look forward to
building on this success to become
Ian Grant,
Chairman
of SEC Ltd.
responsibility for the entire business
operation of the SEC Group.
Also in this issue… • “ A New Direction” John Sharkey Group Chief Executive SECC
• MAMMA MIA! Phenomenal Box Office Success • Concert News
GOOD AS GOLD!
also the
redevelopment of
the East and West
sectors of the site.
John Sharkey (42),
formerly Finance
Director at SECC,
becomes Group
Chief Executive,
assuming full
Speaking about the changes, Ian Grant
explained the rationale: “With the
construction of our 12,500-seat
purpose-built Arena soon to get
underway, the SECC is embarking
upon its most exciting chapter since
opening in 1985 and we need to
capitalise on the expertise of our team
to manage this.
“In making the new appointments the
Board is recognising the vital
importance to the Company in
ensuring that we deliver the Arena,
which is a major component of
The team at the SECC proudly pose with the Gold M&IT award
awarded for ‘Best UK Conference Centre’
even better. These are exciting times
for us as well as our clients and we
thank all of those who have voted for
us!”
Scott Taylor, Chief Executive of
Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, said:
“These awards voted for by 6,000
businesses demonstrate the impact on
our customers of the strong coordinated
approach taken by Glasgow
City Marketing Bureau and the SECC
in the drive to bring business tourism
to Glasgow. The city is enjoying
unprecedented success in the UK and
international conference sales
market”.
Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games and
integral to the future of the SECC, and
at the same time maintain and grow
our current business. I’m delighted to
say that we are fortunate in having the
perfect people in place to do both.
“Mike’s successful track record in
delivering major projects, particularly
the Clyde Auditorium, demonstrates
that there could be no better candidate
to direct the Arena project. Likewise,
John’s experience and business
acumen make him the ideal choice as
Group Chief Executive, and I have
every confidence that he will take our
core business to new levels.
“There’s no doubt that over the
coming years, with a spectacular new
arena on site that will play a very
important role in the 2014
Commonwealth Games, the SECC will
be under the world’s spotlight and
we’re going to be ready to show them
that we are world class. Today’s
announcement puts the wheels in
motion to do this as we embrace our
ambitious future.”
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