Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center (MCEC) has
celebrated its outgoing chief executive, Peter King, for his decade of
commitment.
To mark King’s 10-years of commitment to the role, a permanent tribute has been installed in MCEC’s Plenary, he’s also been inducted as a Club Melbourne Ambassador, and he has received lifetime membership of the Exhibition and Events Association of Australasia (EEAA).
The permanent tribute in the Plenary, a red chair, is a nod to King’s earlier career as a first-class cricketer. The green chairs of the Plenary are designed to represent the grass of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where Peter once hit a record six into the northern stands. A red chair marks where the ball landed, mirroring the new one installed in Peter’s honour in the Plenary.
King has also been made an honorary Club Melbourne Ambassador in recognition of his support of the program over the last decade. Since he became CEO of MCEC, Club Melbourne has supported bids to win 107 international events worth more than AUD860 million in economic impact and attracting over 150,000 delegates to Melbourne.
King also oversaw the AUD205 million expansion of MCEC and lead the venue through Covid-19.
The Hon. John Brumby AO, chairperson of Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, said: “Peter’s contributions to MCEC and the industry over the years are many and numerous. It’s vital that his achievements are recognised by the business and the industry.
“His contributions transcend the boardroom and can be seen with tangible outcomes on the ground. Peter led the AUD205 million expansion of MCEC and during COVID-19 when the chips were down, he played a key role in advocating for the interests of the exhibition and event sector.
“He built strong relationships with his team, customers, and stakeholders, and is held in high regard by everyone he worked with. I’m delighted that we can recognise his incredible contribution to MCEC."
King added: “I really appreciate all the thoughtful recognition, acknowledgements and recognition I’ve received from well-wishers to mark my time at MCEC. The red chair as a memento at the Plenary is a real honour. Two of my great Melbourne passions are now aligned – the MCEC and the MCC.
“There are many things I am proud of that have occurred during my time here. Our business, in revenue terms, more than doubled in the years since I arrived.
“The thing I will remember most is that everything I have achieved has been made possible by the team around me. I’ll miss MCEC. I’ll miss walking through the concourse when it’s filled with hundreds, sometimes thousands of people. The smiles we put on faces, especially kids. And I’ll miss stopping to chat with our team and event organisers to see how everything’s going.
“I’m so proud about what we have done to reinforce our position as one of the best Convention and Exhibition Centres in the world.”
