The opening of an Asia office in Singapore, which is scheduled to officially open on the 25th October 2007, has been announced by Meeting Professionals International (MPI). The office is part of MPI’s new…
The opening of an Asia office in Singapore, which is scheduled to officially open on the 25th October 2007, has been announced by Meeting Professionals International (MPI). The office is part of MPI’s new vision and global strategy that was revealed in March at the Professional Education Conference-Europe, Copenhagen. The announcement was made jointly by MPI and the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau (SECB) at a press conference during the 2007 World Education Congress a la Montreal to a crowd of global meetings and events professionals.
“The expansion of MPI into Asia-Pacific is a deliberate response to supporting the outstanding meetings and travel growth in that region,” said Bruce MacMillan, MPI president and CEO. “With the continuous development of its meetings and events industry infrastructure, its role as a regional hub for Asia and its appeal as a brand, Singapore is the ideal choice as the place for our fourth office.”
MPI`s strategy to use the Singapore office to add the Asian dimension of MPI`s knowledge and industry networks is synergistic with Singapore`s vision to be the key Exchange Capital of Asia, connecting knowledge with business.
“The opening of this office fits in with Singapore’s vision to develop a vibrant ecosystem of world-class Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) International Organizations (IO’s) which play an instrumental role in the professional development of the Singapore MICE industry. This also reinforces Singapore’s position as an exchange capital of the world, where there is a robust exchange of ideas and a fertile ground for business prospects, networking opportunities and the development of human capital,” said Aloysius Arlando, assistant chief executive, SECB.
“Through their international networks as well as their ability to build relationships and marketplaces around the world for all members, MPI’s presence in Singapore will provide meetings industry members with opportunities to further develop their expertise and tap into a global community of meeting industry professionals. Singapore looks forward to solidifying this relationship with MPI.”
As a reflection of Singapore’s appeal as the definitive hub for International Organizations in the Asia-Pacific region, an increasing number are setting up regional offices in Singapore. Among nearly 60 such offices are; Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). These International Organizations span a spectrum of industries, including Singapore’s key economic sectors such as biomedical sciences, logistics and transportation, and banking and finance.
“A strong presence in Singapore will provide a community platform that will support our members who have an interest or desire to expand their business into or from this region of the world,” said Didier Scaillet, Vice-President of Global Development. “We are thrilled to partner with Singapore to elevate the knowledge and experiences of the meetings and events community.”
MPI anticipates hosting a Professional Education Conference-Asia (PEC-Asia) in Singapore, during Autumn 2008.
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