MyCEB welcomes new director as event pipeline builds up

Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) has appointed a new director of convention & exhibition as it unveiled a strong lineup of 88 events secured thus far for the destination over the next seven years.

Noor Azlan Abu Bakar, who has taken up his role as director of convention & exhibition at MyCEB since 3 January, will be responsible for establishing Malaysia as one of the top business events destinations in the region, alongside building on MyCEB’s reputation to stakeholders and industry partners.

“The appointment of Azlan is timely to help facilitate business events sector and in securing more international business events to our shore,” said Abdul Khani Daud, CEO of MyCEB. “This is in line with the Malaysia Business Events Strategic Marketing Plan 2021-2030 alongside other initiatives to rebuild the business events industry for 2023 and beyond.”

Boasting over three decades of industry experience, Azlan was one of the pioneers in the Convention Division at Tourism Malaysia involved with the planning of convention and exhibition activities including international association such as PATA, AACVB and ICCA.

Prior to joining MyCEB, Azlan helmed key leadership roles in Tourism Malaysia including senior deputy director and acting director international promotion division (America, Europe & Oceania). He was also posted as an overseas director to undertake global markets such as Tourism Malaysia’s offices in Taiwan and Tokyo where he implemented a marketing plan and marketing strategies for Japan market.

Commenting on his new appointment, Azlan said: “Our sole focus now is making Malaysia the business events powerhouse to truly dominate the business events market and help our clients address their concerns and strategies. I look forward to building more bridges of communication and collaboration with other business events colleagues locally and overseas."

A strong start in the new year

MyCEB has revealed that a total of 88 events have thus far been secured for the destination over the next seven years until 2030.

This pipeline of events comes on the back of a successful 2022, with MyCEB saying that together with industry partners, it staged 152 business events that included meetings, conventions, exhibitions, corporate incentives, and international sporting events.

MyCEB figures show that an accumulative total of 402,320 delegates attended events, out of which 92,000 were international. The estimated economic impact generated from this year is estimated at RM1.23 billion (US$281 million).

The events secured for 2023 and beyond are expected to attract around 104,834 delegates with an estimated economic impact of RM1.47 billion to the country’s economy.

MyCEB says it will continue to focus on five main segments in the business events industry: meetings, incentives, conventions, exhibitions and international sporting events and it plans to re-appoint MyCEB representatives for the China, India, South Korea and ASEAN market to explore global opportunities in these areas.

Khani added: “MyCEB will also continue to offer various assistance schemes to attract business events to Malaysia and moving forward, we aim to map Malaysia’s return to pre-pandemic levels within one to two years for business activities with in-person attendance.

"Business events will be at the height of the competition, and we are happy to share that Malaysia is gunning for prominent international shows for it is our aim to bring home the next World Expo and business events equivalent as such.”