Former managing director of Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB), Mike Cannon, has set up his own consultancy business in Kuching, Sarawak to primarily represent organisations based in Australia and New Zealand keen on targeting business event buyers in South-east Asia and North Asia.
Called Mike Cannon Business Events – Asia Pacific (MCBE), the company was set up at the start of this month.
Cannon told TTGmice that he has Mandarin-speaking associates to assist him in targeting business event buyers in Singapore, Taiwan and the east coast of China.
MCBE also provides consultancy services for marketing, branding, business development and training for business events.
Since the company was set up, it has secured one client from Australia who is seeking business opportunities from South-east Asian buyers, but is outside the business events target.
“They came to us because of our know-how in the region, and because of the cost saving opportunities we offer being based in Kuching”, Cannon said.
Cannon explained why he decided to embark on this new venture: “Since I stepped down from my role at SCB, I’ve been regularly approached about supporting a number of small- and medium-sized companies in the industry that would benefit from someone with decades of experience.”
Cannon’s previous experience includes running his own Sydney-based DMC, Australian Industry and Farming Tours, for 22 years. He was also a founding board member of the National Tourism Alliance of Australia, and he has served on the board of the Australian Tourism Export Council with two years as chairman. In addition, he was part of The Australian Federal Tourism Minister’s Advisory Council in 2005/ 2006, helping to drive the needs of the Australian convention bureaux and business events sector.
“Suffice to say, I’ve seen it all over the last four decades, as the business events industry has powered on in good times and in bad. This is a wonderful time to be leading a bespoke, specialised consultancy, often in association with Love That Destination’s founder and president, Ross Robinson and research director, Patty Buehler, as well as David Hall of David Hall Consultancy based in Australia,” he added.
Based in Canada, Love That Destination helps corporate and association meeting managers find resources to organise better events, and find the right destination for their event. Meanwhile, Hall was instrumental in establishing SCB.
