KUALA Lumpur has been chosen to host the first Asian edition of the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in March 2014.

The four-day event, to be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, is expected to welcome 6,600 international delegates from countries such as Australia, China and Russia. It is estimated that RM66.5 million (US$22 million) in economic impact will be generated from OTC Asia.

Describing Malaysia as “an obvious choice as many of the world’s most well-known international oil and gas companies are present”, OTC executive director, Stephen Graham, said: “On top of that, the support which we have received so far from local organisations such as Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) has been tremendous.”

MyCEB CEO, Zulkefli Hj Sharif, said: “Accounting for around one-fifth of the (Malaysia’s) entire GDP and included in the country’s Economic Transformation Programme outline, the oil and gas sectors are some of the most important pillars of Malaysia’s economy. This makes it a real honour for us to welcome OTC Asia to our shore and we are very proud to be its first Asian host.”

He added: “With every business event that arrives in Malaysia, we put together the best experience for delegates. Our last oil and gas conference was the 25^th World Gas Conference 2012, which reached record breaking attendance. We hope (for the same) success for OTC Asia as well.”

SKYCITY Entertainment Group has signed a Heads of Agreement with the New Zealand government to design, build and operate the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) in Auckland.

Key terms of the agreement include Skycity committing NZ$315 million (US$259.6 million) to build the NZICC and contributing a 14,000m² Auckland CBD site valued at NZ$87 million. In return, the government has agreed to extend the Auckland Casino Venue Licence for 35 years to 2048 and a package of regulatory reforms.

NZICC will include public convention and exhibition space that can accommodate 3,500 delegates at one time, at least 780 car park spaces and a link-way bridge over Hobson Street.

The facility is expected to open in mid/late 2017.

BUSINESS event specialist MCI has acquired creative events agency Off-site Connections Event Solutions Australia (OSC) in a bid to expand its resources and enhance creative services to clients.

The move brings a team of 16 to MCI Australia, with event solutions skills ranging from technical production, creative event design and styling, event and brand communication, overall event programme design and all logistics management.

Nick Millis, general manager of OSC will join MCI in Australia as director of corporate and creative events, working closely with Stephan Wurzinger, managing director of MCI Australia.

OSC’s managing director, Peter Kinnane, will join MCI as director of creative events, Asia-Pacific. He will drive the MCI Creative Events and Brand Experiences to corporate and association clients throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

Wurzinger said: “MCI Australia has found in OSC a creative partner who matches our client-centric ethos and constant quest to provide outside of the box solutions. A major milestone for operations in Australia, this acquisition will transform our corporate events offering.”