CAPTION:
Front (L-R) Eric Ho, Winnee Lim, Kenneth Fong, Dato' Vincent Lim, Francis Teo, Lee Mark, Dee Dee Quah
Back (L-R) Oo Mei Ting, Lim Ee Huang, Edwin Lai, Jaggarao Simancha, Dato’ Seri Abdul Khani Daud, Dato Sri Dr. Irmohizam Ibrahim, Gerard Leeuwenburgh, Melvin Shu, Tiffany Chung, Phoebe Kyo


KUALA LUMPUR, 9 OCT 2020:

Francis Teo, Head of Setia City Convention Centre, has been elected as president of the Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (MACEOS), for the 2020-2022 term. He takes over the MACEOS reins from Dato’ Vincent Lim, who served the association as president for the past three consecutive terms.

In accepting the new responsibility, Teo hoped that the new committee members would lead MACEOS with dedication, commitment, and passion in facing the change that is impacting the industry.

Reflecting on the challenges he and his team would need to face in leading MACEOS forward, he said: “We have to learn to change the way we operate in this industry. We have to learn to pivot and also embrace event digitalisation. We believe that event digitalisation will complement our industry but would never replace it.”

He added: “We also need to be less dependent on international markets entirely. Instead, we must learn to create opportunities for ourselves. We need to network more, connect, and collaborate with each other so that we could survive this period together.”

The meeting was graced by Dato' Sri Abdul Khani bin Daud, CEO of MyCEB with his sharing of the Bureau’s plans and programmes to strengthen the BE industry.

Teo will be supported by a new lineup of Executive Committee members elected during the association’s 30th Annual General Meeting held on 7 October. The full list of the new Executive Committee Members for the 2020-2022 term is as follows:

President Francis Teo, Setia City Convention Centre
Immediate Past President Dato’ Vincent Lim, C.I.S Network Sdn Bhd
Vice President – Exhibition -Vacant-
Vice President – Conference Dee Dee Quah, Medical Partners Sdn Bhd
Vice President – Industry Partners Eric Ho, Pico International (M) Sdn Bhd
Vice President – Event Management Lee Mark, The Hot Shoe Show & Co Sdn Bhd
Honorary Secretary Kenneth Fong, Messe Worldwide Sdn Bhd
Honorary Treasurer Winnee Lim, Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre
Ordinary Committee Member Jaggarao Simancha, Asc Agenda Suria Communication Sdn Bhd
Ordinary Committee Member Lim Ee Huang, Doremi Services & Rental Sdn Bhd
Ordinary Committee Member Tiffany Chung, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre
Ordinary Committee Member Phoebe Kyo, Kyo Exh Connections
Ordinary Committee Member Gerard Leeuwenburgh, Ubm Mes
Ordinary Committee Member Melvin Shu, Smart Reg System Sdn Bhd
Ordinary Committee Member Edwin Lai, Trade-Link Exhibition Services Sdn Bhd
Ordinary Committee Member Oo Mei Ting, World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur




Meanwhile, in the outgoing speech of Dato’ Vincent Lim, Lim said: “I am proud to be given the opportunity to contribute to MACEOS and advocate for the business events (BE) industry to be recognised as a vital sector for the economy.”

Touching on the challenges MACEOS faced in 2020 caused by the COVID-10 pandemic, he said: “The early days of the pandemic was a very intense period. However, that didn’t stop us from playing our role as industry advocates through Zoom meetings, webinar programmes, members’ survey, information updates, governmental meetings, media interviews by local news/international news agencies, and press releases.”

“In mitigating the pandemic matters, we worked closely with the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), Business Events Council Malaysia (BECM), and various governmental ministries to formulate the Business Events Standard Operating Procedures. This was eventually submitted, approved, and accepted by the Malaysian National Security Council (NSC),” he added.

He hoped that MACEOS would continue to drive the BE industry forward, “attracting new and younger members to take on an active role in the association.”

During Lim’s tenure as MACEOS president, Lim was also instrumental in the formation of BECM, which was an initiative of MyCEB. BECM consists of members of MACEOS and its alliances. It was formed with the purpose to create a bigger voice for the business events industry and help it grow.
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ABOUT MACEOS - THE VOICE OF MALAYSIA’S BUSINESS EVENTS INDUSTRY

Back in 1990, when business tourism in Malaysia was still in its infancy, the Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (MACEOS) was incepted with the objective of developing and raising the standards of the Business Events (BE) industry nationwide. The Association is the mandated representative of its members who hail from various business establishments including professional exhibition and conference organisers, venue providers, destination management, and event management companies to other affiliated members including stand contractors, AV, logistics, airlines, travel & tours and more.

MACEOS’s objectives are aligned to its four pillars - I.D.E.A. to reflect:

• Innovation: transforming BE in line with Industry 4.0 seamlessly
• Development: evolving sustainability beyond the industry
• Education: shaping the future of BE by nurturing, enabling and empowering talents
• Advocacy: becoming a catalyst of economic development delivering unprecedented value to enrich the nation, while increasing Malaysia BE’s visibility and influence at all levels in the BE arena

For more information/media enquiries, kindly contact:
Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers
G’ny Chin Jin Yi, Senior Manager
M: +6012-3190911
E: gny@maceos.com.my