The Czech Republic have become the latest country to sign a deal for a headquarters in London during the 2012 Olympics, having reached an agreement to base themselves at the Business Design Centre in Islington.

“Czech House” will be a centre for the Czech Olympic Committee, the Czech Government and a wide range of associated organisations for the duration of the Games.

It will host political, public, economic, business and cultural events as well as sports-related functions and will be a centre for interaction between the Czech Republic and the UK, the European Union and the Olympic Movement.

It will introduce and promote the Czech Republic, its Regions, economy and culture.

Trade, development and tourism bodies, the media and commercial partners will all be represented.

It is anticipated that there will be daily events and exhibitions, as well as evening events on most days, focussing on different aspects of the Czech Republic and its culture. 

“The Czech Olympic Committee is very pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement with the Business Design Centre in Islington London regarding its use as the Czech Olympic House during the 2012 London Olympic Games,” said Jiří Kejval, the vice-president of the Czech Olympic Committee.

“It is our ambition to open up this space to all lovers of sport and culture during the Games.

“We want to bring something of the spirit of both the Czech Republic and the Olympics to Islington and combine them in a truly memorable way.”

The Business Design Centre, which opened in 1986 and was formerly the Royal Agricultural Hall, claims that it is London’s most stylish venue, playing host to over 80 exhibitions and 250 conferences every year.

“We are very proud to be housing the Czech Olympic Committee for the duration of the 2012 Games,” said Dominic Jones, the chief executive of the Business Design Centre.

“We look forward to welcoming all representatives from the Czech Republic both to the venue and the area of Islington in what will be a very special, exciting, and unforgettable summer.”

The Czech Republic join Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands and Switzerland in agreeing deals for hospitality bases during London 2012. 

“The Olympics will be an unforgettable time for Islington,” said Catherine West, the Leader of Islington Council.

This event news story was originally published at http://www.insidethegames.biz/summer-olympics/2012/12758-czech-republic-sign-deal-with-business-design-centre-for-london-2012-base. Got your own event story – get in touch to http://eventsecrets.com/contact/ – bringing you the latest event management news stories from around the world.

In the same period in 2010 the company registered £37.6m profit.

The figures are an encouraging sign of regrowth in the exhibition industry, especially when coupled with the AEO’s annual The Facts report from last week.

UBM’s revenue also rose in the first quarter, reaching £237.7m from £209.1m last year.

“We are pleased with the performance of the business in the first quarter where we have seen good underlying revenue growth of 7.5% and we remain on track to meet our expectations for the full year,” said UBM chief executive officer David Levin.

“As we said at the full year we expect the improved quality and shape of the business to result in sustained underlying revenue growth during 2011 broadly in line with the 5.6% growth enjoyed in 2010.”

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The O2 has generated a total economic impact equivalent to more than double the original investment in the Millennium Dome, according to research.

The venue, which originally looked likely to be an embarrassing white elephant, now supports an additional 2,900 jobs in the London economy.

The research was completed on behalf of The O2 owner AEG Europe by newly formed agency Why Not consulting, which is headed by former commercial director at Visit London David Hornby, and former KPMG and PMP advisor Christian Nelson.

Why Not will operate as a consultancy network, working on strategy development, delivery support, impact studies, feasibilities and business planning.

The agency’s O2 study also found that it generates around £405m worth of additional income for London every year.

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SuccessFactors Inc. (SFSF) said it will list its stock on U.S. and European venues owned by NYSE Euronext (NYX) and Deutsche Boerse AG, which plan to merge to create the world’s largest exchange operator.

The shares will be listed in late April or early May on the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE Euronext Paris and a market run by Frankfurt-based Deutsche Boerse, according to Andrea Meyer, a spokeswoman for the company. The stock’s current home market is run by Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. (NDAQ) in the U.S.

SuccessFactors, a business-software developer based in San Mateo, California, rallied to a record high of $39.27 on April 4 after rising 36 percent in 2011 and 189 percent in 2010.

This event news story was originally published at http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-06/successfactors-switches-listing-venue-to-nyse-deutsche-boerse.html. Got your own event story – get in touch to http://eventsecrets.com/contact/ – bringing you the latest event management news stories from around the world.

Avanti Events and sister company Pharma Events founded 15 years ago by David and Barbara Addison have joined the MCI-Group effective 1 April 2011 adding new strengths and skills in destination management, corporate conferences, incentives, meetings and special events to complement MCIs existing association conference management business in Australia.

Ray Shaw, managing director of MCI Australia (formerly Event Planners) said that it was a perfect fit as it would enable MCI to expand into a range of complementary services offered by MCI in 21 other countries. According to Shaw, the addition of the two companies and would take MCI to the next step in providing corporate clients access to the world’s largest globally integrated association, communication and event management agency and offer inbound clients access to DMC services throughout Australia.

David Addison will become a director of MCI responsible for Corporate meetings and events and manage NSW and ACT regions. Addision was delighted with the merger saying that it allowed him to realise the potential within Avanti Events. “We had earned a great reputation for creative business events and incentives limited by a typical small business scenario unable to generate the critical mass we needed to expand, he said. The strength of MCI allows us to immediately approach corporate clients, including tier 1 companies, offering them the benefits of a global event company.”

Avanti Events is a corporate meeting and event, conference and incentives agency. Pharma Events provides a niche events service for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies involved in R&D in the region, organising investigator meetings and advisory boards.

MCI merged with multi-award winning conference management company Event Planners Australia in 2010. It has offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart and plans to complete its national network and roll out a complete set of live event services for government, association and business clients.

MCI is also recruiting business development and conference and event management staff to cater for a predicted spectacular growth in Sydney. The organisation commenced in Geneva in 1987 and has grown to become the largest integrated association conference, business meeting and events, destination management and Incentives company with more than 1,000 staff in 45 offices in 22 countries.

This event news story was originally published at http://www.spicenews.com.au/2011/04/04/article/Avanti-Events-and-Pharma-Events-join-MCI-Group/TRIBWIHBBE.html. Got your own event story – get in touch to http://eventsecrets.com/contact/ – bringing you the latest event management news stories from around the world

In its final set of results before its merger with WorldEvents, UniversalProcon announced its results for the Financial Year ending September 2010 which show Profit Before Tax at a consolidated level, including the US and travel related subsidiary ATW, at £2,156,051. This compares with a corresponding figure of £(168,600) for the Year Ending September 2009. The previous financial year’s numbers were severely dented by significant write downs relating to property lease costs and a technology related project.

At a UK level the company has turned around a loss of nearly £(1.75)m to a profit of £0.6m.

Commenting on the turnaround Graham McIntosh, formerly Managing Director of UniversalProcon and now Managing Director of Universal WorldEvents said, ‘The level of profitability is a reflection of continuing business development success and new business wins. It is also a measure of the fact we have got the business operating smoothly since our acquisition of Universal in 2008 and its subsequent merger with Procon.’

The company won a significant number of new pieces of business during the period. One of the largest projects was for a global healthcare client the where the company teamed up with WorldEvents in June and then subsequently won a number of months later.

McIntosh concluded by saying, “We are delighted with these numbers which demonstrate our ability to deliver strong profits even in what are still challenging market conditions. Our strategy of focusing on the Healthcare sector has proven to be a sound one.”

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Visitor attraction group and owner of many an event space, Merlin Entertainments, posted a 4.1% increase in revenues in the year to Christmas day 2010.

The firm, which owns and runs Madame Tussauds, Thorpe Park and The London Eye, generated £800.8m revenue last year.

The company, which is owned by private equity firms, stepped backed from a potential stock market listing last year, but a report in the Financial Times suggests plans to list Merlin are still on course.

Merlin has more than 70 attractions in 17 countries and last year purchased a Florida theme park, which will become a Legoland, and became operator of the Blackpool Tower complex.

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Qatar Finance and Business Academy’s (QFBA) announced that it will hold its quarterly learning event on March 29th, Tuesday. This event seeks to help managers, HR leaders and professionals from various organisations in Qatar to review their employee strategy where they wish to create and foster a skilled workforce ready to take up the demands of a recovering global business.

Business sentiment for 2011 is looking up according to global surveys and businesses worldwide are now nearly as confident of growth this year as in the boom years before the crisis. CEOs and business leaders are now faced with the challenge to achieve growth as world markets improve. Shifting strategies in innovation, working more closely with partners and governments and in particular areas such as talent appears to be the key to realizing growth. Will organizations have the talent they need when growth returns? How can companies get the most from their key employees?

This is the premise of Qatar Finance & Business Academy’s (QFBA) quarterly learning event.

On its third successful run, the learning session will feature Mr. Christopher Box of PricewaterhouseCoopers Qatar and Mr Tom Flatau of Teamworking International Ltd as they impart their expert thoughts on employing and keeping the right talent and techniques for successful leadership.

Mr Box will engage the guests on ‘Employing the Right People – At the top of the CEO’s agenda’.

“After a period of cost cutting, hiring freezes and budget constraints, leaders are being challenged to mobilize talent to help businesses grow. But apparent shortages of the right people with the right skills in the right places, remains a major concern, causing many CEOs and decision makers to demand a rethink of their entire people strategy,” said Mr. Box in a statement about his talk.

Mr Flatau will focus on ‘What Every Leader Needs to Know’ – - where he will be imparting his expert knowledge on what it takes to be a successful leader in the 21st century. Tom will be presenting four tools one of which includes “the power of emotions” which participants can immediately use to take their leadership skills to new levels.

Mr Flatau said, “It is a pleasure for us at Teamworking International to “team” up with a highly-regarded institution such as QFBA. We look forward to a long, productive and mutually beneficial relationship.”

As part of a series of informal learning sessions, the QFBA Learning Day aims to engage participants on a range of relevant subjects impacting business acumen, human resources, learning and development, coaching, leadership and development.

Greg Cooper, Director of Open Portfolio at QFBA, commented, “Once again we are proud to conduct our quarterly learning day. We are thrilled to have this opportunity to offer

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Members of industry association, HBAA, have given a mixed response to Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne’s budget speech on Wednesday (23 March).

The association, whose buying power in the sector accounts for £2.3bn, was keen to see what it would mean for the accommodation, meetings and events booking sector.

Hotelscene managing director Nick Foot said it was a budget that “mixed good and bad news” but it is too early to get out the bunting and start the street party just yet.

“Low consumer confidence, public spending cuts, high global commodity prices and the problems in Japan and the Middle East all point to a cautious approach to 2011 so I can’t see businesses loosening their meetings and events budgets too far,” he commended.

“The proposed legislation to simplify the tax system on business is to be welcomed by the meetings and events industry but the positive impact of these measures will not be felt for some time,” he said.

This event news story was originally published at http://www.eventmagazine.co.uk/news/bulletin/newsbulletin/article/1062067/?DCMP=EMC-CONNewsBulletin.  Got your own event story – get in touch to http://eventsecrets.com/contact/ – bringing you the latest event management news stories from around the world.