Press Cuttings Transcripts
Mayoral commission confirms chair
Conference and Exhibition Fact Finder, 01 April 2004
Business leader Gerry Acher has been confirmed as chair of the new Mayoral Commission tasked with deciding whether London needs a new convention centre.
Set up by the London Development Agency, the Mayor’s agency for business and jobs, the Commission will explore the potential benefits of building a large-scale international convention centre in the capital. It will also look more widely at other options to ensure London maximises its potential in the multi-billion pound business travel sector.
Acher, currently vice-chairman of business group London First and a non-executive director of Camelot, said, “A succesful convention centre could mean a quantum leap for London, not just in business tourism but more generally. However my top priority is to lead a full and frank investigation into the case for a major new convention centre for the capital. The international market is worth more than £100 billion a year and growing fast, it may come as a surprise to many that London can’t compete for that business at present. Unlike other cities, the capital doesn’t have a venue that can cater for a meeting of five thousand or more at a time.”
The commission, which will report and make recommendations to the Mayor, is to consider the arguments surrounding the possibility of London having its own International Convention Centre. It will also assess if there is a market for a new centre, whether there are existing alternatives in London that could be developed and, if the case is made, to make recommendations on location, funding and timings.
Acher’s first task will be to appoint commissioners to the project and an initial report is expected within a year.