NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell and Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner today announced the NSW Government has secured CeBIT Australia, the Asia Pacific arm of the world’s largest trade fair, in Sydney for 2014-16.
CeBIT Australia is the largest business technology event in the Asia Pacific, attracting more than 30,000 attendees from more than 45 countries each year.
Mr O’Farrell said the event generates around $30 million in direct and flow-on value to the NSW economy.
"Sydney is the national capital for ICT and the natural home for an event like CeBIT Australia,” Mr O’Farrell said.
“CeBIT Australia is a magnet for the best tech talent the world has to offer, and keeping the event in Sydney helps maintain the State’s reputation as one of the Asia Pacific’s leading hubs for technology, productivity and innovation.
"By showcasing the work of our local technology start-ups, CeBIT Australia offers a powerful platform from which we can demonstrate our capabilities to the world.”
Mr Stoner said the NSW Government was proud to continue as principal partner to the event.
“Sydney is Australia’s ICT hub and the NSW Government wants to ensure it remains a beacon for growth and innovation in the digital economy in the Asia Pacific and around the world,” Mr Stoner said.
“CeBIT is one of many events that will be utilising venues across the city while the new world-class facilities at Darling Harbour are being developed.
“This is a great endorsement for Sydney and our ability to deliver world-class events, despite the changes to our hosting spaces.
"Last year, I commissioned a high level industry taskforce to identify the key barriers and opportunities for growth in the State’s digital economy.
"The taskforce's action plan for growth over the next decade highlighted the need to build a strong global identity for Sydney’s digital strength and CeBIT Australia provides a platform to do exactly that.”
Jackie Taranto, Managing Director of Deutsche Messe Worldwide in Australia and organiser of CeBIT Australia, said she was delighted that CeBIT would remain in Sydney for the next three years.
“2013 marks CeBIT Australia’s 12th consecutive year in Sydney and the harbour city’s appeal has been a major factor in the growth of the event over that time,” Ms Taranto said.
“We look forward to working even more closely with the NSW Government to cement the city’s global reputation for innovation and leadership in the digital space.”
Business Events Sydney, Chief Executive Officer, Lyn Lewis-Smith said keeping the CeBIT Australia event in Sydney would bring even broader benefits to the city’s global events profile and to the local economy.
“CeBIT is a world-renowned event and is the largest business technology event in the Asia Pacific. Events such as these act as incubators for innovation, hubs for knowledge sharing and drivers for trade, investment and international networking. Our State’s economy, digital industries, businesses and local community will all benefit from CeBIT Australia remaining in Sydney,” Ms Lewis-Smith said.
“Securing CeBIT is fantastic. Our city’s reputation as a leading global event destination has just been proved again. We know that the next three years and the redevelopment of Darling Harbour will present certain challenges. CeBIT’s choice to keep calling Sydney home over the development period shows that there are solutions. Sydney is open for events from 2014 – 2016.”