Convention centre head bestowed with highest honour
CRAIGHALL PARK – Recognising inspirational women and the role they play, the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions Industry (Mice) Awards returned with a bang this year.
Now in its second year, the awards took place on 20 August in Craighall Park and honoured the women who make a difference in the industry and the greater community, while also being a role model.
The awards this year saw two women from the Sandton Convention Centre bestowed with one of the highest honours within the awards.
Dr Mati Nyazema, executive director of the convention centre, received the Fiona Hack Inspiration Award; while Lorraine Strydom, exhibition sales manager at the centre, was recognised as one of the top 40 women in the industry. She has held various positions at Sandton Convention Centre over the last 15 years.
Nyazema expressed happiness at being chosen for the award. “It is a great honour to be recognised as a leader in the industry, and even more so as a role model to women,” she said.
Nyazema added that being recognised as a role model meant a great deal to her, as it was something close to her heart.
Martin Hiller, editor of Meetings SA magazine and founder of the awards, explained that hosting the awards was a way to thank phenomenal women such as Nyazema.
“It was time we let these extraordinary women know that they can pat themselves on the back and realise that they are doing fantastic work in the industry,” he said.
Nyazema is a joint recipient of the Fiona Hack Inspiration Award, along with Hack herself, after whom the award was named.
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