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 worlds 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.