By Ian Neubauer

The Sydney Convention and Visitors Bureau (SCVB) has appointed Christine Judd as director of sales.

Judd, who has 25 years’ hospitality experience across four continents and was most recently director of marketing at the Four Seasons Hotel Santa Barbara, California, will oversee a major boost in the bureau’s business development activities worldwide.

SCVB managing director, Jon Hutchison, said Judd had joined at a time of unprecedented support for the business events sector in NSW.

“The time is right for a new push into key international markets, backed by Events New South Wales and a new determination within Sydney’s business events sector,” he said.

“The SCVB has embarked on a major expansion of its operations and Christine will be a key force in our strategy to win a greater share of the international business events market for Sydney.”

The SCVB recently announced key appointments in its overseas offices: Sue Wilkes as director of business development — UK and Europe, and Bondie Fung as business development executive — Asia.

The appointments follow a new partnership with Events New South Wales which will see State Government support for the bureau more than double from its 2006-07 level and allow it to substantially increase the number of business events it targets.