Platform 4 Group picks up NZ Events Association award

NZ Event Awards recognise The Nation’s Top Events And Event Professionals, with Platform 4 Group recognised for its work in securing the America’s Cup Village.

The NZEA announced the winners of its 2021 Awards on 27 July following its premier gathering in Napier – more than 15 months and four postponements after its original scheduled date. An enthusiastic crowd of nearly 350 event professionals from across the country made the trip to Napier to celebrate the event industry’s best.

The new – but appropriate – ‘Best COVID Response for an Event 2021’ category proved to be the most popular, representing over a quarter of all entries. Three winners shared the win in this category: Boma New Zealand with its Boma COVID-19 Virtual Summit, the Stuff Ports of Auckland Round the Bays, and CORE Education’s uLearn20.

The ‘Best Major or Mega Event’ category was taken out by the 36th America’s Cup with a joint entry from America’s Cup Event Ltd, Auckland Council Group and the New Zealand Government.

“It’s great to be celebrating excellence in Major Events at a time when such events are much needed to attract international tourists again,” said NZ Events Association General Manager Ségolène de Fontenay.

Three additional category winners were also associated with the America’s Cup, including PPG Events taking out two Awards for their work on the Toyota Hospitality Experience, and Platform 4 Group winning the Best Supplier Award for their security work at the Cup Village.

A total of 17 awards were made in three categories, for an industry that generates billions of dollars of economic activity every year.

“Organising any event depends on managing multiple moving parts, including suppliers, guests, entertainment, catering and more. With COVID presenting an unpredictable additional dimension, organisers have truly had their backs against the wall,” De Fontenay noted.

“However, we’ve seen incredible resilience and the classic Kiwi Number 8 wire ‘can do’ attitude emerge from events professionals, who have persevered and put up with unimaginable difficulties with dogged determination. That makes this edition of our awards particularly poignant – and, after being kept apart for so long, it’s fair to say everyone made the most of our NZEA NZ Event Awards Gala Evening.”

Praising the consistently high standard of award entries, with a total of 108 events vying for the judges’ nod across 17 categories including sports, arts and culture, community, corporate social responsibility and business events, individuals, venues, sponsors and suppliers, de Fontenay says it is an honour to recognise excellence not only from the winners, but also from every finalist.

“The entries not only entertain the nation but in the case of business events, also accelerate the economy,” De Fontenay added. “You cannot underestimate the value of the events industry to the wellbeing of New Zealanders across economic, social and environmental spheres and ultimately the health and prosperity of a nation’s people.”