Ciara Davidson, Director of Transformation and Governance at ICC Belfast has been appointed as an observer to the global Board of the International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC) – the industry body for convention and exhibition centre leaders across the world.
AIPC represents chief executives and senior leaders of convention centres from over 60 countries, driving excellence and innovation in venue management.
Ciara’s appointment is a significant honour, as she will contribute an operational perspective and the voice of the next generation of industry talent to the Board. Other Board members are leaders of some of the most prestigious convention venues in Switzerland, Calgary, New Zealand and Cape Town.
As a member of the industry body, in 2023, Ciara was selected for the AIPC Future Shapers leadership programme. Over nine months, she worked with an international team comprising leaders from convention venues in Sydney, Paris and Kuala Lumpur. Her team’s project was the development of an innovative HR app for the events industry, aimed at tackling challenges around recruitment and retention of specialist events staff. Their project won the programme’s final pitch at the Costa Rica showcase, and the app is now being further developed by AIPC for industry roll-out.
Following her success, Ciara was invited to mentor a team in the next Future Shapers cohort last year in Shenzhen China, before being selected to lead the Future Shapers Task Force for AIPC’s Annual Conference in Bilbao in June 2026.
Reflecting on her appointment, Ciara Davidson said:
“It’s an incredible privilege to be appointed to the AIPC Board and to lead the Future Shapers Task Force. AIPC has given me the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from global industry leaders, and I’m proud to bring those insights back to ICC Belfast.
“For a convention centre of our size, to have a voice at this level is hugely rewarding – it shows that Belfast is making a real impact on the global stage.
“It’s also a real confidence boost to see that the challenges we face in Belfast are felt all over the world. And what’s even more exciting is that the innovations we’re driving are ahead of the curve. We’re a small tightknit team and our size makes us agile to drive new things forward really effectively.”
Other members of the ICC Belfast team have also benefitted from AIPC, with a strong track record in the Future Shapers programme. Ciara’s colleague Dave Young, ICC Belfast’s Head of Production, participated in last year’s programme, with his team winning the final pitch in China. Inspired by Dave’s interaction with other global event production specialists, AIPC has now invited him to lead a new Tech and Production working group; this was all built on the initial success of Laurel Gray, Head of Events at ICC Belfast who was one of the first UK and Ireland applicants to be successfully inducted as a Future Shaper in Luxembourg, 2023.
AIPC’s work supports excellence in convention centre management worldwide, tackling issues such as sustainability, AI and digital innovation, and talent development. Ciara’s dual role on the Board and as lead of the Future Shapers Task Force ensures that ICC Belfast will continue to play an active part in shaping the future of the global industry.
Rob McConnell, Chief Executive of ICC Belfast, said:
“Ciara’s appointment to the AIPC Board is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the talent and leadership within our team. Her success reflects the global recognition that ICC Belfast is earning for its innovation, professionalism, and contribution to the international events industry. We have a superb team at ICC Belfast, and through AIPC, they’re developing by working alongside the best in the world; through this combination of talent, training and leadership excellence, Belfast’s convention offering is truly world class.”
