Siobhan Rocks has been appointed as the General Manager of the Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE), according to an announcement by Prime Creative Media. With a background as an accomplished events executive, Siobhan brings a wealth of experience from her senior roles at Diversified Communications, where she successfully managed events such as Fine Food Australia, Foodpro, Naturally Good, and FoodTech.
Expressing her enthusiasm for the new role, Ms. Rocks conveyed her admiration for Prime Creative Media’s work in developing MICE into a prominent global event within the coffee industry. She looks forward to contributing to the growth of the events team and supporting the redevelopment initiatives for MICE.
Under the guidance of MICE Show Director Lauren Chartres, Prime Creative Media has been actively redeveloping MICE to align with industry needs. One of the notable additions is the introduction of Café Owner Education Sessions, generating considerable interest with record ticket pre-sales. Over 50% of ticket purchasers are identified as café owners, reflecting a positive response from the industry.
Building on the success of the previous year, which saw the launch of Australia’s Richest Barista Competition, MICE awarded a substantial $40,000 cash prize pool to three Australian baristas. The winner, Rawirat Techasitthanet (Jibbi Little), expressed her pride and outlined plans to utilize the winnings to open her own coffee shop in Sydney. The competition, which featured a fusion of skills from various coffee competitions, garnered attention on both national and global stages.
Ms. Rocks and the MICE team are committed to furthering their engagement with the industry, with plans to invest additional resources and support for coffee professionals nationwide. The focus remains on creating opportunities for growth, both for individuals and the coffee industry as a whole.
Siobhan Rocks emphasized the uniqueness of MICE in its specific focus on café owners, highlighting it as an unparalleled platform in the Australian event landscape. She envisions building on this foundation to provide exceptional opportunities for the growth of individuals, organizations, and industries within the coffee sector.
Prime Creative Media CEO John Murphy expressed confidence in Siobhan Rocks’s leadership, anticipating that under her guidance, MICE will reach new heights in the future. He emphasized Ms. Rocks’s expertise and leadership as instrumental in taking MICE to the next level within the events industry.