Buckley heading home

I had completely missed this news but, as it makes a refreshing change to magic carpet puns, I'd like to note it now. We'll update our thoughts on the Ali-IPO later in the day as the trading unfolds.

Warren Buckley has been CEO at Suntec Singapore for the past seven years but will be returning to Canada at the end of the year to resume his previous position as CEO of PavCo (BC Pavilion Corporation), the Crown corporation responsible for the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre (VCEC) and BC Place Stadium. The VCEC is being substantially expanded in advance of the 2010 Winter Olympics and Buckley's marketing nous (Suntec has won several international marketing awards under his leadership) will be welcomed there.

Buckley is quoted as saying: "I've had the chance to travel and work around the world, but there really is no place like home. Vancouver is one of the world's most popular convention and meeting destinations, and the current expansion of the convention centre, which is scheduled to be completed in March, 2009, is certainly capturing the imagination of meeting planners at home and abroad. As a result, this is a great opportunity to come home and help take our local convention and meeting industry to the next level."

As far as I'm aware, there's no official word on Buckley's successor in Singapore. I'm not a gambling man but, if I were, a small flutter on his suave #2, COO Peter Idenburg, probably wouldn't go amiss.