GainingEdge welcomes Mark Oliver Schloesser

Oct 10, 2023

GainingEdge is proud to announce that Mark Oliver Schloesser has joined its venue consulting team on 1 Oct 2023, focusing on convention & exhibition centre projects. Mark has 25 years of experience in the industry, most recently with Deutsche Messe in Germany and Indonesia, and with Hannover in both Hong Kong and Shanghai, China.

Schloesser’s first project with GainingEdge is as the lead operations consultant during the development of the new China National Convention Center-Phase 2 in Beijing (CNCC2). CNCC2 which served as the Main Media Center for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, is on track to begin its next role as China’s premier international convention and exhibition center, and will open for business in Q42024.

Including CNCC2, GainingEdge has various other on-going or newly commissioned convention centre projects. “Mark’s extensive and varied experience in the convention & exhibition industry will be a big boost to our Venues arm and will further strengthen our work for CNCC2. His unique background including architectural training and asset management in addition to broad based operational expertise will offer really valuable advisory support to our clients” said Jon Sivertson, GainingEdge’s CEO and Head of the Venues Consulting Practice.

“Over the years, I have been involved in feasibility, design, construction, quality assurance and pre-opening projects for a number of facilities, large and small,” Schloesser said. “I am excited to be joining GainingEdge and having this opportunity to work on the CNCC2 project as well as other projects.”

GainingEdge has been advising Beijing North Star Convention and Exhibition Investment Co., Ltd., the developer of CNCC2, for pre-opening operations and marketing beginning in 2021 and continuing through the first quarter of 2025. Schloesser will be supported by GainingEdge’s team based in Beijing and around the world.– ends

Media enquiries:
Jon Sivertson
Email: jon@gainingedge.com
Mobile: +1 604 360 4633 (Canada)

FAST FACTS CNCC2
Beijing North Star Convention and Exhibition Investment Co., Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Beijing North Star Group Co., Ltd, and was officially established on November 6, 2018. It is responsible for the investment, construction and operation of the China National Convention Center-CNCC Phase II (CNCC2).

• Designed by Pritzker Prize winning architect Christian de Portzampare
• 780,000 sqm complex includes China National Convention Center–Phase 2, two hotels, commercial offices and retail
• The convention center offers 420,000 sqm of gross floor space and 270,000 sqm of purpose-built meeting and event space
• This includes:
o 30,000 sqm exhibition halls with 8,000 sqm of pre-function space
o 7,300 sqm pillar free Plenary Hall with 7,000 sqm pre-function space including 2,300 sqm ground lobby with 26-meter ceiling height
o 5,000 sqm Grand Ballroom, 3,000 sqm Summit Hall and 2,600 sqm Round Ballroom supported by 14,000 sqm of pre-function space
o Almost 10,000 sqm of sky gardens with retractable roof
o 100 meeting rooms including 30 VIP rooms
• 954 on-site hotel rooms across two luxury international hotels
• 1,710 hotel rooms within walking distance
• 10,000 hotel rooms within 5 km
CNCC2 Features
• When stepping into CNCC2’s VIP atrium, one cannot miss its giant LED screen 25 m high x 18m wide with 8K resolution making this convention center the first in China to offer a digital display of this scale with vivid colours and wider viewing angles.
• CNCC2’s digital twin management platform will bridge the gap between facilities and operations delivering a better event experience and efficiency.
• The AR Indoor wayfinding system allows users to find their way in and around CNCC2’s 420,000 sqm using their smartphones through dynamic and continuous location guidance.
• CNCC2’s virtual meeting set-up tool takes the guesswork out of planning by allowing organisers to select their desired room layouts, and then preview the overall layout with the number of people that can be accommodated.
• A metaverse replica of CNCC2 will make site inspections faster and easier, dramatically reducing time and resources spent on-site.

GainingEdge Expert

Mike Williams

Interim CEO / Senior Partner & Senior Consultant

Mark O. Schloesser

Venue Development Consultant