TRUSTING young professionals with responsibility and real exposure is essential to building future leaders in the business events industry, said Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) General Manager John Burke.
According to John, the industry does not suffer from a skills shortage, but rather an experience gap between junior staff and senior leadership.
“Graduates today are capable, globally aware and ESG-conscious. What they lack is time on the ground,” he said during the “Future Builders” plenary at the 3rd International Business Events Forum (BE in Sabah 2026) at SICC here, recently.
He emphasised that organisations must stop expecting immediate expertise from young entrants and instead focus on structured development.
At KLCC, staff are encouraged to participate in international programmes, special projects and cross-functional assignments to accelerate learning.
“Experience comes from doing, failing, learning and doing better the next time,” he said.
John highlighted the importance of mentorship and exposure beyond daily roles to broaden perspectives.
He also acknowledged the challenge of a shrinking middle layer in the workforce, as experienced professionals leave due to burnout or lifestyle changes.
“If we don’t actively develop the next layer, we risk losing institutional knowledge,” he warned.
John believes leaders must support, not micromanage, allowing teams to build confidence through responsibility.
“My role is to stand behind them and provide support, not to do the job for them,” he said.
He concluded that leadership development requires patience, trust and deliberate exposure.
