Deputy Prime Minister and First Vice President of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), Sun Chanthol, has suggested that Plenary Group explore the investment potential of developing a convention and exhibition centre in Cambodia, modelled after the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) in Australia.
He led a delegation of Cambodian government officials and private sector representatives from both Cambodia and Australia to observe operations at the MCEC.
The MCEC is a large-scale venue regularly used for hosting national and international events, including conventions, conferences, exhibitions, product showcases, technology innovations, concerts and various business networking programs.
Plenary Group is a leading independent infrastructure investment company.
It specialises in the development, investment and management of public infrastructure projects, particularly under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) frameworks.
The company is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, and operates across several countries and regions, including the US, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the Middle East and the UK.
It focuses on long-term, stable infrastructure projects and its business model covers all stages of project delivery, from design, construction and financing to long-term management and maintenance. Its portfolio includes infrastructure types such as hospitals, schools, courthouses, convention and exhibition centres, roads, railways (e.g., Sydney Metro), public transport systems, and water and waste management.
In 2025, the CDC approved a total of 414 investment projects, including 387 new projects and 27 expansion projects, with a combined total investment capital of approximately $6.9 billion. Investors came from within Cambodia, as well as China, Australia and the US, as well as Singapore and the Cayman Islands, among others.
The first half of 2025 saw a total bilateral trade volume of $161.25 million between Cambodia and Australia, a 15.7% increase over the same period in 2024. Exports reached $111.95 million, up 8.9%, while imports were $49.3 million, a 46.8% increase, according to the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE).
