judgingback
The awards are judged by an independent panel of judges who are representative of all areas of the industry by sector and by geography. Members of this panel choose to contribute on a voluntary basis and will remain entirely separate from the ownership structure of the awards.
The panel is led by Brenda LaPorte and Peter Rix and new members are added regularly. Register for Updates so we can keep you up to date on new judging appointments.
If you would like to offer your industry knowledge and experience as a member of the Industry Judging Panel, please contact us with a summary of your experience and the category that you would like to judge. If a vacancy exists that may be suitable then we will forward your information to the Co-Chairs of Judges for a decision.
All members of the Panel must be approved by the Co-Chairs of Judges, who consider the skills, experience and balance of the Panel as a whole. Any decision to not accept an application is therefore not a reflection on the quality of the applicant.
The integrity of the Industry Judging Panel is of paramount importance and, with this in mind, all Judges are required to abide by terms and conditions covering confidentiality, conflicts of interest and the conduct expected of Judges.
The Industry Judging Panel is independent from the production and management of the Australian Event Awards. Members of The Epic Team, the management company appointed to project manage the Event Awards, may not hold a position on the Industry Judging Panel. For more information on the rules and governance, click here.
Brenda is a Board Member of Tourism and Events Queensland and Deputy Chair of the Sunshine Coast Events Board. Brenda has extensive experience in the business of sport and major events, providing strategic, project and change management services within the sports, event and entertainment sector.
Brenda has served in previous roles including Chair of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships Bathurst 2021 Local Organising Committee and Vice President and Non-Executive Director of the Athletics Australia board. Her experience includes the creation of Cricket Australia’s newest commercial property the Big Bash League. Prior to this her roles have included the position of General Manager – Project Planning, Risk and Strategy at the Commonwealth Games in 2006 and Senior Advisor to the Australian International Sporting Events Secretariat.
Formerly a Partner in global consulting firm Accenture, Brenda holds a Bachelor of Business, a Masters of Business Administration and a Masters of Business – Sport Management.
Peter Rix is a pioneering Australian artist manager and acclaimed event and theatrical producer. Peter Rix Management was founded in 1972 and over the ensuing 20 years managed the careers of Marcia Hines, Jon English, Richard Clapton, Mark Holden, Hush, Billy Field, Sharon O’Neil and Anne Kirkpatrick amongst others. 48 platinum, 53 gold albums and 35 gold singles were awarded to artists managed by Peter.
Peter has produced a number of iconic Australia events, commencing with the Variety Club’s annual ‘Carols by Candlelight’ concert at Parramatta stadium, Hoadley’s ‘Battle of the Sounds’, the ‘Rock Eisteddfod’ series, the 2SM 1979 ‘Concert of the Decade’ on the steps of the Sydney Opera House and the Narara Music Festivals at Old Sydney Town along with Rugby League Grand Final entertainment and State of Origin matches. There were bicentennial activities in 1988 and the Sydney Olympic Games live sites in 2000, along with a growing client base of Australian corporations as well as the 2007 APEC Leaders Conference for the Federal Government. He was a board member of the National Film and Sound Archive from 1990 to 1995 and chairman of the Federal Government’s Contemporary Music Summit held at Parliament House in Canberra in 1995. Peter helmed the APRA Music Awards for 36 years from 1988 to 2024 and has been the co-chairman of the Australian Event Industry Awards since 2019.
However, it is Peter Rix’s initiation, creation and chairing of the ARIA Music Awards, in collaboration with his music industry colleagues, from its inception in 1986 and for the following 14 years, that is his lasting legacy.
The George P. Johnson company (GPJ) of Detroit, Michigan purchased PRM in 2004 and for 14 years Peter was managing director then chairman. GPJ became the leading event and experiential organisation in Australia with clients including Toyota, IBM, Amazon, SalesForce, Oracle, Optus and Woodside. In January 2018 Peter resigned from GPJ and returned to the world of creative live experiences.
The Australian Event Awards recognised Peter in 2011 with a Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2019 he was awarded an AM in the Queen’s Birthday Honours and after 53 years continues to manage the career of Marcia Hines. He is also the creator/producer of a number of globally successful theatrical productions including ‘Velvet’, ‘Pigalle’ and ‘Aretha’.
Every new day is an adventure and every new opportunity an iron in the fire!
Stacey is the Director and Co-Owner of The Project Crew, an accomplished Event Project Management company delivering events for major brands and corporations around Australia and Asia Pacific. Stacey has over 20+ years within the events industry from working with a Global Production Company to Co-Director of The Project Crew. Her focus lies on Business and Corporate events, from their conception through to completion, with a demonstrated deep understanding of event design, production, contractor management and project delivery. Stacey has had the honour of working beside numerous Prime Ministers, Politicians, top ASX CEO’s and Global Identities and has a strong presence across Australia with key clients positioned in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.
Stacey is a current Board Member for the Sunshine Coast Council Major Events Board which supports the regions investment in new and existing major events, is a member of Qld Tourism Industry Council and has previously held positions as Chair of the Sunshine Coast Council Working Group and the Sunshine Coasts Events Industry Task Force.
Peter Jones is one of Australia’s leading event producers, creating and designing special events for over thirty years.
Based in Melbourne, Peter and his team have been the recipient of over thirty-five Meetings & Events Industry Awards, including induction into the Hall of Fame in two separate categories – Special Event Organiser and Public Event of the Year.
In 2010, Peter was awarded the International Special Events Society Michael Milburn Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2012 he was presented with the Outstanding Contribution Award by the Meetings and Events Industry. Only a few years later in 2016, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Australian Event Awards, also receiving a Certificate of Commendation from the Lord Mayor for twenty-five years of outstanding service to the major events industry in Melbourne at The Melbourne Awards.
In 2018, he was appointed as a Member in the Order of Australia at the Australia Day Honours for significant service to the tourism and hospitality sector. They particularly highlighted his involvement and influence as an advisor, in event management and to the community.
Peter has continually dedicated a great deal of time to representing and supporting the industry at many levels. He recently stepped down as Chairman of the Victoria Events Industry Council and as a member of the Victoria Tourism Industry Council. He was also a board member of Destination Melbourne, past President of the Melbourne chapter of the International Special Events Society and on the Tourism Australia Business Events Advisory Panel.
With an impressive work history spanning over 25 years across a wide range of organisations in the sport, major events and tourism sectors, Michelle has a proven track record of success in strategy, bidding, project management, operational planning and the delivery of major sporting events.
Michelle is currently a Principal at MI Associates, an Australian based global business who specialise in venues, events and advisory consultancy across Sports, Art & Culture and Tourism, boasting a clientele of the some of the biggest events and sporting organisations in the world.
Throughout her career, Michelle has been highly sought after for her skills in mega & major events. Michelle has held a CEO role delivering the 2004 Commonwealth Youth Games and senior leadership roles leading strategic, project and operational planning for major international events including the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, Melbourne Commonwealth Games 2006, Manchester Commonwealth Games 2002 and the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.
Michelle recently led Basketball Australia’s successful development and delivery of the FIBA 2022 Women’s World Cup candidature and bid. She also developed and led the Venue Selection process across 14 host cities in Australia and New Zealand for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. Responsible for identifying and securing major events in Victoria, she developed Victoria’s Regional Events Strategy and is currently working with the IOC in Tokyo at the 2021 Olympic Games.
Paula is the Managing Director of Embrace Society which is a communications agency specialising in hard to reach audiences including CALD, Indigenous, women, youth, LGBTI, aged and disabled. Embrace Society is an acknowledged leader in values based behaviour change, community engagement, advertising and communications, and creative strategy and development.
Paula is a highly experienced and award winning strategist and communicator with a career spanning almost 35 years. She has held a number of senior positions including Director of SBS Radio.
Paula has extensive experience in developing highly successful communication strategies and broad experience in running social issues and community engagement campaigns in a diverse range of areas.
Paula has had numerous appointments to ministerial advisory bodies and sat on many boards including sitting on the Radio Advisory Group of the Australian Film, Television and Radio School, Chair of Sydney’s Carnivale Multicultural Arts Festival and served for six years as a Community Relations Commissioner in NSW. She was on the National Women’s Advisory Council and shaped multicultural TV broadcasting as a member of the Ethnic Television Review Panel. Paula has been a Breast Cancer Network of Australia Media Ambassador and participated in the Field of Dreams.
Paula presently chairs many Waverley Council committees including the Arts and Culture Committee, Public Art Committee, RAP Committee, Multicultural ADvisopry Committee, and has close invovlement in the restoration of the iconic Boni Pavilion and the heritage listed Boot Factory which will be a centre of innovation including an Innovation Civic Town Hall for the community.
Penniless muso turned roadie, Meri Took started the first ever event crewing service in Sydney in 1978. Meri toured the world for many years with the cream of rock royalty including Neil Young, Elton John, INXS, The Police, Elvis Costello and Cold Chisel in Lighting and Production Management Roles.
Meri was Technical Director and Designer for the launch of the Apple Macintosh in Hawaii in 1983, and has since worked on thousands of corporate events. He was Production Director for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Paralympic Games in Sept 2000. He is known for his vast experience, his staging of successful events, exceptional project management skills and a matchless attention to detail. His Australian production company, Production Techniques, was a ground breaking industry leader in the late eighties.
In 1990 Meri identified a gap in the Australian market for rental theatrical drapes and stage risers. Starting with a dozen drapes, some second hand risers, and a strong commitment to service excellence, Staging Rentals was born.
Staging Rentals & Construction Services was a multi-award-winning company with branches in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
The business has now ceased operations and is being wound down, and Meri remains closely connected to the industry.
In 2015, Meri was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Australian Event Awards.
Simon is the Founding Director of Ways and Means Consultancy – a consultancy on events, bids, issues management, sustainability and Indigenous programs. He was the Founding Chairman (2002-2023) , and is a Founding Director (2002-) of the Australian Himalayan Foundation and was a member of the successful First Australian Mt. Everest Expedition 1984.
His career has seen him be a journalist; author; trek guide; Ministerial and Prime Ministerial Senior Adviser, through to Board member (1993-5) and a General Manager at SOCOG (1995-2000); as well as Senior Adviser and Executive Editor/Writer for the successful Tokyo Bid for the 2020 (now 2021) Olympic Games. Also,
Vicki brings over two decades of experience and expertise in events, project management and strategic communication.
She started her career in hospitality and event agencies in London before moving to Australia in 2010.
She has managed a diverse portfolio of events such as corporate conferences and roadshows, exhibitions, product launches and drive experiences, across industries including financial services, automotive, tourism and government.
Vicki was Senior Event Manager at Tourism Australia where she delivered the Australian Tourism Exchange, the Australian tourism industry’s largest annual business-to-business event for three years and is currently the Program Manager for the Australian Export Awards for Austrade (Australian Trade and Investment Commission). Now in its 62nd year, the Export Awards are a national program that recognise and reward the efforts of Australian exporters.
She is passionate about producing authentic event and brand experiences whilst also developing sustainable practices to affect positive change, helping our community walk more lightly on our earth.
Derrin Brown is a critical thinker and creative alchemist of Immersive Environments.
His COVID hiatus creation is The Mandala Social, where he is General Manager and has been working with State Economic Development Authorities on immersive experiential projects. He has spent 23+ years producing international experiences on behalf of commercial entities and through all levels of government, up to and including the United Nations. His work has covered all scales and levels of art, sport, boutique, and major events, always with a musical backing, both inside and out of the proscenium or stadium. He is equally as adept at crafting from scratch in greenfield sites and now has a comprehensive knowledge of shoreline car parks around the Ring of Fire. His focus is always on production quality that is designed to engage all of the senses.
Career highlights include leading teams at Cirque du Soleil, the Sydney Opera House, Princess Cruises and various international governments. His most recent work was at the NOOR Riyadh Festival in KSA which achieve seven Guinness world records.
He has collaborated with Democratic National Committees in the USA on DNC’s and Presidential Election campaigns. Loves working classically, with The Royal Ballet, BRB, Opera Australia and the New York Philharmonic amongst others. FIFA, The Blue Man Group, Merivale, Belvoir, and the Riverside theatres have also benefited from his creativity and leadership. His special event portfolio includes Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, White Night Melbourne, Australia Day on Sydney Harbour, a World Expo and the work he is most proud of, Directing the Independence Day Handover Ceremony for the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste Independence for the United Nations.
As a leader, optimist and problem solver, Derrin is committed to shaking up the status quo via critical thinking, creativity and innovation, while fully embracing the Purple Flag economy, generally with a quality espresso in hand.
Scott is a communications and events specialist with over 23 years’ experience. He is the Director of the communications agency Platform6, which he established in 2015. Platform6 clients come from both the public and private sectors, specialising in event and government communications.
Scott has worked on some of the world’s biggest sporting and cultural events including the Sydney Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Manchester Commonwealth Games, the Asian Games and four Rugby World Cups.
He has consulted extensively to the New South Wales Government on the delivery, government coordination and issues management for many of the state’s major events including New Year’s Eve celebrations, Sydney Festival First Night, APEC and the Oprah Winfrey visit. He has worked directly on numerous events including the Sydney Harbour Bridge 75th Anniversary celebrations, Anzac Day commemorations, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and Gough Whitlam Memorial Service in Sydney.
Scott has also held positions as Communications Manager for both the Football Federation Australia and the Darling Harbour Authority, Media Adviser for the Sydney Olympic Games and as the Marketing and Communications Manager for the International Olympic Committee based in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Katrina de Jersey has a unique insight into global marketing and communications, with more than 23 years’ delivering complex and demanding campaigns across sport, tourism and government in Qatar, France, UK, UAE, Australia, New Zealand, China, Canada, and Russia.
She has developed engaging strategies for some of the most rewarding and challenging global campaigns, including Paris 2012 and Sochi 2014 Olympic bids, Sydney Olympic and Paralympic Games, Vancouver Winter Olympic Games, Beijing Olympics, Manchester and Melbourne Commonwealth Games, 2010 FIFA Fan Fest, Formula 1, Rugby World Cups, the COP28 UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai, and Asian Games.
At home, Katrina headed up Marketing and Creative Services for the City of Sydney for 7 years, where she worked across all events, including Sydney New Year’s Eve, Chinese New Year, Sydney Christmas celebrations and the C40 Women for Climate Conference. From 2022-2024 she has also consulted to Canterbury-Bankstown Council on a review, and stakeholder engagement for the highly successful Ramadan Nights Lakemba Event.
With her drive to craft the story of tourism and major events, and how they leverage the profile of cities, regions and nations, Katrina focuses on design and delivery of campaigns and initiatives to create human connection and storytelling that has a lasting impact.
Drawing from her deep experience of the complexities involved in major, multi-government agency coordination to mitigate risk and reputational damage, Katrina is sought after to assist cities, organising committees, and sponsors to deliver a safe event with high public engagement.
Katrina is currently consulting to Boston for the FIFA World Cup 2026, is an advisor in the UAE for Haddins Consulting, and is a Senior Media Advisor at the NSW Premier’s Department, where she has worked on Australia Day in NSW, FIFA Women’s World Cup, and the Sydney Marathon.
Dorothy, a globally recognised Art Curator and visionary Creative Strategist, is a true luminary in the world of art and culture. As the Founder and Director of Molten Immersive Art, she leads an exceptional collective of international experiential artists and researchers. With an impressive track record spanning over seven years, she stands as a foremost thought leader and innovator in the captivating realm of narrative-based immersive and interactive art. Her work seamlessly blends cutting-edge technology, artistry, and interactivity to craft experiences that are truly transformative, captivating both audiences and artists alike.
Within Molten Immersive Art, Dorothy spearheads a team of creative strategists and digital immersive experience designers. Together, they embark on projects that span the globe, collaborating on a wide array of initiatives, including festivals, government and brand activations. Beyond her professional endeavours, Dorothy is a fervent advocate for the arts, actively participating in various cultural committees and serving as a sought-after speaker at international events. Her impact has been widely recognised, earning her titles such as one of the “5 Most Influential Women to Watch in 2022,” a place among the “10 Most Influential Women Leaders of 2021,” named the #1 Female Art & Culture creator on LinkedIn in 2023 and the distinguished honour of being named Blooloop’s 50 Immersive Influencers of 2023.
Sebastian was formerly Managing Director of the National Folk Festival, Canberra from 2010-2013 – delivering four successful events and winning the Canberra and Capital Region Tourism Award for Best Festival Event in 2011 and 2012, a Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) Award for the 2012 festival media as well as a coveted Canberra Critics Circle Award for his programming and theming of ‘For the Fallen’ presented in collaboration with the Australian War Memorial for ANZAC Day 2011.
Sebastian was Director of the Queensland Multicultural Festival from 2006-2009 – delivering four highly successful events on behalf of Queensland Government, with an audience of up to 65,000 people.
He was also responsible for the Premier’s Multicultural Photographic Awards, Queensland Multicultural Awards, Diversity Rocks Education program, Diversity Writes Literary Event and Diversity Talks on ABC Radio.
Formerly Programming and Production Coordinator for BEMAC (Brisbane Multicultural Arts Centre) from 2001-2005, Sebastian delivered many successful culturally diverse music performances at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, whilst garnering a broad knowledge and passion for ethnic music and cultural traditions from all over the world.
Sebastian is the founder of the ‘Culture Compass’ – working as a freelance producer and facilitator in the multicultural events and educational arenas.
Sebastian has served as a judging panel member for the highly-coveted national Australian Event Awards for the past eight years.
Kristen Finnigan is Director of KFM Events and has over twenty-five years’ experience planning beautiful and memorable events, experiences and celebrations.
Kristen is an experienced event producer specialising in event production, event strategy, event audits, risk & safety management, event training & consulting and partnerships. Based in Tasmania, Kristen is one of the only event-based safety managers in the state, trained specifically to manage risk and safety for events and at event sites.
Originally from Melbourne, Kristen has a strong business background and works with clients from design to execution to deliver successful and engaging events. Kristen’s experience includes events held throughout Tasmania and nationally in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and Brisbane.
Kristen’s most recent projects include Event Director of the World Transport Games in Perth, Western Australia where over 2000 participants from over 60 countries attended the week-long international event. Kristen was Safety & Risk Manager for the 2022 Special Olympics National Games, and for the Sohn Hearts & Minds Investment Leaders Conference for the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute based in Hobart in 2022. She is also event producer of the Launceston Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards – Tasmania’s largest and most successful business awards event.
Kristen has worked with many large festivals and events throughout Australia, including Tasmania’s well-known winter festival Dark Mofo, plus national festival tours with Fuzzy Events including Listen Out and Field Day, as well as Laneway Festival, Good Things Festival and many others. Also, as event manager at the Qantas Australia Tourism Awards in Launceston, Mona Foma, TasRacing (Australian Horse of the Year Awards), TasRail and other government and non-government organisations and events.
Kristen holds a Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety, Certificate of Event WHS Risk Management, Diploma of Leadership and Management, Executive Certificate in Event Management, and an Advanced Diploma in Freelance Journalism.
During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Kristen identified a gap in the market within Tasmania for qualified event-based safety managers that specialised in risk management, and she completed additional training during her down time to fill that gap. Kristen also worked with Events Tasmania during the pandemic to help develop the Covid-19 event industry guidelines for Tasmanian events to enable them to navigate the changing environment.
Kristen has a strong business background, is an expert trouble-shooter, has excellent attention to detail, and is results focussed with a great sense of urgently. Kristen specialises in delivering large events Australia-wide. Plus, her calm, welcoming and approachable personality makes working with her enjoyable and productive.
As Commercial Managing Director, APAC of Red Havas and Managing Director of Havas Blvd, Steve’s mission is to help strengthen and grow the Group within the APAC region.
Steve is a leading voice in the creation of insight-led PR, brand experience and sponsorship campaigns. His resume includes founding Havas Blvd, founding Chieftain Communications (acquired in 2014), leading Making Waves Australia and driving DDB Australia’s PR, experiential marketing and sponsorship division.
His ongoing mission is to create memorable and authentic brand experiences, that drive engagement and earned media. Steve frequently speaks at government and industry events and has been a judge at numerous industry awards…he’s also won a bunch of them along the way (Spikes, D&AD, AdNews, CommsCon, PRIA, B&T, SABRE, Clios, PR Awards Asia, AGDA, Mumbrella).
Steve has created campaigns for leading brands, including Toyota, Lexus, Nestlé, Samsung, Telstra, Tigerair, Coca-Cola, and eBay, to name a few.
With an exceptional level of creative, production and operational experience in the arts in Australia as well as in the Middle East, China, and the Pacific, Liz’s work spans across theatre, ceremonies and major events. She has held roles from Director of Operations, Head of Production through to Executive Producer.
Recently Liz was the Executive Producer for the 2023 Dubai World Cup Closing Ceremony and Daily Productions and Special Events for the 2020 World Expo Dubai. Prior to this Liz was the Show Producer for 2020 T20 Cricket World Cup Opening Ceremony, 2019 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Sydney, and the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony.
Liz started working in Major Events as part of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Ceremonies team and has since gone on to work on international events which include Olympic Games, Pacific Games, Arab Games, major Sporting Event ceremonies and other spectaculars. Other credits include “Clusters of Light” Egypt, 2014, and Baz Luhrmann’s “Strictly Ballroom The Musical” Global Premiere in Sydney.
Ashely co-founded Carillon Conference Management (CCM) with his brother and business partner, Jonathan, in 1985, after holding executive positions with Southern Pacific Hotel Corporation and Lend Lease Leisure.
CCM is now a long established professional conference management company based in Brisbane with representatives and alliances in key markets around the world. Ashley has personally directed many of the 650 major conferences and events managed by CCM for a broad range of clients, from the association, corporate and government sectors.
CCM was presented with the CIM Magazine Best Meeting or Conference Award at the Australian Events Awards in 2013 for managing the largest and most complex scientific congress ever held in Queensland, the 34th International Geological Congress (IGC). IGC was attended by 6012 delegates from 137 countries and featured 3240 guest speakers.
No stranger to international business, Ashley has led numerous industry trade missions and promotional delegations, most notably into Asia, Latin America and Europe. Ashley brings top-level seniority to conferences and skills in negotiation, diplomacy and international relations.
Troy is the Group Creative Director at GPJ ANZ. With over 30 years in creative industries, his background ranges from television production and radio, to through-the-line advertising and experience marketing.
Troy has conceived and delivered a wide variety of successful campaigns with some incredible teams over his career, including 8 years of Sydney New Year’s Eve events, the Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience touring exhibition for the Australian War Memorial, the Royal Australian Navy International Fleet Review Spectacular on Sydney Harbour, as well as major vehicle events and launches for Toyota, Mitsubishi, Ford, and Skoda.
Outside of the day to day, Troy is also a published author with Harper Collins Australia, has written songs for Sony Music and has won multiple international awards for scriptwriting.
Bill has worked in areas such as production, programming, site activation, placemaking and producing, on events and with companies, including: Company B Belvoir Street Theatre, Adelaide Festival of Arts, National Institute of Dramatic Art, Sydney Festival, Global Creatures, Australian National Maritime Museum, Erth Visual & Physical, Carriageworks, Destination NSW, Live Performance Australia, Barangaroo Delivery Authority and the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra).
Dr Rob Harris is a former Director of the Australian Centre for Event Management, at the University of Technology Sydney where he also co-ordinated the Master of Management (Event Management). After leaving UTS in 2017 he established Event Training Australia which delivers event management education and training programs in Australia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Rob is a co-author of the texts Festival and Special Event Management and Event Management. He has acted as a consultant for a variety of organisations associated with the events field including Arts ACT, Events Tasmania, Events NSW and the Sydney Olympic Park Authority. Rob was a foundation director of the Festivals and Events Association of Australia, and presently serves on the editorial boards of the academic journals Event Management and the International Journal of Event and Festival Management.
Alana is the founder of Milestone Creative Australia, which specialises in strategy and marketing of major events, festivals, tourism, business events, creative industries and the arts.
Alana has been instrumental in the development and marketing of the largest and most prestigious major events, festivals, precincts, venues, destinations, arts organisations and corporates across Australia. Her 25 year career spans strategic planning, branding, event acquisition and development, tourism and destination marketing. She is passionate about the events industry and loves creating connections between brands and communities. She has a deep understanding of the role events play in creating inclusive, vibrant and shared destinations and communities and tourism and visitation outcomes.
Alana regularly delivers presentations and training to the industry on topics including strategy, tourism, marketing, ticketing major events, event acquisition, event development, social media and digital marketing. She is active in the industry, was on the Board of Directors of Meetings and Events Australia (MEA), is an Accredited Fellow Member of MEA (AFMEA), an Associate of the Australian Marketing Institute and a member of International Festivals and Events Association and owns the ever-expanding Event Professionals Australia Facebook Group.
A native Aussie, Tim Jacobs was born and raised in Melbourne, Victoria. He earned his stripes in his early days in the event industry both on the stage DJing, and behind it in A/V and Tech management. Nearly three decades later, Tim has earned a reputation for his surgical approach to event management, overlay and strategy in multiple sectors of the event industry. With a client list which includes Buckingham Palace, The International Olympic Committee, The Special Olympics, FIFA, The UAE Ministry of Presidential Affairs, The Vatican and several other notable sovereign brands, Tim has amassed an enviable wealth of experience in his field that is highly sought after.
Whilst agile project management has become a mantra for Tim, he has developed this method with his own signature into a unique approach which has substantially contributed to the speed at which HQWS are able to respond to client requirements.
Operationally, Tim leads by example and takes a hands on approach which no doubt encourages his team to do the same. Having held numerous senior positions over the years, Tim more recently honed his experience and expertise focused on the Middle East market with his efforts propelling him into the position of COO within the BWS group for the MENA region.
A respected as a veteran of the industry, Tim has proven time and time again that no task is impossible.
Notable relevant projects include:
Toni is responsible for producing the annual Queensland Tourism Awards and the Queensland Top Tourism Town Awards. Using her extensive experience within the tourism and aviation industry, Toni delivers key projects and exceptional tourism events for the Queensland Tourism Industry Council.
Previously, Toni has been responsible for the management of exceptional and logistically challenging events at Brisbane Airport since 1992.
During her extensive career Toni has worked with a long list of high-profile global airlines, industry organisations and government partners in the delivery of award winning launch campaigns designed to leverage important relationships and gain valuable international media coverage. Major highlights include event managing the Routes Asia 2018 Conference involving 1200+ global delegates, for which she won two international awards, and a world-class event for the 145th IATA Slot Conference on Brisbane’s new runway for more than 1000 people.
Notably, Toni devises strategies and themes that make each event truly unique through the thoughtful consideration of the values and aspirations of each partner and the skilful application of individual brand elements into the final production. Her superior negotiating and organisational skills has also helped her over-come the many complex restrictions of working in a sterile airport environment, to safely deliver above and beyond the expectations of partners.
Toni studied Event Management at University of Technology NSW and is currently working on the 2024 Queensland Tourism Awards which will be held at the brand new The Star Brisbane.
Darren is an international award-winning business communication professional who has been actively engaged as an Agency Head, Executive Producer, Show Caller/Director, International Projects Director, Experiential Marketer, and Creative Strategist in the creative design and delivery of innovative and engaging live communication programs, strategic marketing, authentic brand experiences & integrated digital solutions for a broad range of clients.
Based in London and Dubai, schooled in Brisbane, skilled in Sydney, and matured in China and the USA – Darren delivers creative event experiences throughout the world for a curated portfolio of corporate clients and white-glove services on behalf of agency partners.
Notable projects have included major platform launches for both Microsoft and Oracle, design for WebSummit’s RISE Hong Kong, the Wall Street Journal CEO Summit Tokyo, Huawei product launches in Berlin, Nice and Barcelona, 65th Miss Universe After Party, the launch of the Manila Okada integrated resort, extended strategic consultations for Sky TV UK, eight successive years producing the President’s Club incentive series for EMC throughout Asia, and the staging of the APEC/CEO Summit Manila with over twenty heads of state in attendance including President Obama and President Xi Jingping.
Producing impactful live event experiences that integrate the live and the digital experiences, he is highly regarded for drawing on his great depth of business theatre fundamentals, strategic marketing expertise, targeted program design creation, eclectic styling senses, and creative storytelling – to achieve powerful results.
His work has been recognised with a number of international awards including Best Event Production, Best Social Event over USD75k, finalist in the Best Export category at the 2010 Australian Event Awards, and in 2013 won the ‘Markies’ Agency of the Year award. He has since served as an industry judge for a number of industry award programs including the prestige Australian Event Awards.
Following consults on COP26 (Glasgow) & COP27 (Sharm El-Sheikh) – Darren served as the overall Project Director overseeing the transformative design and successful delivery of COP28 on behalf of the United Nations and the government of the United Arab Emirates at the iconic Expo City Dubai.
Andy Lopez started Out There Productions in 1996. The business group includes event agency OTP Australia, and OTP Major Events, the promoter arm.
Andy has a serious passion for major public celebrations – he loves delivering events with a purpose, and the bigger the crowd the better. The OTP group’s events are enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of Australians every year.
Andy is also a co-owner of the Summernats Car Festival, buying this iconic event in 2009. The Summernats has grown from 75,000 punters to over 110,00 every year, and brings over $30m to the ACT economy. The motoring lifestyle arm of OTP now includes MotorEx, Australia’s leading automotive industry consumer show, the Red CentreNATS, a destination tourism event in Alice Springs that brings $10million to the NT economy, and RockyNats which earned $20million for the Rockhapmton region in its first year.
Hailey has been in the Events and Event Marketing Industry for 20 years. Starting a career working with sporting governing body, Snowsport GB, quickly moving up to Athlete Coordinator for Winter Olympics 2002. She spent many years in Action Sports managing participation events such as British Ski Championships and The Brits. At this time Hailey was also qualified as a Technical Delegate for the FIS gaining experience in sporting government legislation. On moving to Australia she then worked for EMAP Australia / ACP (now Bauer Media) in the Marketing/Events department across many sporting titles before moving over to the entertainment industry to gain a greater understanding of touring and production.
In 2009 Hailey became National Events Manager for Red Bull Australia organising many mass participation, mass spectator and brand events, predominantly in sport. Leading a team across the country executing all international events held within Australia.
In Late 2011 she started her own agency with clients such as Casio, Pirelli and Total Oil. At this time Hailey met Mito Foundation and with them, created and developed The Bloody Long Walk. The event is now a National tour and has just celebrated it’s 55th event over 8 years bringing in over $18m to the Foundation. Bloody Long Walk were also the first mass participation event in 2020 to gain exemption to host an event over 500 people in SA, QLD, ACT and NSW – Hailey worked with the mass gatherings committee, lobbyists, government departments and other industry partners. In addition, The Shift agency now manage or have managed, Mothers Day Classic (Sydney locations plus one Qld), Wings For Life, Trails For Change and own Meet Me in the South Coast/ Meet Me in the Middle. Clients include Red Bull, Vans, Reebok, Casio, Harley Davidson.
Hailey’s previous agency had been awarded Australian Small Event Management company, plus The Shift has been finalist for Event Management Company of the year 2020 and Hailey has been finalist for Event Producer of the Year four times.
She is now co-host the podcast/webcast The Shift PanelCast, and a Board Member for Australian Mass Participation Sporting Event Alliance.
Abbie is the Head of Production and Experience at Sight, a Live Experience Agency with offices in both Asia and Australia.
With a background in International VIP events, Special Event Production and brand activations, Abbie’s ability to develop and deliver an incredibly unique and seamless event is second to none. An events specialist with more than 18 years experience, she has honed her skills across an extensive range of events both within Australia and Internationally. Abbie has held roles of Executive Producer in agencies such as George P Johnson and DG Global, managing high value clients such as Google, LinkedIn and Porsche.
Abbie is passionate about creating engaging live experiences for brands that wish to communicate to audiences in a creative way. Her ability to develop creative ideas along with skills in managing the multi-faceted production and logistical elements of large-scale events make her a well-rounded and highly skilled events professional.
Abbie has spent time living in China as well as the East Coast of Australia and now has a base in wonderful Western Australia with her husband, two small children, and an incredibly busy events and travel calendar!
Julie McGraw is the Managing Director of GEMS Event Management Australia. With over 25 years’ experience in the events industry, including the management of more than 150 conferences and special events, Julie was awarded National Meetings Manager of the Year for 2015 and 2016 by Meetings and Events Australia (MEA).
She has an Executive Certificate in Event Management (with Distinction) from the University of Technology Sydney and holds various professional accreditations in event management in Australia and is the Chair of the MEA PCO Special Interest Group in NSW.
With a career that began in the hospitality industry, Julie has worked for organisations such as Qantas, Sheraton Asia/Pacific and Ritz Carlton as well as consulting for a range of hotel chains. She has lectured in hotel management at both William Blue Hotel Management School and Macleay College and presented at a number of industry related conferences and events over the past 20 years.
Kelly-Anne started her events career more than 20 years ago, in Townsville, working for local government in Protocol and Special Events. This diverse role was an excellent opportunity to explore a wide variety of events, including travelling overseas to manage international delegations, and hosting high-level security events for dignitaries such as the US Ambassador and the US Joint Chiefs of Staff. During this time, Kelly-Anne also worked on large-scale community projects with crowds in excess of 150,000 attendees, in conjunction with multiple agencies such as the Department of Defence and the Department of Immigration.
Moving to Brisbane in 2012, Kelly-Anne continued to work for not-for-profit organisations managing markets, art exhibitions, festivals, workshops, and corporate events, collaborating with organisations such as Etsy, Westfield, the Queensland Government, and various local councils.
Kelly-Anne has spent the past 7+ years working in events and sponsorship roles, travelling extensively throughout Queensland, and wider Australia, to deliver corporate events. Kelly-Anne works with more than 90 sponsors, including Lion, Carlton & United Breweries, Tabcorp, AustralianSuper, Keno, IGT, Aristocrat, Westpac and ALM to strategically value-add to their sponsorship of the organisation with tailored events and campaigns that mutually benefit both parties.
Leading a small team, Kelly-Anne still enjoys a hands-on approach to all facets of event management whilst collaborating with local event producers and suppliers to bring her ideas to life.
Wesley’s career has been marked by the delivery of world-class entertainment and captivating ceremonies that have entranced global audiences. Demonstrating an unwavering commitment to excellence, Wesley’s expertise spans a diverse array of formats, budgets, and cultures, all refined through his successful execution of Ceremonies and Major Public Events.
Recently appointed as Head of Event Strategy & Delivery, Experience Melbourne at The City of Melbourne, Wesley continues to leverage his extensive experience to enhance Melbourne’s standing as a premier events destination. Previously, as the Head of Ceremonies & Programming at Expo 2020 Dubai, the Events & Entertainment team delivered over 30,000 performances across six months of programming, including the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and the 50th UAE National Day Ceremony, engaging more than 24 million visitors, while skilfully managing complex budgets and operational constraints. His contributions also extended to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, where he played a key role as Project Director for the Welcome to Qatar Ceremony, a dazzling spectacle on Doha’s iconic Corniche, that left a lasting impression on a global scale.
Wesley began his career in major events as part of the ceremonies team for the 18th Commonwealth Games Melbourne 2006. He continued to make his mark with contributions to White Night Melbourne 2017 & 2019, Ballarat 2017 & 2019, Geelong 2018 & Bendigo 2018, the 21st Commonwealth Games Gold Coast 2018, the 1st European Games Baku 2015, and the 15th Asian Games Doha 2006. Wesley’s remarkable expertise in managing ceremonies, programming, and events, coupled with his commitment to artistic excellence, continues to redefine the art of live experiences and create unforgettable moments in the world of extraordinary events and entertainment.
Steve is a communications, media and events professional with over 30 years’ experience in both agency and in-house environments. He has worked across a vast array of industries and organisations including Sydney 2000 Paralympics, Austrade, Invictus Games Sydney 2018, Brickworks, Australian of the Year, Sydney University, Carnival Cruise Lines Australia, Domain, Telstra, Weight Watchers and Woolworths.
Steve is currently Head of Strategic Communications at the Australian National Maritime Museum.
Sharyn has more than 25 years’ experience in marketing, communications, and events management for household name brands including Qantas, Channel 10, Flight Centre, Accor Hotels & Resorts, Brisbane Turf Club, UQ Sport, and various Queensland Government agencies and departments.
Sharyn spent nine years with Queensland Events Corporation, heading corporate communications for the state’s major events attraction agency, which sat within the portfolio of the Premier. The agency invested in an annual calendar of 20+ national and international events and 100+ regional festivals and events.
During this time, she spent three years as head of marketing, establishing the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA), an initiative covering 70 countries and areas. APSA partnered with CNN International, FIAPF-International Federation of Film Producers Associations, UNESCO, and the Motion Picture Association. Along with the annual awards, APSA produced a filmmakers’ documentary series broadcast on CNN in 200+ countries. In 2008, APSA received a national award for multicultural marketing (export) and, in 2009, APSA was named winner of the Best Marketing category at the inaugural Australian Event Awards.
Sharyn has overseen a long list of high-profile greenfields projects including commercialisation of TMR’s new meetings and training venue, the TransLink Centre for Service Excellence and delivering its 2015 Asia Pacific Cycle Congress, the inaugural QLD Changemaker Awards for the state’s Containers for Change scheme (Oct 2019), and an annual calendar of events, promotions, marketing and sponsorships for Queensland’s largest multisport complex at the University of Queensland (UQ Sport, 2015-2019).
Sharyn currently heads marketing and communications for the Regional Australia Division of major public transport operator, ComfortDelGro Australia (CDC), part of the international ComfortDelGro group.
Dan Simon is Head of Creative at Imagination, a leading global brand experience agency. With a strategic and creative mindset, Dan excels at solving complex business problems through bold creativity. His unique background in Installation Art and Commercial Interior Design allows him to craft powerful ideas and transform them into world-class events and experiences while paying meticulous attention to the details.
Throughout his career, Dan has immersed himself in a diverse range of mediums, seamlessly integrating live, physical, and digital channels, making him a highly versatile creative. Whether leading projects or his team, Dan thrives on challenging conventions and pushing boundaries to achieve the highest level of creative excellence. Over the last two decades, Dan has delivered some of Australia’s largest, most immersive, and technology-led events and experiences for renowned global brands, including Telstra, AWS, Samsung, Australia’s Nationbrand, Volkswagen, The Australian War Memorial, The Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, and many others.
Dan is passionate about exploring the boundaries of human experience and technology, in an effort to strengthen our evolving event industry, through heightened collaboration and innovation.
Peter Taylor is Head of Events and Program Innovation at Sovereign Hill. Sovereign Hill is one of Victoria’s premier tourist attractions with around half a million visitors each year. It is driven by a mission to explore and explain as well as entertain visitors entering its 1850s goldfields site.
Peter oversees iconic experiences at Sovereign Hill including Winter Wonderlights, Heritage Harvest Weekend and the Food, Fire and Light Festival that will debut in October this year.
Peter is a highly recognised leader in Australia’s events, public relations and communications industry. He has been a trusted advisor to some of the region’s most prominent CEOs and business leaders at Telstra, Carnival Corporation, City of Melbourne and most recently Sovereign Hill.
Peter is an active participant, advisor and guest speaker for industry advisory boards and mentoring programs including RMIT’s PR Industry Advisory Committee and the Public Relations Industry of Australia (PRIA).
Peter has twice been recognised as one of Australia’s 50 ‘most influential corporate communications professionals’ in the Salt & Shein Power 50 Report and in 2003 was recognised as PR Week’s Young PR Person of the Year.
Chris is an Award–Winning Event Director, starting his career with IMG and Red Bull, now in his 26th year in the industry. Chris is the co-founder of one of Australia’s leading public event agencies, The Shift Corp, representing global brands Red Bull, Vans, Reebok, Vodafone, Harley-Davidson, KPMG, Suzuki, Canon, ANZ, and G-Shock, as well as multiple local and state governments around Australia.
The Shift is well known for its “Anything’s Possible” approach across the Sports, Arts & Entertainment, Live Brand Events & Content Special Projects, and Major Public Events landscapes.
In 2023 the agency was awarded Public Event Management Company of the Year, as well as Best Brand Event of the Year for its work launching the FIFA Women’s World Cup with the ’25 Days To Go’ Unity Celebration on the Sydney Harbour Bridge with partners FIFA and Destination NSW.
In 2022 The Shift were awarded Event Management Company of the Year, along with Best Charity or Cause-Related Event at the Australian Event Awards. Previously the agency has also twice won Small Event Management Company of the Year, and Chris was nominated for Event Producer of the Year.
Chris is also the co-founder of the Wingman freelance community platform, a tech platform giving leading event specialists a hub to operate from, much needed support, and a place to connect. This has now grown to almost 600 ‘career event professional’ to date.
Domonique has a diverse and unique mix of experience spanning over 25 years in the strategic development and delivery of major events and creative brand experiences across the arts, government, tourism, nonprofit, sporting, and corporate sectors in the APAC region.
Her career includes more than 15 years in senior management roles, leading event agencies and departments in Australia and New Zealand. Domonique’s experience spans high-profile events such as the inaugural Riverfire in Brisbane and major projects for international agencies including Jack Morton Worldwide, GPJ, and Imagination. She has been instrumental in delivering significant events for the Queensland and Victorian Governments, Brisbane Lions AFC, and various multinational corporations.
A collaborative event specialist with a passion for crafting authentic, purpose-driven experiences, Domonique’s notable achievements include serving as the founding Executive Producer of the Bernard Fanning Youngcare Benefit Concert and holding pivotal roles in events such as the Brisbane Festival, Festival 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, and the Spirit of ANZAC Centenary Experience. Currently residing on the Sunshine Coast, she continues to work as a freelance Executive Producer.