Business Events Sydney (BESydney) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 31 October at the Art Gallery of NSW where it presented its positive end of financial year results, outlined future programs and updated Board positions.

This was Chair The Hon Bruce Baird AM’s final AGM and it was announced that Professor Mary O’Kane AC will take up the appointment effective 1 February 2024.

Baird remarked, “I am so proud to be leaving the BESydney Board as the organisation returns to peak performance following Covid. The past six years with the organisation has certainly seen business highs and lows in an uncertain environment. I look forward to seeing where BESydney will go under Professor Mary O’Kane’s highly credentialed stewardship in February and wish the organisation all the very best”.

BESydney CEO Lyn Lewis-Smith acknowledged the Chair’s contribution to the organisation. “Bruce has been an inspiring leader for BESydney and has steered us through a pandemic.  His passion for Sydney and the impact business events have on our economy and the city’s livelihood has seen him dedicate the past six years in service to the organisation liaising closely with government and key stakeholders to support the work we do. I also wanted to acknowledge Dr Marlene Kanga AO as she steps down from her position as Chair of the Finance, Risk & Audit Committee.

Lewis-Smith continued “I’m pleased to report a strong financial year result for secured business. Boosted by events postponed into 2023 from pandemic affected years and the Asian incentive market return, calendar year 2023 sees our events delivered for Sydney on track to exceed pre-pandemic years.

“This has been an incredible year for the organisation demonstrated by the recent brand and website launch and our new strategic agenda ‘Change Starts Here’. The organisation is dedicated to social impact and how we can deliver for our clients, our city and globally.  Our renewed focus will see some incredible outcomes as we explore ways of making change for the better”.

For FY 22/23 BESydney reported

• 57 global and national meetings held
  • which attracted 41,000 delegates
• generating an estimated $155 million in direct expenditure for the state.
• 54 new business events secured
• expected to attract 56,000 delegates
• generating an estimated $210 million in direct expenditure

And by the end of the financial year, the team had secured a pipeline to 2030 that includes:

• 55 business events
• expected to attract 85,000 delegates
• to generate $364 million in direct expenditure.

The 24-hour Economy Commissioner, Michael Rodrigues updated BESydney members on the work being done building vibrant, diverse, inclusive and safe 24-hour economies across Greater Sydney, specifically the Uptown Program (facilitating the growth of districts into vibrant going out hubs) and global Purple Flag initiatives (areas offering a diverse, vibrant and safe night out).

Deborah Zimmer, from BridgeClimb Sydney, was unanimously voted on as a Member Director, replacing James Granter whose term concluded in November 2022. Mr Marcus Hanna, Vice President Operations Pacific Sofitel, MGallery & Emblems was also appointed as Member Director for a term of three years replacing Greg Brady whose three-year term as Member Director ended in October this year.