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15 Conference Producers Shaping Events in Sydney

  • Writer: Jonno White
    Jonno White
  • Aug 3
  • 11 min read

Last updated: 3 August 2026

 

Sydney has a deep bench of conference producers who turn complex briefs into useful, memorable gatherings. This 2026 guide introduces 15 current professionals working across business events, association conferences, government programmes, festivals and specialist gatherings in Greater Sydney, with names presented alphabetically for easy navigation.

 

Conference producers sit at the point where strategy meets the live experience. They interpret what an organisation wants people to understand, feel and do, then coordinate the programme, venue, speakers, partners, technology and hundreds of small decisions that make it possible. The strongest work is often almost invisible to a delegate because the event feels calm, coherent and easy to follow.

 

The people below represent different kinds of production leadership. Some lead established professional conference organiser businesses. Others run boutique agencies, manage operational teams or shape major public programmes that offer useful lessons for conferences. Together, they show the range of expertise available across Sydney and nearby New South Wales.

 

Use the guide to understand the market, notice different operating models and find professionals whose experience matches the kind of gathering you are planning. A direct LinkedIn profile is linked from every name, while organisation links make it easy to explore each person's current work.

 

Titles vary across the industry, so this guide focuses on the work rather than one label. It includes people who lead professional conference organiser businesses, produce specialist programmes, direct event teams or bring relevant large-scale public delivery experience. That broader view helps readers compare operating models without pretending every producer offers the same service.

 

Why conference production matters

 

Conference production matters because a gathering is only valuable when people can focus on the ideas and relationships they came for. Every confusing handover, late decision or unclear responsibility competes with that purpose. A capable producer creates the structure that lets speakers, clients, suppliers and delegates do their best work.

 

Sydney events often bring together people from government, associations, universities, business and creative industries. Each group has its own expectations, approvals and language. Producers translate between those worlds, turning an ambitious concept into a programme that can actually be delivered within the available time, venue and resources.

 

The role also shapes trust. Clear communication before the event helps speakers prepare and gives partners confidence. Thoughtful on-site systems reduce friction for delegates. A disciplined run behind the scenes gives the public-facing team room to be present rather than constantly solving preventable problems.

 

That is why it is worth looking beyond an agency logo and understanding the people doing the work. Different producers bring different strengths, from association governance and scientific programmes to creative direction, destination planning and large-scale public delivery.

 

Strong production also protects decision quality. A clear plan makes trade-offs visible early, gives owners time to choose and reduces the chance that urgent logistics quietly override the event's central purpose.

 

 

 

Petra Bacic is Global Operations Director at Public Sector Network and is based in Greater Sydney. Her work sits close to the conference producer brief because it brings public sector audiences, programmes and event partners together for major professional gatherings in New South Wales.

 

The Professional Conference Organisers Association lists Bacic as a Sydney Certified Event Company practitioner with the CEM credential. That combination of professional recognition and direct government-event experience is useful for readers interested in the detailed, stakeholder-heavy side of producing conferences.

 

 

 

Emma Bowyer is the Owner and Chief Executive Officer of ICMS Australasia, with a Sydney office in the city centre. She fits this list through long-term leadership of a professional conference organiser that delivers complex business and association events across Australia and internationally.

 

ICMS Australasia marked six decades in business during 2026. Bowyer's stewardship of an organisation with that depth of operating history offers a useful reminder that strong conference production depends on institutional knowledge, client trust and the ability to keep adapting as formats and audiences change.

 

 

 

Dianna Crebbin is the Founder and Owner of DC Conference & Association Management in North Sydney. Her work squarely matches the topic through a business focused on conference management, exhibitions and association services for professional communities.

 

The organisation traces its start to 1989 and its first conference at Sydney's Wentworth Hotel. That history matters because it shows the value of building durable systems around programmes, delegates and member relationships, not simply delivering a single room on a single day. It also rewards long-term trust.

 

 

 

Kat Duda is Director of The Conference Runner and one of the Sydney-based organisers behind the PCO Collaborative. The role connects directly to professional conference production, with responsibility spanning planning, partner coordination and delivery for specialist communities.

 

The PCO Collaborative is currently working on Pathology Update 2027, a multi-stream scientific conference. Duda's place in that collaboration highlights a practical industry lesson: complex programmes often benefit when experienced independent producers combine complementary strengths around content, logistics and delegate experience. That cooperation matters in practice.

 

 

 

Rachael Elsworth is Director of Your Event Team and a member of the PCO Collaborative in Sydney. Her work is a close match for the list because it brings together conference management, sponsorship, exhibition planning and practical event delivery.

 

The PCO Collaborative is currently working on Pathology Update 2027, a multi-stream scientific conference. Elsworth's role in the collaboration focuses on sponsorship, exhibition planning and practical event delivery, areas that require producers to balance the priorities of clients, sponsors, speakers and delegates without losing sight of the event's purpose.

 

 

 

Joanna Hancock is CEO of DIRECTIONS Conference & Incentive Management in Marrickville. Her work covers conferences, study tours and incentive programmes, bringing both production and travel-design experience to this Sydney-focused guide.

 

In 2026, DIRECTIONS joined the CT Partners network after 25 years in the industry. That move illustrates a useful growth principle for event businesses: partnerships can expand buying power and capability while an experienced producer keeps the programme's purpose and client relationships at the centre. That can support resilience over time.

 

 

 

Erin Kelly is Associate Director, Operations at Arinex and is based in Sydney. Her remit places her at the centre of complex national and international conferences, where planning discipline and operational coordination have to work together across many moving parts.

 

Arinex describes Kelly's focus as delivering complex conferences and events across national and international settings. That scope is relevant for readers because it shows how a producer's influence often comes through operational clarity: aligning specialist teams, protecting the delegate journey and keeping the programme workable.

 

 

 

Sarah Lovell is General Manager, Events at Destination NSW and part of the leadership team delivering Vivid Sydney. Her role brings a major public-event perspective to this Sydney list, with responsibility around programmes that combine creative content, visitor experience and complex city-wide delivery.

 

The current Vivid Sydney team page places Lovell within the 2026 festival team. Her inclusion broadens the conference producer lens in a useful way: the strongest professional gatherings can learn from large public programmes that coordinate multiple disciplines while keeping a coherent experience for the audience.

 

 

 

Imogen Marty is the Founder of Imogen Marty Events, a Sydney boutique agency producing conferences, gala dinners and brand experiences. Her practice fits the topic through hands-on responsibility for shaping an event from early concept through to live delivery.

 

Marty founded the agency in 2022 after more than 14 years delivering events around the world. That path is useful for readers who value range: international experience can sharpen judgement about format and audience, while a focused local agency can keep decision-making close to the client.

 

 

 

Jodie McLean is the Founder and Director of JEM Events, a Sydney business-events agency. Her work covers conferences and other professional gatherings, making her a direct fit for readers looking at the people who turn organisational goals into an event that feels clear and purposeful.

 

JEM Events records more than 15 years of experience behind McLean's practice. The useful lesson is consistency: experienced producers build confidence by anticipating questions, creating clear decision paths and helping clients understand what matters now versus what can wait until later in the run.

 

 

 

Nicole Robertson is Senior Conference Manager at Concept Event Management in Sydney. Her role is closely aligned with this list through direct responsibility for association and medical conferences, fields where programme detail and stakeholder communication are especially important.

 

Concept Event Management records more than 25 years of experience across association and medical work. That depth is useful because specialist conferences ask producers to respect technical content while still designing a smooth experience for speakers, partners and delegates with very different needs.

 

 

 

Karen Sainsbury is Managing Director and Co-founder of Cornerstone Events in Sydney. She fits the topic through professional conference-organiser work for associations and organisations that need structured planning, sponsorship support and careful delivery.

 

Sainsbury also holds the Certified Meeting Professional credential and serves the industry through the Professional Conference Organisers Association. That mix of client work and professional contribution matters because it helps practical knowledge circulate beyond one agency and strengthens the wider business-events community. It also supports shared standards across the sector.

 

 

 

Nicole Santer is the Founder of Extraordinary Events, a Sydney agency established in 1998. Her portfolio includes large-scale conferences, giving her a direct place in this guide to producers shaping professional gatherings across the city.

 

The agency also developed its 7StEMM event methodology with co-founder Neil Santer. That structured approach is useful because memorable production rarely comes from improvisation alone; it comes from a repeatable way to connect strategy, audience needs, content, logistics and the live experience. That discipline matters under real pressure.

 

 

 

Celia Wouters is the Founder of Events Outsourced, a Sydney agency working across corporate conferences and events. Her role fits the topic through close involvement in the strategy and delivery decisions that shape how professional audiences meet and learn.

 

Wouters founded Events Outsourced in 2016 after building experience across the sector. The model is useful for organisations that need experienced event leadership without carrying every capability in-house, and it shows how an embedded external producer can bring both focus and flexibility to a conference team.

 

 

 

Agnes Zalan is the Principal of BM Conferences, based in the Blue Mountains and working across Sydney, regional New South Wales and Australia. Her role directly matches the professional conference organiser scope, with an emphasis on end-to-end planning and regional event experiences.

 

BM Conferences records more than two decades of conference and event work behind Zalan's practice. That regional and city experience is useful because destination decisions shape far more than travel; they affect programme rhythm, supplier choices, delegate energy and the way an event connects with place.

 

What these leaders show us about conference production

 

Across these profiles, one pattern stands out: production leadership is both strategic and deeply practical. A producer may help define the purpose of a gathering in one meeting, then spend the next week resolving registration rules, speaker needs, sponsorship obligations or venue constraints. The work rewards people who can move between the big picture and the smallest detail without treating either as secondary.

 

Another visible pattern is the value of varied experience. Several people have worked across venues, agencies, associations, corporate teams or major public events. That range can improve judgement because it helps a producer see the pressures facing each stakeholder. It also makes collaboration easier when the same word means something different to a client, a technical supplier and a programme chair.

 

Longevity appears in different forms. Some leaders have built organisations over decades. Others have created newer specialist practices after long careers inside the sector. Both paths can produce strong work when experience is turned into clear systems rather than relying on memory or last-minute heroics.

 

Finally, Sydney's conference community is not one uniform market. It includes scientific meetings, government forums, association congresses, corporate conferences, creative programmes and destination-led experiences. The useful question is not simply who can run an event. It is whose way of working best fits the audience, complexity and purpose of the gathering.

 

That variety also changes what good collaboration looks like. Some settings need a producer who can hold a long governance cycle. Others need rapid creative coordination or strong destination knowledge. The common thread is the ability to make complexity legible for everyone involved.

 

How to use this list

 

Start with the kind of outcome you need, not the format you have inherited. Write down what should be different for attendees after the conference, then look for producers whose current work shows comfort with that audience and level of complexity.

 

Explore the organisation pages linked in each profile. Notice whether the work leans toward association management, scientific programmes, government audiences, corporate experiences, creative production or destination events. That context will help you create a tighter written brief and ask better questions before choosing a partner.

 

When making contact, keep the first message short and specific. Share the event purpose, likely audience, location, dates, approximate size and any fixed constraints. Ask for a written response covering the proposed approach, responsibilities, timing and decision path. This makes comparison easier and protects everyone from a vague brief.

 

You can also use the list as a learning tool. Follow the people whose work is most relevant, study how they talk about programmes and delivery, and note the questions they encourage clients to answer early. Good production thinking is useful even when you are not yet ready to appoint an external producer.

 

Before deciding, write down the three risks you most want the producer to own. That makes each written response easier to assess.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What does a conference producer do?

 

A conference producer turns an event goal into a workable programme and delivery plan. The role may include content development, speaker coordination, budgets, suppliers, sponsorship, registration, technology, venue operations and on-site leadership, depending on the agency, brief and delivery setting.

 

How is a conference producer different from an event planner?

 

The titles often overlap, but conference producers usually carry strong responsibility for programme purpose, audience experience and the systems behind professional gatherings. An event planner may work across a wider range of social, corporate or public events, so the written scope matters more than the label.

 

When should an organisation engage a conference producer?

 

Engage a producer when the event has enough complexity that internal coordination is becoming a risk. Early involvement is especially useful when the programme, venue, sponsorship model, technology or delegate journey still needs shaping, because later changes are harder to absorb.

 

What should be included in a first conference brief?

 

Include the purpose, audience, preferred location and dates, expected size, programme shape, fixed commitments and the decision-maker. Also name what success should look like. A clear brief helps a producer respond with a useful written approach rather than a generic capability statement.

 

Can a Sydney producer manage events outside the city?

 

Yes, many Sydney-based producers work across regional New South Wales, Australia and international destinations. Ask how the team handles local suppliers, travel, on-site staffing and venue knowledge for each location, then confirm the delivery model in writing before appointing them.

 

Conclusion

 

Sydney offers a strong mix of conference producers, from specialist independent operators to leaders inside established professional conference organiser businesses and major public programmes. The useful difference is not simply agency size. It is the match between the producer's experience, operating style and the purpose of your gathering.

 

A good next move is to choose three people whose current work resembles your event, then read their organisation pages carefully. Compare the types of audiences they serve, the complexity they appear comfortable with and the way they describe collaboration. That small amount of preparation will make any written enquiry far more productive.

 

Most importantly, define the outcome before you discuss the format. A conference is not successful because the agenda ran on time alone. It is successful when the right people can understand the content, build useful relationships and leave knowing what to do next.

 

Pick one profile from this guide and write a short brief today. That gives you a concrete starting point without locking you into a supplier or a full event plan. A precise written brief is often the simplest way to begin that comparison well.

 

Related Reading

 

For adjacent Sydney event support, explore Consult Clarity's guides to Sydney emcees, conference facilitators and keynote speakers for association conferences in Sydney.

 

Bring practical leadership into the room

 

Planning a conference that also needs a practical leadership keynote, workshop or facilitated session? Jonno White helps leaders build organisations people would move cities to work at. For a clear written proposal, email jonno@consultclarity.org.

 

About the Author

 

Jonno White is a Brisbane-based leadership consultant, keynote speaker and Certified Working Genius Facilitator, and the author of Step Up or Step Out. He works with schools, organisations and leadership teams around the world. To enquire about a keynote, workshop or facilitated leadership session, email jonno@consultclarity.org.

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