PAST EVENTS

Join us for the upcoming After 5! Networking event in Maroochydore at Altitude Nine, City Hall from 5.30 – 7.30 pm. We will be joined by guest speaker Grantley Switzer, Sunshine Coast Program Lead Olympic and Paralympic Games Brisbane 2032, Sunshine Coast Council.

After 5! Networking events are FREE for all VMA Members and their invited guests. This is a brilliant opportunity for you and your guests to come together to maintain and develop new venue industry connections, so don’t miss out!

Not a financial VMA Member, please contact Amanda Jamieson on (07) 5575 9185 or membership@vma.org.au to secure your attendance.

GUEST SPEAKER

Grantley Switzer

Sunshine Coast Program Lead Olympic and Paralympic Games Brisbane 2032,

Sunshine Coast Council

Grantley Switzer is an experienced Local Government practitioner, with almost 20 years in the sector. Up until 2014, he was the General Manager Recreation, Culture and Community Infrastructure with Latrobe City Council in Eastern Victoria. In 2014, he was appointed Manager Community, Facilities and Planning with Sunshine Coast Council. In this role, he was an integral part of the Sunshine Coast and wider delivery partner team that responded to the International Olympic Committee candidature process that resulted in Brisbane being awarded the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. In April 2022, he moved full-time into the role as Sunshine Coast Program Lead – Brisbane 2032.

In this role as Sunshine Coast Program Lead for the 2032 Games, Grantley is overseeing a wide range of Games functions including legacy planning, governance, city operations, stakeholder engagement and importantly for this audience, the development of 3 new sporting venues, temporary overlays for a range of other Games events and an Athlete’s Village.

Join us for the upcoming After 5! Networking & Industry Celebration for one of the VMA’ founding fathers, Gareth James, who passed away on the 18th of November 2023. Gareth was both a VMA past President, holding the office during 1996/97, and inaugural Venue Management School Chair from 1992/1996. But more than that Gareth was one of the architects and driving forces behind the establishment and success of the Venue Management Association.

The VMA invites Members and guests to celebrate with us the legacy and contribution of Gareth to both the VMA and our great industry, while also taking the opportunity to come together to connect, with the industry.

The events will take place at AAMI Park, from 5.30 – 7.30 pm, and we will be joined by guest speakers on the night of John Harnden CEO of MOPT, Rod Pilbeam, VMA Past President, and Linton Lethlean, VMA Past President. 

This After 5! Networking event is open to all  VMA Members and their guests. We encourage you all to come along as this is a brilliant opportunity for you and your guests to come together to maintain and develop venue industry connections.

Not a financial VMA Member, please contact Amanda Jamieson on (07) 5575 9185 or membership@vma.org.au to secure your attendance.

Join us for the upcoming After 5! Networking event in Perth at HBF Park from 5.30 – 7.30 pm.

Guest Speaker: Bec Roe, HSBC SVNS

After 5! Networking events are FREE for all VMA Members and their invited guests. This is a brilliant opportunity for you and your guests to come together to maintain and develop new venue industry connections, so don’t miss out!

Not a financial VMA Member, please contact Amanda Jamieson on (07) 5575 9185 or membership@vma.org.au to secure your attendance.

Join us for the upcoming After 5! Networking event in Brisbane at Brisbane City Hall, sponsored by Gema Group from 5.30 – 7.30 pm.

Guest Speaker: Damien McDowell, Commercial Manager, Dolphins NRL

After 5! Networking events are FREE for all VMA Members and their invited guests. This is a brilliant opportunity for you and your guests to come together to maintain and develop new venue industry connections, so don’t miss out!

Not a financial VMA Member, please contact Amanda Jamieson on (07) 5575 9185 or membership@vma.org.au to secure your attendance.

SPONSORED BY – Gema Group

Gema Group began as a humble Australian-owned family business back in 1984 and today still encourages this culture of family that promotes respect, trust and integrity as we do business. With dedication and strength at our core, Gema Group has been delivering amazing event experiences for over 37 years.

Join us for the upcoming After 5! Networking event in Sydney at Hordern Pavilion, sponsored by Maxwood Technology from 5.30 – 7.30 pm.

“Everyone has a story from the Hordern!” Join us as we help celebrate the Hordern Pavilion’s 100th anniversary at our After 5! Networking event sponsored by Maxwood Technology. Featuring the woodfire pizza that has been authentic to the Hordern and the storytelling delight of General Manager Anthony Dunsford as he shares tales from the vault and sheds light on this iconic venue’s eclectic past.

After 5! Networking events are FREE for all VMA Members and their invited guests. This is a brilliant opportunity for you and your guests to come together to maintain and develop new venue industry connections, so don’t miss out!

Not a financial VMA Member, please contact Amanda Jamieson on (07) 5575 9185 or membership@vma.org.au to secure your attendance.

Guest Speaker

Anthony Dunsford

General Manager,

Playbill Venues

SPONSORED BY – Maxwood Technology

Established in 1989, we have built our reputation on quality products, innovative design solutions, and service.

Backed by world leading manufacturer’s the Kotobuki Group including  Audience Systems and ​Interkal​ as well as Internationally renowkned  Junckers​, as Maxwood Technology we have established ourselves as a leader in both sports flooring and audience seating solutions across the Australian and New Zealand markets.

Complementing our core range of products, in 2015 we launched an innovative range of LED aisle lighting solutions which can now be found featured in a growing number of venues across Australia and New Zealand.

Join us for the upcoming After 5! Networking event in Gold Coast at HOTA Home of the Arts from 5.30 – 7.30 pm. We are looking forward to an engaging session about HOTA’s inside story with guest speakers Michelle Bell, Precinct Operations Manager, Tommy Connelly, Technical Operations Manager, and Dayan Hartill-Law, Executive Chef.

After 5! Networking events are FREE for all VMA Members and their invited guests. This is a brilliant opportunity for you and your guests to come together to maintain and develop new venue industry connections, so don’t miss out!

Not a financial VMA Member, please contact Amanda Jamieson on (07) 5575 9185 or membership@vma.org.au to secure your attendance.

Join us for the upcoming After 5! Networking event in Melbourne at Abbotsford Convent from 5.30 – 7.30 pm.

After 5! Networking events are FREE for all VMA Members and their invited guests. This is a brilliant opportunity for you and your guests to come together to maintain and develop new venue industry connections, so don’t miss out!

Not a financial VMA Member, please contact Amanda Jamieson on (07) 5575 9185 or membership@vma.org.au to secure your attendance.

Join us for the upcoming After 5! Networking event in Hamilton at GLOBOX Arena and Events Centre Claudelands, hosted in conjunction with EVANZ from 5.30 – 7.30 pm. We will be joined by guest speaker Layton Lillas, Showcase Entertainment Group.

After 5! Networking events are FREE for all VMA Members and their invited guests. This is a brilliant opportunity for you and your guests to come together to maintain and develop new venue industry connections, so don’t miss out!

Not a financial VMA Member, please contact Amanda Jamieson on (07) 5575 9185 or membership@vma.org.au to secure your attendance.

GUEST SPEAKER

Layton Lillas

Promoter/ Producer

Showcase Entertainment Group

Layton Lillas from Showcase Entertainment Group is probably the only Promoter to have put shows on at the Murupara Hotel, The Royal Albert Hall and a makeshift marquee in Saudi Arabia…

He’s seen a lot but continues to learn and has a passion for the industry that only a ‘lifer’ can continue to muster, year after year. Irrespective of the environment, he has learnt to ‘get it done’, and he’s done this by getting the best out of people. He is forthright in his opinions on how there always needs to be collaboration between all parties like never before. Layton will challenge you and inspire you on what we need to do to keep the lights on in troubling times, because there ain’t no business like ‘show business’!

Join us for the upcoming After 5! Networking event in Townsville at Queensland Bank Country Stadium, sponsored by Gema Group, from 5.30 – 7.30 pm. We will be joined by Guest Speaker Jeff Reibel, Chief Executive Officer of the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys.

After 5! Networking events are FREE for all VMA Members and their invited guests. This is a brilliant opportunity for you and your guests to come together to maintain and develop new venue industry connections, so don’t miss out!

Not a financial VMA Member, please contact Amanda Jamieson on (07) 5575 9185 or membership@vma.org.au to secure your attendance.

GUEST SPEAKER

Jeff Reibel

Chief Executive Officer,

North Queensland Toyota Cowboys

Jeff has a proud and accomplished history across Australia’s sporting landscape and is now leading the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys in the role of Chief Executive Officer.

Over the course of 20 years in the Professional sporting sector, Jeff has formulated and led the execution of strategic and tactical plans that have optimised the revenue growth, economic viability, public and corporate profile and sponsor loyalty for major stakeholders.

Returning to the Cowboys in 2015, Jeff successfully led the club’s business development portfolio, moving into the role of Chief Commercial Officer, before being appointed to CEO with responsibilities spanning football and commercial operations across the Club in October 2018.

Since taking the helm, Jeff has led the successful migration of the club’s team, members and partners to Queensland Country Bank Stadium as well as spearheaded the planning, funding and building of the Cowboys Community, Training and High Performance facility – the Hutchinson Builders Centre – located adjacent to their new home ground.

He is proud of the club’s ongoing economic contribution to the North Queensland region, especially the work undertaken by the Cowboys Community Foundation and in particular their flagship program, NRL Cowboys House which delivers access to secondary education for indigenous boys and girls from remote communities.

SPONSORED BY – Gema Group

Gema Group began as a humble Australian-owned family business back in 1984 and today still encourages this culture of family that promotes respect, trust and integrity as we do business. With dedication and strength at our core, Gema Group has been delivering amazing event experiences for over 37 years.

Join us for the upcoming After 5! Networking event in Glenorchy at MyState Bank Arena from 5.30 – 7.30 pm.

Arrive a little earlier at 5:00pm to take a peek behind the curtains and experience the magic of MyState Bank Arena firsthand with a venue tour. 

Our esteemed guest speaker for the evening is Kathryn McCann, Executive Director, Tasmania Football Club.

BONUS: For a bit of extra fun be sure to check out the Pixar Putt mini golf on the arena floor from 7 pm. MyState Bank Arena is kindly offering this pop-up to VMA guests as a complementary addition to the evening.

After 5! Networking events are FREE for all VMA Members and their invited guests. This is a brilliant opportunity for you and your guests to come together to maintain and develop new venue industry connections, so don’t miss out!

Not a financial VMA Member, please contact Amanda Jamieson on (07) 5575 9185 or membership@vma.org.au to secure your attendance.

The VMA Professional Delvelopment Workshop will also be on earlier that day at MyState Bank Arena – Learn More

GUEST SPEAKER

Kathryn McCann

Executive Director,

Tasmania Football Club

Kath has senior Executive experience across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.  Kath is currently the Executive Director of Tasmania Football Club, working full-time to guide the organisation through their Establishment Phase. Kath continues to hold a range of Board positions, she is currently a non-Executive Director of Tasmanian Development Board and Bank of us and recently retired as Chair of Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens.

Kath grew up and was educated in Tasmania, she is a Graduate of University of Tasmania where she completed a double degree with majors in Psychology and Marketing. Kath is the proud wife of Adam and mum of Oscar and Harriet, she is passionate about building up women and young people to be the best versions of themselves and loves nothing more than being in nature exercising!

Join us for an exciting meet and greet at the new VMA HQ in Milton as we introduce our new CEO, Joel Edmondson! This event is a fantastic opportunity to get to know Joel, hear about his vision for the future of VMA, and connect with colleagues. We’re thrilled to have Joel on board and look forward to sharing his plans for driving innovation and growth.

We are also excited to announce our guest speakers Alan Graham, General Manager of Suncorp Stadium, and Former Origin Greats Wally Lewis and Gene Miles who will also be in attendance on the night.

This event is limited to VMA Members Only!

Join us for the upcoming After 5! Networking event in Melbourne at Melbourne Cricket Ground, sponsored by Convergint, from 5.30 – 7.30 pm.

We are thrilled to welcome Josh Eltringham, General Manager – Venue & Event Services at MCC, as our speaker for the evening.

After 5! Networking events are FREE for all VMA Members and their invited guests. This is a brilliant opportunity for you and your guests to come together to maintain and develop new venue industry connections, so don’t miss out!

Not a financial VMA Member, please contact Amanda Jamieson on (07) 5575 9185 or membership@vma.org.au to secure your attendance.

Sponsor:

Convergint is a global service-based system integrator that designs, installs, and delivers cutting-edge security and audio-visual solutions and services, all purpose-built to meet diverse customer requirements. With over 400 colleagues in Auckland, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney, Convergint Oceania can provide a vast array of security and audio visual technology services tailored to the needs of local customers. Learn more here.

Speaker: 

Josh Eltringham,

General Manager – Venue & Event Services

Melbourne Cricket Club

Josh Eltringham is the General Manager – Venue and Event Services at the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) and has been at the Club since 2015. Josh has almost 20 years of event and venue management experience at organisations such as the Carlton Football Club, London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games and Melbourne & Olympic Parks.

In his current role, Josh is responsible for the leadership and oversight of the Venue & Event Services department and all aspects of event management at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The MCG attracts over 4 million patrons per year and has a capacity in excess of 100,000 patrons. The Melbourne Cricket Club has over 150,000 members and over 215,000 on the waiting list making it one of the largest sporting Clubs in the world. The MCG is one of the busiest stadiums in the world with over 90 event days and 1,000 non-event day functions annually.

Join us for the upcoming After 5! Networking event in Adelaide at Adelaide Convention Centre from 5.30 – 7.30 pm.

We are thrilled to announce that our guest speaker for the evening will be Bronwyn Klei, Chief Executive Officer, Netball SA and Adelaide Thunderbirds

After 5! Networking events are FREE for all VMA Members and their invited guests. This is a brilliant opportunity for you and your guests to come together to maintain and develop new venue industry connections, so don’t miss out!

Not a financial VMA Member, please contact Amanda Jamieson on (07) 5575 9185 or membership@vma.org.au to secure your attendance.

GUEST SPEAKER: 

Bronwyn Klei

Chief Executive Officer,

Netball SA and Adelaide Thunderbirds

Bronwyn Klei is not only a leader, she is something of a ground breaker – one of the very few Australian women to have led both women’s and men’s sporting teams to national success.

In her current role as CEO of Netball SA, she is responsible for the growth and prosperity of the game at every level across the state, with netball long known as Australia’s number one sport for women and girls. Her role also encompasses the Adelaide Thunderbirds who this year won back to back premierships in the SSN – Australia’s national netball competition and the toughest in the world.

In her five years in charge, Bronwyn has steered Netball SA through the immense challenges of COVID, improved services to 35,000 members, overseen the implementation of a brand new governance framework and secured a $92 million dollar commitment from the state government to redevelop the home of netball at Mile End; a game changer for the sport.

Previously, Bronwyn spent almost a decade at the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) as General Manager of Events, Sales and Commercial, responsible for a multi-million dollar income stream, as well as General Manager of both the Adelaide Strikers T20 cricket teams, winning the national championship with the men in 2017/18.

A past-President of both the Adelaide Hills Netball Association and the Aldgate Netball Club, she still plays and umpires.

Join us for the upcoming After 5! Networking event in Sydney at Sydney Showground from 5.30 – 7.30 pm.

We are thrilled to announce that our guest speakers for the evening will be:

• Darryl Jeffrey, General Manager, Sydney Showground
• Susan Skuodas, Director, Place Management and Stakeholder Engagement, Sydney Olympic Park Authority

After 5! Networking events are FREE for all VMA Members and their invited guests. This is a brilliant opportunity for you and your guests to come together to maintain and develop new venue industry connections, so don’t miss out!

Not a financial VMA Member, please contact Amanda Jamieson on (07) 5575 9185 or membership@vma.org.au to secure your attendance.

GUEST SPEAKERS

Darryl Jeffrey

General Manager,

Sydney Showground

Darryl is the General Manager of Sydney Showground, the venue and event management business of the Royal Agricultural Society. In his role Darryl is responsible for the overall leadership and direction of all departments of Sydney Showground, a world-class venue in Sydney Olympic Park that delivers over 100 national and international events each year. Sydney Showground has partnerships with the Australian Football League and Cricket NSW, with the Greater Western Sydney GIANTS and Sydney Thunder utilising the Showground’s main arena ENGIE Stadium for their home matches. Every year, Sydney Showground delivers the RAS of NSW’s flagship event, the iconic Sydney Royal Easter Show. Australia’s largest annual event, the show attracts circa 900,000 people.

Prior to his role at Sydney Showground Darryl gained extensive leadership and operational experience from a career spanning more than 19 years in the military. Since 2008, Darryl has channelled those skills into a successful career within the events, leisure, and sports venue industry.

Darryl holds qualifications in Business, Distribution, Production, Procurement and Contracting and is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is also the President of the Sydney Olympic Park Business Association.

Susan Skuodas

Director, Place Management and Stakeholder Engagement,

Sydney Olympic Park Authority

Susan Skuodas has a career history of over 25 years in the public and private sectors, with experience in in strategy development and execution, stakeholder and community engagement, communications, customer experience, precinct operations, event delivery and place making. 

Susan oversees the Place Management division at Sydney Olympic Park that focuses on delivering high quality, effective and sustainable place outcomes and customer experiences to activate public spaces; supporting major events in NSW’s premier events destination; providing safe, inclusive and connected places; building neighbourhoods with a strong sense of community and driving visitation and engagement with one of Sydney’s most treasured and iconic precincts. 

Susan joined the NSW Public Service and Sydney Olympic Park Authority in 2004. During this time, she has overseen precinct operations for global events, including the FIFA Womens’ World Cup and FIBA Womens Basketball World Cup; annual major events including the Sydney Royal Easter Show, State of Origin, NRL Grand Final; and numerous concert series, including Taylor Swift, P!NK, Ed Sheeran, Foofighters and Adele.  She has delivered the new Place Vision and Strategy for Sydney Olympic Park 2050 to guide a new master plan that leverages significant infrastructure investment for the region.  In recent years, Susan has been collaborating with NSW Government and private industry on a range of Smart projects, including the NSW Government’s SmartShuttle trial of autonomous vehicles, new crowd management and experience technologies and building community trust in digital technologies, and in the development of Smart place strategies for developing future cities and precincts. 

Join us for the upcoming After 5! Networking event in Christchurch at Isaac Theatre Royal, hosted in conjunction with EVANZ from 5.30 – 7.30 pm.

We are excited to announce our guest speaker is Steve Guest, Managing Director, Guesty PR.

After 5! Networking events are FREE for all VMA and EVANZ Members and their invited guests. This is a brilliant opportunity for you and your guests to come together to maintain and develop new venue industry connections, so don’t miss out!

Not a financial VMA Member, please contact Amanda Jamieson on (07) 5575 9185 or membership@vma.org.au to secure your attendance.

Guest Speaker

Steve Guest

Managing Director, Guesty PR

Steve is the former Head of PR for Live Nation Entertainment, where he worked for a decade on live events, tours, and artist PR. He has worked with the best Venues and Promoters and Record Companies in the UK and USA, and works very closely with Artists, Management and Agents.

Guesty PR is a Public Relations, Marketing and Management consultancy company created by Steve Guest, who has over 30 years’ experience in the music and entertainment industry, especially the live music and recorded arena. Guesty PR won the Music Week Best PR Campaign for Dolly Parton in 2015.

Join us for the upcoming After 5! Networking event in Brisbane at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre from 5.30 – 7.30 pm.

We are thrilled to announce that our Guest Speaker for the evening will be John Kotzas AM, CEO, QPAC. John will take us through QPAC’s unique operating structure as one of the largest Performing Arts Centres worldwide. He will also address the challenges that may be on the horizon with Brisbane’s changing landscape.

After 5! Networking events are FREE for all VMA Members and their invited guests. This is a brilliant opportunity for you and your guests to come together to maintain and develop new venue industry connections, so don’t miss out!

Not a financial VMA Member, please contact Amanda Jamieson on (07) 5575 9185 or membership@vma.org.au to secure your attendance.

GUEST SPEAKER

John Kotzas
CEO of QPAC

Join us for the upcoming After 5! Networking event in Perth at His Majesty’s Theatre from 5.30 – 7.30 pm.

We are pleased to announce our Guest Speaker will be Janis Carren, CEO, Arts and Culture Trust.

After 5! Networking events are FREE for all VMA Members and their invited guests. This is a brilliant opportunity for you and your guests to come together to maintain and develop new venue industry connections, so don’t miss out!

Not a financial VMA Member, please contact Amanda Jamieson on (07) 5575 9185 or membership@vma.org.au to secure your attendance.

GUEST SPEAKER

Janis Carren
CEO of Arts and Culture Trust