BESydney CEO Lyn Lewis-Smith to depart after 12 years

Edited by Travel Weekly

Business Events Sydney (BESydney), Lyn Lewis-Smith, has advised the Board of her decision not to renew her contract for another term, stepping down in July 2025.

This came as BESydney announced strong results for financial year 2023-24 at its Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Keypoints from BESydney’s AGM:

69 global and national meetings held which attracted 51,000 delegates generating an estimated $216 million in direct expenditure for the state.
69 new business events secured expected to attract 61,000 delegates generating an estimated $217 million in direct expenditure
By 30 June 2024, the BESydney team had secured a pipeline of confirmed business to 2030 comprising 58 global and national business events expected to attract 101,000 delegates to Sydney generating an estimated $401 million in direct expenditure.

“Business events play a vital role in driving local and national visitor and knowledge economies and the numbers for this financial year attest to the success of BESydney’s work. Our Team Sydney partners’ collaboration contributes to these results as together we champion this incredible city,” BESydney chair professor, Mary O’Kane AC, said.

O’Kane continued: “On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank the NSW Government and the City of Sydney for their support as well as the academic community who are at the heart of our work.

I would also like to take this opportunity to be the first to pay tribute to our CEO Lyn Lewis-Smith, and to thank her for her stewardship of this great organisation.”

(L-R) Prof. Mary O’Kane AC & BESydney CEO Lyn Lewis-Smith.

“She has led BESydney with vision and integrity over the past 12 years and the business events industry globally, is better for it.”

CEO Lyn Lewis-Smith said: “While leading this organisation for more than a decade, I have always believed in this industry and the impact it has on the world. This role is one of the best jobs in the global visitor economy and I will be leaving my stewardship of BESydney while it is well-placed to accommodate the transition.

The new Government funding for BESydney for FY25, responding to the significance of business events to the NSW Visitor Economy, as well as the upcoming strategy, present a strong outlook for the organisation in the coming year. The industry, stakeholders, my team and family have been the reason I have stayed for over 20 years, and I will continue to be a passionate advocate for Sydney.”

During the Meeting, new Board Member Nathan Cox, vice president operations NSW & ACT, Accor, was ratified and Michael Magafa, commercial director APAC, Encore Event Technologies was appointed. These appointments replaced Member Director, Emma Bowyer from ICMS Australasia, who concluded her three-year term, stepping down officially at the AGM, and Marcus Hannah from Sofitel, MGallery & Emblems who resigned from his position in August this year.

The Board will commence the global search for a new CEO shortly as part of a planned transition. Lyn Lewis-Smith will continue to serve as CEO until end of June 2025 to ensure an orderly progression.

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agm BESydney