Having held her position for 12 years, Lewis-Smith has advised the BESydney board of her decision not to renew her contract for another term.
“While leading this organisation for more than a decade, I have always believed in this industry and the impact it has on the world,” she says.
“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 … presents 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 more than 20 years, and I will continue to be a passionate advocate for Sydney.”
BESydney chair Professor Mary O’Kane AC has praised Lewis-Smith for her leadership at the helm of the business events organisation.
“I would like to pay tribute to our CEO, Lyn Lewis-Smith, and thank her for her stewardship of this great organisation,” she says.
“She has led BESydney with vision and integrity during the past 12 years and the business events industry globally is better for it.”
BESydney will conduct a global search for Lewis-Smith’s replacement.
The announcement came at the conclusion of BESydney’s annual general meeting for the 2023-2024 financial year, where it revealed strong results for the fiscal period and an even stronger forward-events pipeline through to 2030.
BESydney reports that 69 global and national meetings were held in the financial year, which attracted 51,000 delegates and generated an estimated $216 million in direct expenditure for NSW; 69 new business events were secured, which are expected to attract 61,000 delegates and generate an estimated $217 million in direct expenditure; and by 30 June, 2024, BESydney secured a pipeline of confirmed business to 2030, comprising 58 global and national business events which are expected to attract 101,000 delegates to Sydney and generate 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,” says Professor O’Kane.
“Our Team Sydney partners’ collaboration contributes to these results, as together we champion this incredible city.
“On behalf of the board, I would like to thank the NSW Government and City of Sydney for their support, as well as the academic community which is at the heart of our work.”
BESydney board (pictured at top, from left): Deborah Zimmer, Judith Crompton, Steve Cox, Lyn Lewis-Smith, Professor Mary O’Kane AC, George Souris AM, Nathan Cox and Michael Magafa.
