Geoff Donaghy was formerly CEO of Australia’s premier convention, exhibition and entertainment venue, ICC Sydney, which since its opening has been successfully attracting local, national and international visitors with its focus on high quality events, local produce and commitment to service excellence.
He is also the Group Director of Convention Centres for leading venue management specialists, ASM Global (APAC), with a long involvement delivering major facility projects in Australia, Asia and the Middle East. Geoff is a past President of the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC) and was on the executive committee of global body, the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC).
He served five years as Chair of peak convention and exhibition body, the Business Events Council of Australia (BECA), and was later re-elected for a period as Deputy Chair to support the industry in navigating the turbulent years of the global pandemic. He chaired the Sydney Business Events Coalition comprising the city’s major business and business events organisations which engaged and lobbied the State government supporting the continued rebound and recovery of the Australian business events industry.
He is currently a board member of the New Sydney Waterfront Company and he has sat on several industry and Government boards including Queensland’s tourism and event corporations. Geoff was an inaugural director, then Chair, of North Queensland’s world heritage rainforest management authority.
Geoff was awarded the Australia Centenary Medal by the Federal Government in 2001, the Australian industry’s Outstanding Contribution Award in 2009, the Joint Meeting Industry Council’s 2010 Global Power and Profile Award and 2016 IMEX Academy Award for outstanding Asia Pacific industry service.
In 2021, Geoff was inducted into the USA based Events Industry Council’s Hall of Leaders, a prestigious international recognition program in the global meetings, conventions and exhibitions industry. In 2022, Geoff received the Professional Conference Organisers Association President’s Award in recognition of his service and leadership of the business events industry.
