Outgoing ABEA CEO Melissa Brown leaves for Perth.
The Australian Business Events Association (ABEA) has announced that its inaugural CEO, Melissa Brown, will step down at the end of December 2026 to pursue an opportunity in Perth.
Brown joined in September 2023 and led the association through its establishment phase, building its team, developing its advocacy programme and overseeing three annual conferences.
The board has begun recruiting a successor, with expressions of interest directed to ABEA chair Peter King or deputy chair Matt Pearce.
Brown leaves as the domestic pipeline strengthens. According to ABEA’s Domestic Forward Calendar 2026, released in August, 806 domestic business events were secured by convention bureaux from July 2026 to 2033, expected to draw more than 451,000 delegates and generate an estimated A$1.04 billion in delegate spending. Medical and healthcare meetings lead the pipeline, accounting for 37 percent of secured events and about 142,800 expected delegates
Brown will attend her final ABEA Conference & Awards, themed Sharing What Works, at Adelaide Convention Centre from 30 November to 2 December.