Our Team

Damien joined the Business Events Adelaide team as Chief Executive Officer in 2008 following extensive experience at Events South Australia and South Australian Tourism Commission. Damien has a successful track record of facilitating collaboration across private and public sectors to position Adelaide, South Australia as a destination of choice. Damien has served as President of the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux and Deputy Chair of the Business Events Council of Australia. He provides strong leadership with a clear strategic focus for the Australian and South Australian business events sector.

Tony has had a varied and successful career, beginning as a butler in London. An MBA graduate from the University of South Australia, he previously held senior corporate positions in a range of industry sectors in Australia and overseas. Tony’s breadth of experience and strong strategic mindset helps to develop the critical thinking needed to drive continuous improvement. He is enthused by the economic and growth opportunities that business events present and helping position Adelaide for continued and long-lasting success.

Mark leads the International Business Development team. He has over 25 years of experience in the visitor economy having worked in a variety of sales, marketing and business developments roles in Adelaide and Melbourne. He is passionate about South Australia and enjoys the stunning regions of the Barossa, Kangaroo Island and the Outback. He looks forward to increasing the number of international business events aligned to SA's key economic sectors and innovation districts.

Edgar joined Business Events Adelaide in January 2019, bringing with him experience spanning the hotel, airline, hospitality, and tourism industries. He has worked for some of the world’s top airlines such as United Airlines and leading hotel brands including IHG and Accor in corporate, customer service, account management, and sales roles. Edgar’s experiences are an asset to his role with Business Events Adelaide as he seeks to attract international business events that align with South Australia’s priority sectors.

As Director of National Bidding, I bring a diverse career spanning sales, business development, marketing, media, travel and tourism, and the medical sector. My career has always been centred around building strong relationships, identifying opportunities and bringing people together to achieve meaningful outcomes. I started my career in travel and tourism, where I developed my passion for sales and creating memorable experiences. Since then, I’ve worked across the fast-paced media and finance industries, as well as the medical sector, where I supported clinical teams across neurosurgery and general surgery. I’m incredibly passionate about South Australia and proud to play a role in showcasing Adelaide and our state as an outstanding destination for business events. I love connecting people, creating opportunities and sharing everything that makes South Australia such a special place to visit, meet and do business.

Amber is a seasoned professional with 30 years’ experience in private, public and international business. With a career encompassing a broad spectrum of corporate roles, she brings a wealth of knowledge in supporting and driving both process and operational business improvement in corporate services. Amber is excited to support the Business Events Adelaide team in attracting business events and working in an organisation that showcases South Australia's exceptional venues, diverse experiences, and unparalleled hospitality.

Mary joined the Business Events Adelaide team as an Administration and Finance Officer in 2001 and has held a number of senior roles, now being responsible for Membership. She is proactive in promoting South Australia and leading the Business Events Adelaide team to encourage members to bid for upcoming events to host in wonderful South Australia.

Previously spending most of his professional life in Singapore, Rebin relocated to Adelaide in early 2022 after falling in love with South Australia’s great outdoors during his previous vacation trip. With 13 years of creative experience working with international brands such as Sony, Toyota, and Canon, Rebin brings tremendous expertise and craftsmanship to bid design and marketing activities at the Business Events Adelaide.

Andrew brings a unique set of skills from a diverse career spanning commercial property, agribusiness, business advocacy and retail. More recently, Andrew has held senior positions at the SA Business Chamber (formerly Business SA), including being Director of Policy and Advocacy during the pandemic period. Holding an MBA from the University of Adelaide, Andrew has a wealth of experience and understanding of the South Australian economy and its strategic strengths. Andrew’s family love living in Adelaide and making the most of all our beautiful state has to offer, particularly the myriad of iconic beaches and wine regions.

Courtney brings a wealth of experience from her tenure in membership organisations. Her background is in events, sponsorship, and marketing, gained from her previous roles at Architectural Designers New Zealand and, most recently, The Christchurch Club. Having relocated from New Zealand to Adelaide in mid-2024, Courtney was drawn to the city's picturesque hillside, coastal beaches, and the renowned wine regions of South Australia. She is eager to apply her versatile skills to support the Business Development team.

Bethany is a writer, editor and communications specialist who joined the Business Events Adelaide team in 2026. Throughout her career, Bethany has worked in communications and publishing roles across a variety of sectors, including not-for-profit, education and tourism. A keen advocate for South Australia, she is passionate about using storytelling and strategic communications to boost Adelaide’s global reputation and showcase everything the city has to offer as a business events destination.

Helen brings over 20 years of sales and business development experience from the hotel industry. Originally from China, she has worked across a variety of destinations in Asia and Australia. She is responsible for growing the number and value of international corporate incentive business events secured to Adelaide and is excited and passionate about the promotion of SA to Asia.

Frances Iacono is a highly accomplished destination marketing specialist and conference professional with more than 20 years of experience delivering conferences, corporate events and strategic business events across Australia. With a passion for connecting people, places and opportunities, Frances has built a career supporting clients to deliver seamless events. Now based in North America, Frances continues to champion South Australia and the innovative city of Adelaide, promoting its exceptional venues, accessibility, research strengths and unique visitor experiences to international markets. She brings local knowledge, industry expertise and genuine insight into everything Adelaide has to offer as a conference and convention destination, and works closely with associations, professional conference organisers, corporate clients and industry partners to create opportunities that connect international business events with South Australia.

Amanda is an internationally experienced business events and hospitality professional with a strong background in strategic partnerships, business development, sales and relationship management. Having built her career in London since 2013, Amanda brings extensive knowledge of the global MICE landscape and a well-established network across the international business events and luxury hospitality sectors. Originally from Adelaide, Amanda combines more than a decade of international experience with a genuine passion for her home city. As Associate Director - Partnerships, UK & Europe at Business Events Adelaide, she works closely with clients and industry partners to build strategic relationships and create opportunities that connect international business events with Adelaide and South Australia. Proud to champion Adelaide on the global stage, Amanda brings a unique combination of international perspective, commercial expertise and local knowledge to showcasing the city's distinctive strengths as a vibrant and innovative business events destination.

Peumi is responsible for promoting Adelaide as a sought-after destination for business events. Born and raised in Sri Lanka, Peumi first came to Adelaide to pursue her university studies. Since then, she has fallen in love with the city and is passionate about promoting it. Armed with the experience she gained in Sri Lanka in the business events sector, specifically in the areas of research and business development, Peumi seeks to attract international business events to Adelaide, helping the state’s economy thrive.

Marc brings over two decades of experience in the visitor economy, with more than 15 years working in inbound tourism across both the public and private sectors. Having held various sales, industry development, and business development roles, he is keen to build strong relationships and attract more international business events to South Australia. A passionate South Australian, Marc loves exploring the Yorke Peninsula with his family and friends.

Sarah brings extensive experience across South Australia’s hospitality and business events sector, with a strong background in relationship management, client engagement and business development. Having worked with leading premium hospitality brands in Adelaide, she is passionate about creating meaningful connections and delivering exceptional experiences. A proud advocate for South Australia, Sarah is excited to showcase Adelaide’s unique offerings and build strong partnerships that attract business events to the state. She looks forward to helping position Adelaide as a vibrant and sought-after destination for national events.

Amber brings over 12 years of experience working across hotels and venues in Adelaide, with a diverse background spanning hotel operations, corporate and group reservations, event planning, event sales and business development. Having worked across both the operational and commercial sides of the industry, Amber brings a strong understanding of what it takes to deliver successful business events. Her local knowledge and established industry connections provide valuable insights for clients considering Adelaide for their next event. Passionate about Adelaide, Amber is excited to showcase the destination’s exceptional venues, experiences, and hospitality to the Victorian market and looks forward to helping clients discover why Adelaide could be the perfect fit for their next business event.

Jess brings global experience and a strong passion for the tourism and events industry to her role at Business Events Adelaide. Originally from Hong Kong, she spent five years in the tourism sector before relocating to Adelaide. She holds an MBA in Tourism and Event Management, enhancing her ability to connect international markets with South Australia’s dynamic business events landscape. Jess is dedicated to positioning South Australia as a premier destination for business events, aligned with the state’s key economic sectors.