Associations and corporates facing changing delegate expectations will gain fresh insights into the future of their conferences when VEE Agency founder Reggie Lysaught presents at the Sydney Event Organisers Summit on 13th August at the Mercure Sydney.
As organisations rethink the purpose and return on investment of major conferences, Lysaught will challenge one of the industry’s most commonly held assumptions—that large conferences are in decline.
Instead, she argues the real issue is not the size of an event, but its relevance.
Her presentation will examine how organisers can rethink traditional conference models to create more engaging experiences, while protecting commercial returns.
Reggie’s session will be of particular interest to associations that rely on annual conference revenue to supplement membership revenue, and corporate businesses with distribution networks and stakeholders.
“There’s certainly evidence that some organisations are replacing broad, one-size-fits-all conferences with smaller, more targeted events,” Lysaught said. “But that doesn’t necessarily mean the era of large conferences is over. It means expectations have changed.”
Her session will encourage organisers to think of conferences as brand activations—events designed to create meaningful connections, reinforce organisational purpose and inspire action.
“For associations, a conference is often the most visible demonstration of member value,” she said. “For corporates, it’s a live expression of strategy, culture and stakeholder engagement.”
The session will explore practical questions every organiser should consider: What are delegates expected to feel? What should they learn? What actions should they take afterwards? And what lasting impression should the conference leave?
Drawing on international examples, Lysaught will demonstrate how leading events are placing greater emphasis on participation, experience design and community building rather than simply delivering content from a stage.
Importantly for professional event organisers, the presentation will also focus on practical strategies that can be implemented regardless of budget. Delegates will hear ideas on designing more interactive conference formats, creating stronger sponsor activations, improving delegate engagement and identifying new revenue opportunities through premium experiences and event add-ons.
For associations facing increasing financial pressure, and corporates seeking greater value from internal and stakeholder events, the session promises to provide timely insights into how conferences can evolve without sacrificing commercial outcomes.
As the conference landscape continues to shift, Lysaught’s message is clear: success won’t be determined by whether an event is large or small, but by how deliberately it is designed to create value for delegates, sponsors and organisers alike.
Her presentation forms part of the Sydney Event Organisers Summit, being held on 13 August, where event professionals will gather to explore the latest ideas, technologies and strategies shaping the future of conferences and business events.
The Event Organisers Summit is a free but qualified, fully catered day of networking with colleagues and selected suppliers, and a seminar program of presenters and experts.
Apply for a place here