The Canberra Convention Bureau's board is made up of senior executives with a proven track record in the meetings, tourism and events business. Their combined experience and expertise across a range of public and private sector business enterprises provides a formidable force for securing and increasing business events to the ACT.
Board Members
Tom Snow, Executive Director, Canberra International Airport (Chair)
Steve Gower, Director, Australian War Memorial (Deputy Chair)
Dennis Souter, Owner, The Boat House by the Lake (Treasurer)
Karl-Werner Diefenbach, General Manager, Hyatt Hotel Canberra
Professor Ian Chubb AC, Vice Chancellor, Australian National University
Professor Mandy Thomas, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Research, Australian National University
Jane Carter, Director, Conference Logistics
Mark Sproat, General Manager, The Brassey of Canberra
Tarn Morrow, General Manager, Rydges Eagle Hawk Resort Canberra
Barry Neame, Director, Consec Conference Management
Allan Williams, Regional General Manager ACT Qantas Airways Ltd
Matt Young, General Manager Crowne Plaza and National Convention Centre
Gary Byles, Acting Chief Executive, Territory and Municipal Services
Robyn Hendry, Chief Executive, Canberra Convention Bureau
Board Member Biographys
TOM SNOW (CHAIR)
Board member since 2003
Tom Snow is Executive Director of Canberra International Airport and is responsible for long-term planning and projects at the airport. He is also one of Australia's leading sustainable development managers.
STEVE GOWER (DEPUTY CHAIR)
Board member since January 2007
Steve became Director of the Australian War Memorial in March 1996 after a career in the Australian Army that took him to postings in most Australian states, the UK and the USA. He has been Chair of the Council of Australian Museum Directors, a member of the Museum Management Committee of the International Council of Museums, a board member of the Australian Capital Tourism Corporation, and a member of the Canberra Business Council's Task Force on Arts, Tourism and Sport. The Memorial has won the prestigious award of Australia's Major National Tourist Attraction at the Australian Tourism Council Awards for three years in a row.
DENNIS SOUTER (TREASURER)
Board member since 2000
Dennis' reputation in the restaurant and catering industry is renowned in Australia. As the proprietor of The Boat House by the Lake restaurant and Merimbula Lakeview Hotel, he is known for his innovative approach to fine dining and track record in the industry.
KARL-WERNER DIEFENBACH
Board member since 2002
Karl worked for 10 years at Hilton International, mainly in senior positions in sales and marketing, before joining Hyatt International. Karl joined Hyatt International, Jakarta, Indonesia (1980) as Executive Assistant Manager, Hyatt Aryaduta. Promoted to General Manager (1982) Hyatt Regency Cha Am, Thailand. Moved on as General Manager to Hyatt Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, Kuwait Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Regency New Delhi, India, Hyatt Kingsgate Sydney, Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove, Queensland, Grand Hyatt Melbourne, currently at Hyatt Hotel Canberra. Hyatt also operate catering contracts at the National Museum of Australia and the Australian War Memorial.
PROFESSOR IAN CHUBB AC
Board member since 2005
Professor Chubb's career includes six years as Vice-Chancellor of Flinders University and senior executive appointments at Monash University and the University of Wollongong. Professor Chubb is a believer in the importance of a robust higher education system for the economic, social and cultural prosperity of a nation. He is a powerful commentator on higher education policy and a passionate supporter of Canberra.
PROFESSOR MANDY THOMAS
Proxy Board member for Ian Chubb since 2008
Mandy Thomas was appointed Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the ANU in November 2006. In this role she is responsible for sponsored research, Higher Degree Research, research integrity, and equity. She is also has an oversight role for marketing, communication and development.
Prior to her appointment at the ANU Mandy was the Australian Research Council's (ARC) Executive Director for the Humanities and Creative Arts, a position she held from 2004. At the ARC Mandy managed the largest competitive grants scheme, the Discovery Projects scheme, which funds basic research across all fields except clinical medical research.
Professor Thomas is a social anthropologist with extensive multi-disciplinary experience which has involved research, consultancies and publications in the areas of Indigenous Australia, multicultural Australia, and Asian studies. More specifically, Dr Thomas has conducted research into: Asian migration to Australia; Asian and Middle Eastern youth in urban Australia; youth cultures, and social and political change in Vietnam; cultural traffic in the Asian region; and Asian-Australian art.
Other positions Mandy has held include Deputy Director at the Centre for Cross Cultural Research at the Australian National University (ANU) 2002-2004, and Deputy Director at the Centre for Cultural Research at the University of Western Sydney (UWS) (1997-2002).
JANE CARTER
Board member since 2004
Jane Carter is Director of Conference Logistics, an Accredited Meeting Manager and is the ACT Director of the Australasian Alliance of Meetings Managers (AAMM). She has over 15 years experience in conference management for national and international associations, Australian, state and local government as well as university and corporate clients.
MARK SPROAT
Board member since 2002
Mark has been involved with the Australian Hotels Association for the past 12 years as ACT Accommodation President and at a national level as National Accommodation Division Vice President. He is currently Chair of the Canberra Accommodation Association. Mark has held a variety of management positions in Western Australia, Papua New Guinea, Melbourne, and the Gold Coast. He moved to Canberra in 1993 to take up the role of General Manager of the Brassey Hotel.
TARN MORROW
Board member since 2008
Tarn Morrow is General Manager of Rydges Eagle Hawk Resort Canberra, a position held since September 2005. Tarn has held senior executive positions with Rydges Hotels & Resorts over the last 18 years in Australia and New Zealand. Tarn previously managed the Bobby McGee's Entertainment Lounge and Restaurant operation in both the Canberra and Melbourne hotels in the mid to late 90's. Tarn completed a short stint with Matilda Cruises, an AHL business in Sydney before heading to Christchurch in New Zealand as the Executive Assistant Manager of Rydges Christchurch. In 2003, Tarn took on his first General Manager's role at Rydges Plaza Cairns before returning to Canberra to oversee the refurbishment and transformation of the Eagle Hawk property.
BARRY NEAME
Board member since 2002
Barry is a working Director of Consec and has been a member of the CCB board since 2002. In that time he has actively participated in the formulation of policies and strategic directions for the CCB and the Canberra Business Events Sector. Barry has extensive event management, marketing, public relations, media and sponsorship experience. He has undertaken management and organisational reviews, negotiated sponsorship contracts and devised marketing and public relations strategies. He project manages conferences and events for clients in all states of Australia. Barry was also a board member of Community Radio 2SSSFM for 15 years.
ALLAN WILLIAMS
Board member since 2006
Allan is currently the Regional General Manager ACT for Qantas Airways and has had an extensive career with Qantas and previously Australian Airlines. Allan's career history with the airline and his previous representation on boards such as the Tasmanian Convention Bureau, Travel Industry Association of New Zealand, the Australian Tourism Marketing Council of North America and his current position on the Tourism Industry Council provide for sound industry knowledge and experience.
MATT YOUNG
Board member since July 2007
Matthew Young is a Queensland native whose career in the hotel industry has spanned more than 19 years. His first position was in the kitchen at the Floating Hotel, Townsville and since then, he has worked his way through the ranks at a number of properties, including hotels on the Gold Coast, in Vanuatu and in Auckland.
In 2001, Matthew took on his first General Manager's posting - at the Crowne Plaza, Alice Springs. He then become the General Manager of the Holiday Inn Adelaide from 2004 till 2007. He is now the General Manager for Crowne Plaza Canberra and the National Convention Centre.
GARY BYLES
ACT Govt appointee
Gary Byles is the acting Chief Executive of the ACT Department of Territory and Municipal Services (TAMS). In any one day the average Canberra resident will come into contact with his Department's operations and provision of infrastructure at least five times a day; whether it be driving to work, borrowing a book, registering a dog, swimming with the children, attending a teddy bear's picnic, catching an ACTION bus or playing rugby in the Park.
In August 2007 Gary joined the Department as the Executive Director for Enterprise Services. Under his leadership and strategic direction this Network has achieved many things. ACTION, the ACT's public transport provider, introduced a new bus network, "Network 08" based on a wide range of community feedback. Tourism achieved record numbers for Floriade in 2007, celebrated Floriade's 21st birthday in 2008 and introduced NightFest. In the 2007-08 financial year Capital Linen delivered over 5,000 tonnes of linen to its customers. Canberra Stadium, in Territory Venues and Events, hosted a game in the Rugby League World Cup and secured the privilege to open the international rugby union match between the Wallabies and Italy in June 2009. And ACT Public Cemeteries continue to provide high levels of customer satisfaction to its clients.
Before joining TAMS in August 2007, Gary spent 32 years with the Australian Army. Gary transitioned from the Department of Defence in 2003 to assume a position as the Sheriff of New South Wales where he was responsible for court security, the NSW jury system and enforcement of court orders. Gary is a strong leader with a proven track record in leading diverse teams in highly complex environments. Gary is also highly experienced in issues management.
On top of his extensive experience and military honours, Gary holds a Bachelor of Science and a Masters in Public Administration.
ROBYN HENDRY
Chief Executive since 2005
Robyn Hendry has worked in the Australian and international meetings and tourism industry as a senior executive for more than 15 years. She has held senior management positions in multinational hotel companies in food and beverage, human resources, general management and strategic development.
She is Chief Executive of the Canberra Convention Bureau (CCB) and was previously general manager of the National Convention Centre. She was also a CCB board member from 2001 to 2002. Her key objective is to increase Canberra's profile as a business events destination and to ensure the city's national and international reputation continues to be enhanced.
Robyn is immediate past president of the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB) and a former Director of the Business Event Council of Australia (BECA). She currently chairs the AACB Marketing Committee, working with Business Events Australia (BEA), a division of Tourism Australia. She is also a member of the recently formed Tourism Australia/Austrade working group and has been appointed to represent BECA on the Tourist Visa Advisory Group (TVAG).
Robyn is a consultative committee member and task force member of the Canberra Business Council, an ACT Government appointed Director of Exhibition Park Corporation, Director Australian Science Festival, Counsellor to Canberra Tourism Industry Council and Conference Program facilitator for the Centenary of Canberra Celebrations in 2013.
She has a Bachelor of Management (Tourism) and Advanced Diploma in Hospitality. She is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and has recently undertaken the AICD Company Directors Course.
