Reinforcing its position as Australia’s longest continuously owned and most enduring independent exhibition and conference organiser, Expertise Events has entered 2026 with momentum, announcing the launch of four new events alongside a purposeful leadership evolution designed to power its next chapter of growth.

Expertise Events has always demonstrated a commitment to developing amazing events in both B2B and B2C markets. At a time of global uncertainty, shifting economic conditions, local interest rate pressures and fragile business confidence, the company has chosen to move forward optimistically with a focus on growth.

Purpose-Built Growth: Four New Industry Events for 2026

Building on its reputation for developing highly targeted, industry-driven events, Expertise Events has confirmed the launch of four new exhibitions and conferences for 2026, spanning green space management, irrigation, pop culture and environmental specialist sectors.

“These launches are not about growth for growth’s sake,” said Founder Gary Fitz-Roy. “They respond directly to industry demand. Each has been designed with clear commercial discipline, strong buyer focus and long-term sustainability at its core. We are building events that solve problems and deliver measurable outcomes for exhibitors, sponsors, partners and attendees.

“We have always believed in the power of exhibitions, and the importance of continually evolving our event calendar. These launches represent an ambitious, exciting time for Expertise,” Fitz-Roy continued. 

The new additions reflect the company’s philosophy to build events that grow with their industries, remain commercially robust and deliver real value, even in changing economic conditions.

Leadership Growth: Evolving from Founder-Led to Future-Ready

As part of a planned and proactive transition, Fitz-Roy has stepped aside from the Managing Director role to formally take the title of Founder & Owner, remaining actively involved in strategic direction, key relationships and major industry initiatives. He has been clear that this is not a retirement, but a deliberate move aligned with the company’s long-term strategic plan.

To support the next phase of growth, Deborah Evans has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, returning to Australia to lead the business full time alongside General Manager, Zac Fitz-Roy, who continues to oversee operations and portfolio performance.

Deborah Evans is a seasoned leader in the global live events and exhibitions sector with extensive experience at Reed Exhibitions and Freeman both within Australia and globally. Her experience in managing businesses with significant turnover, regional strategy and major events across multiple countries offers an invaluable global perspective to the business. 

“This is a truly exciting evolution in our structure and leadership,” Gary Fitz-Roy said. “Our events are consistent and have been performing strongly. Bringing on someone with Debbie’s experience in growth offers a major catalyst to Expertise. This structure further bolsters our team and offers a fresh perspective for the future,” he continued. 

Evans said the timing was right to formalise the next stage of the company’s growth journey.

“The business is in a strong position with a great team culture. The opportunity now is to elevate performance, driving revenue growth, strengthening leadership capability and building even greater commercial discipline across the group,” Evans said. “This next chapter is about scaling intelligently and ensuring Expertise Events continue to thrive well into the future.”

Meanwhile, Zac Fitz-Roy continues to lead event delivery, team performance and portfolio outcomes, maintaining responsibility for planning, profitability, exhibitor results and customer experience, saying about the Evans appointment, “Expertise has been a success for over 35 years under Gary’s leadership, and even in the past 5 years has grown significantly. Deb brings a rare combination of global scale experience and hands-on operational guidance that can really bolster the next phase.”

Speaking to the appointment, Zac noted “Her track record offers an invaluable perspective and guidance. She understands what high-performing events look like, from launch strategy to large-scale portfolio management. Having that experience embedded in the business strengthens our capability and positions us to execute our future growth plans with confidence. We’re thrilled to have her in the team and I look forward to working closely with her.”

Building a Resilient Business for What Comes Next

With new event launches underway, strengthened leadership in place and additional planned investment Expertise Events enters 2026 with clarity of purpose and confidence in its direction.

“This isn’t about standing still,” Gary Fitz-Roy said. “We’ve been open about emerging economic and global challenges. What matters is how you respond. We are building events, and a business, that are resilient, relevant and ready for what’s next.”