BEIA Board

Independent Chair

Martin Snedden is well known as an international cricketer who represented New Zealand. He was CEO of Rugby World Cup 2011 and made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2012. As CEO of the Tourism Industry Association, he led New Zealand’s tourism industry, during 2012 and 2013, through the creation of 'Tourism 2025'. He has since held a variety of governance roles including, until recently, Board Chair of New Zealand Cricket.

Phone: +64 27 292 2008
Email: [email protected]

General Manager - NZICC

With a hospitality and events career spanning over 10 years in Australia, Prue made the move ‘across the ditch’ to join the NZICC in October 2016 as Director of Sales and Marketing, from the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) where she was awarded a number of industry accolades, including Meetings and Events Australia’s National Business Development Person of the Year.

Promoted to General Manager of the NZICC in 2023 in preparation for opening in 2025, Prue is responsible for ensuring NZICC offers a world class delivery experience for clients and guests, and driving international bidding which will contribute $90 million in economic impact. She is passionate about building a NZICC team that is focused on excellence but is also thoughtful in how they embrace and deliver in sustainability goals, community impact to Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and creating authentic New Zealand experiences.

Prue is honoured to be able to contribute back to the industry through her position on the Business Events Industry Aoteroa board.

Phone: +64 27 4700 045
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: Prue Daly

General Manager - Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre

Ross has over 25 years’ experience in business events and venue management. Currently General Manager of Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, Ross has led the strategic planning, organisational recruitment, marketing and business development of Te Pae Christchurch since pre-opening, along with the subsequent transition from pre-opening to operations.

Prior to moving to Christchurch in March 2019, Ross spent 12 years as General Manager of Cairns Convention Centre, voted International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC) World’s Best Congress Centre in 2014, and before that was with the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

With a background in finance, Ross is a Fellow of CPA Australia (FCPA), a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and a Fellow Certified Venue Executive (FCVE).  Ross has experience across several industries and extensive board and governance experience directly aligned to BEIA, including 11 years with the Business Events Council of Australia.

Phone: +64 27 287 3145
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: Ross Steele

Sales Manager Conference & Business Groups - Sudima Hotels

Xanthe Smythe is the national Sales Manager for Conference and Business Groups at Hind Management and Sudima Hotels, with a career spanning sales, events and frontline hospitality. This breadth gives her a multi-layered understanding of the commercial realities and diverse needs across the business events ecosystem.

In her national role, Xanthe is responsible for strategic planning and long-term commercial growth, with a strong focus on collaboration, innovation and building powerful strategic partnerships. She is energised by the rapid growth in international business events and the increasing collaboration with Australian event professionals — recognising this as a pivotal opportunity to firmly position Aotearoa New Zealand on the global conference rotation map.

In 2024, Xanthe completed the ICCA Skills Programme — demonstrating her commitment to professional development and deepening her understanding of how the global business events industry operates and the significant economic, social and legacy benefits it delivers to regions like Aotearoa New Zealand.

Xanthe is enthusiastic about representing Gold members to ensure they have a clear and consistent voice within BEIA, and to contribute meaningfully to the delivery and long-term impact of the Piata Mai strategy for the benefit of all members.

Renowned for her outstanding communication skills, open and growth mindset, and natural ability to connect and influence, Xanthe brings strategic clarity, strong industry advocacy and genuine industry mana to the board table.
 

Phone: +64 21 971 768
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: Xanthe Smythe

Founder & Managing Director - Event Dynamics

James Chatterley is the Founder and Managing Director of Auckland-based event management company and professional conference organiser, Event Dynamics, which he established in 2005. Prior to this, James spent more than 25 years in the travel and hotel industries, including senior regional leadership roles with the Four Seasons hotel group and the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).

With a career spanning over four decades, he has been deeply immersed in tourism, travel and hospitality since the late 1970s. His governance and directorship experience extends beyond 30 years, reflecting his long-standing commitment to the sector. 

As a business owner James is passionate about the business events industry and is a strong advocate for greater representation of the PCO-sector on the board of the Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA).

Phone: +64 21 777 928
Email: [email protected] 
LinkedIn: James Chatterley

General Manager New Zealand & Business Events - Tourism New Zealand (co-opted)

Bjoern has a strong background in commercial partnership, business events and the tourism sector. His career in destination marketing includes multiple roles at Tourism New Zealand, including General Manager Domestic, General Manager Americas & Europe, and currently General Manager New Zealand & Business Events.

Originally from Germany, Bjoern has worked across multiple international markets including the UK, Europe, North America, Brazil, and Argentina. In his current role as GM New Zealand and Business Events, Bjoern is responsible for Tourism New Zealand’s experience marketing, International Business Events, and commercial partnerships including Tourism New Zealand’s subsidiaries Qualmark and isite.

Bjoern is a proud resident of Titirangi in West Auckland, and in his free time enjoys exploring the West Coast beaches, following his kids in multiple sporting events, and travelling around Aotearoa New Zealand.

Phone: +64 21 940 689
Email: [email protected]  
LinkedIn: Bjoern Spreitzer

General Manager, Regional - Air New Zealand (co-opted)

Iain is General Manager Regional, a newly created role, responsible for leading Air New Zealand’s regional network, connecting New Zealanders to each other and New Zealand to the world.

With over 18 years’ experience across Air New Zealand, Iain has held senior roles in Commercial, Operations, Alliances and Travel Management. This breadth of experience has given him a strong understanding of how air connectivity supports communities, tourism and the wider New Zealand economy.

Prior to stepping into the regional role, Iain was General Manager Workforce Management, leading the resource and rostering optimisation teams for over 7,000 pilots, cabin crew, airport and maintenance staff. And before that, many will be familiar with Iain from his role as General Manager Domestic, leading the airline’s domestic network.

Iain holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) and a Bachelor of Science in Management Science/Operations Research from the University of Canterbury.

Phone: +64 21 220 6098
Email: [email protected]   
LinkedIn: Iain Walker

Independent (appointed)

In over 25 years in New Zealand’s tourism industry David has enjoyed a variety of corporate, public sector, and governance roles.

David's career experience is founded in the hotel and tourism sector having spent a decade with Millennium Hotels.  Managing the Copthorne Hotel at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands, David led the redevelopment of the hotel and the significant expansion of its conference and banqueting capacity and business.

In 2008 David took on the leadership of Positively Wellington Tourism as the city capitalized on being named #4 city in the world by Lonely Planet, hosting Rugby World Cup and his team’s establishment of Visa Wellington On A Plate and Beervana. In David’s first tourism strategy for Wellington there was a clear recommendation that the city needed a flagship convention centre.

Since then, David has continued to lead in Wellington, having been General Manager of Venues Wellington, before leading the business, tourism and screen activities of WellingtonNZ as General Manager Regional Development. 

Today David has and continues to lead the commercial development of and around the newly opened Tākina, Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre.

As well as being a BEIA board member David is the Chair of Regional Tourism NZ, is a Board Member of Tourism Industry Aotearoa, Chair of the Wellington Cable Car Company and holds several other appointed governance roles in tourism sector organisations.

Phone: +64 27 530 4947
Email: [email protected]    
LinkedIn: David Perks

CEO - Business Events Industry Aotearoa

Lisa joined Business Events Industry Aotearoa in February 2020 as Chief Executive and leads the strategic direction, advocacy, and promotion of New Zealand’s peak industry body domestically and internationally.

With more than 25 years of experience in the sector, including hotels and venues, Lisa spent 10 years in Singapore, and the rest in her native New Zealand. She holds a deep understanding of doing business in Asia Pacific and was responsible for 14 offices and over 250 staff across Asia Pacific including China, Japan, and India, in her previous role as Managing Director at BCD Meetings & Events.

Lisa initially trained as a journalist, gaining a Grade 3 qualification and is part-way through a Communications degree at Massey University. She is also a trained member of the New Zealand Community Patrol, partnering with Police in her region to create safer communities.

Phone: +64 21 044 0621
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: Lisa Hopkins