Leishman Associates

What Leishman Associates does

Leishman Associates Pty Ltd is a privately held Australian conference and event management company headquartered in Hobart, Tasmania. Founded and led by Managing Director Paula Leishman, the firm provides full-service conference and association management to professional bodies, scientific societies, and industry associations across Australia, with occasional international events in markets such as New Zealand. Core service delivery spans venue management, program design, speaker coordination, sponsorship and exhibition procurement, delegate registration, financial reconciliation (including surplus return to associations), marketing/media production, and onsite execution. The company operates as an integrated service provider rather than a software vendor; its primary technology is the third-party EventsAIR conference platform, used for abstract submission, reviewer scoring, speaker management, and online delegate registration.

The business model is professional services on a contract basis, with fees negotiated per engagement and no publicly disclosed pricing. Go-to-market is consultative and relationship-driven: the firm wins work through direct engagement with association boards and conference committees, inbound referrals from convention bureaus (e.g., Canberra Convention Bureau) and venue partners (e.g., Crown Melbourne, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre), plus word-of-mouth from long-tenured clients. Customer segments are organized vertically — professional associations and scientific/academic organizations are the primary segments, with industry conference organizers as a secondary vertical. The company holds the Tasmanian franchise for the ICMI Speakers and Entertainers Bureau, providing exclusive access to entertainment talent. Client retention is a defining feature, with the longest disclosed relationship spanning 16 years (Tertiary Education Management Conference) and recurring multi-year contracts (e.g., 4-year AAIR engagement). In 2024 the firm delivered 25+ conferences across healthcare, education, scientific research, military medicine, economics, and Indigenous healthcare, with marquee international events such as the IUPAC World Polymer Congress drawing 1000-1200 delegates.

Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the company has no disclosed funding, parent entity, or institutional investors. Headcount is small (approximately 5-10 staff based on named personnel), consistent with a boutique operator. There are no API products, no proprietary AI/ML capabilities, and no patents or certifications on record; competitive advantage is built on relationship depth, venue network access, and operational execution rather than technology differentiation.

Name

Leishman Associates

Legal name

Leishman Associates Pty Ltd

Website

https://leishman-associates.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Leishman Associates is a Hobart-based Australian conference and event management firm serving professional associations, scientific societies, and academic organizations with end-to-end services spanning venue, sponsorship, speaker, delegate, and financial management across all Australian capital cities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conference & Event Management Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Business Services (7380)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conferences & Conventions Operations Services (Registration, AV, Logistics) (MPAGAGAM), Entertainment Booking & Speaker/Talent Management (HSACAAAI)

Keywords

• Conference management services
• Event management
• Association management services
• Conference secretariat
• Delegate registration services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hobart

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Conference Management Services: Full-service conference and event management for associations, professional organizations, and conference committees. Services include program design, speaker management, delegate services, venue management, financial services, sponsorship and exhibition management, and onsite assistance.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Leishman Associates provides comprehensive professional conference and event management services to industry associations, professional bodies, and corporate clients in Australia and New Zealand. Core offerings include full conference secretariat services, association management, delegate registration, speaker and program coordination, sponsorship and exhibition sales, financial administration, marketing and media communications, venue management, and onsite operational support.

Product overview

Leishman Associates offers a comprehensive suite of conference and event management services, functioning as a unified service offering rather than a modular software product. Their portfolio centers on two core service lines: Conference Management Services and Association Management Services, supported by multiple operational modules including Speaker Management, Delegate Services, Sponsorship & Exhibition Services, Financial Services, Marketing & Media Services, Venue Management, Onsite Assistance, and Conference Accessories. The company leverages EventsAIR conference software as their primary technology platform for abstract management, speaker coordination, and registration workflows. Services are delivered end-to-end from concept through celebration, with particular expertise in association conferences and professional events across Australia and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conference Management Services End-to-end planning and delivery of professional conferences for industry associations and professional bodies, covering program design, logistics, and execution.
• Association Management Services Secretariat and governance support for industry associations, including committee liaison, member administration, and operational continuity between events.
• Delegate Registration Services Online and offline registration handling for conference attendees, including booking, payment processing, and delegate communications.
• Speaker Management Sourcing, contracting, and coordinating speakers, session chairs, and presenters for conference programs.
• Sponsorship & Exhibition Services Solicitation, coordination, and onsite management of conference sponsors and exhibition partners.
• Financial Management for Conferences Budgeting, invoicing, financial reporting, and treasury support for association conferences, often working with honorary treasurers.
• Marketing & Media Communications Conference marketing campaigns, media communications, website updates, and social media engagement to drive delegate and sponsor interest.
• Venue Management Site selection, contract negotiation, and venue coordination for conferences in Australian capital cities and New Zealand.

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivered conferences with 1000-1200+ delegates and sponsorship sales exceeding $650-850K for major events
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• ICMI Speakers and Entertainers BureaucoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTasmanian franchisee holders of ICMI Speakers and Entertainers Bureau, providing exclusive access to entertainment talent including bands, comedians, presenters, and speakers for conferences and events.
• Canberra Convention BureaustrategicGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic partnership for securing venues and support for conferences in Canberra. Leishman Associates has been featured in case studies by the bureau for events like ACPET National Conference.
• Crown MelbournestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing relationship with Crown Melbourne strengthened year on year since inception. Crown's sales team actively sends RFPs to Leishman Associates for conference management.
• EventsAIRcoreTechnology or IntegrationConference software platform used for online registration, abstract submission, speaker management, and event coordination. Leishman Associates uses EventsAIR to manage delegate registration, payment processing, and program logistics.
• Venue Network (Australia)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished relationships with major venues across Australia including Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre, Adelaide Convention Centre, Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, and convention centres in all capital cities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Arinex Pty Ltd: Leading Australian PCO managing large-scale association and medical conferences across Australia and internationally. Directly comparable as a full-service conference organizer serving the same professional association and scientific society client base.
• ICMS Pty Ltd: International Conference and Management Services, an Australian-headquartered PCO specialising in association conferences and global congresses. Closely comparable on end-to-end conference management for scientific and professional bodies.
• ASN Events: Australian conference and event management company serving medical, scientific, and professional associations. Directly comparable on association conference management, sponsorship/exhibition services, and delegate management.
• The Conference Company: Australia and New Zealand-based PCO with a strong association conference portfolio across the Pacific. Comparable on regional association conference management and full-service delivery model.
• All Occasions Group: Australian event management company offering conference, incentive, and event services with an association focus. Comparable as a domestic PCO serving corporate and association clients across Australia.
• Consec - Conference and Event Management: Australian conference and event management company focused on association and government clients. Comparable on association event delivery, sponsorship management, and end-to-end conference services.

Broad incumbents

• MCI Group: Global association management and PCO with a large international footprint. Comparable as a larger incumbent offering association conference and congress management across multiple regions and verticals.
• Kenes Group: Global professional conference organiser specialised in association and scientific society congresses worldwide. Comparable on association conference management at international scale, particularly for scientific and medical societies.
• BCD Meetings & Events: Global meetings and events agency with significant Australian operations serving corporate and association clients. Comparable as a larger incumbent offering end-to-end conference and event management across verticals.

Emerging players

• Eventbrite (corporate events / Eventbrite Professional): While Eventbrite is a self-service ticketing platform, its professional and association event features increasingly overlap with traditional PCO registration and delegate management workflows. Comparable as an emerging technology-enabled alternative to traditional PCO services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/LeishmanEvents
• Facebookfacebook.com/leishmanassociates
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leishman-associates
• Instagraminstagram.com/leishman.associates

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Leishman Associates