The Conference Company

What The Conference Company does

The Conference Company (Pty) Ltd is a South African Professional Conference Organiser founded in August 1997 and headquartered in Durban, with additional offices in Cape Town and Gauteng, operating as a privately held, founder-led firm with CEO Nina Freysen-Pretorius. It provides end-to-end conference management services encompassing venue selection, programme and abstract management, speaker coordination, registration, exhibition and sponsorship procurement, financial administration, and on-site execution, alongside association secretariat services, destination management, consulting, and hybrid/virtual event delivery. Its revenue model is pure project-based professional services: quote-based engagements priced by event scope and complexity, with multi-year cadence on association secretariat retainers and bid-at-risk conference execution. Distribution is entirely direct via the three regional offices and consultative field sales targeting professional associations, corporates, and government organisations, with marketing reinforced by CEO-led professional speaking, industry affiliations (ICCA, SATSA, SACCI, PCO Association), and client testimonials.

Underlying operations run on an in-house 'state of the art' conference management software stack supporting delegate registration, exhibition management, sponsorship, travel and accommodation, and abstract/programme workflows, with secure online payment and real-time reporting. The stack is positioned for ease-of-use and scale/reliability rather than for differentiation; no API, no mobile app, and no disclosed AI/ML capability exists, and third-party integrations or analytics layers are not articulated. Continuous execution of marquee events for clients such as Mayo Clinic, USAID, CIFOR, the South African Medical Association, the South African Heart Association, and the Institute of Retirement Funds Africa provides reputational validation but does not constitute a technology moat.

Name

The Conference Company

Legal name

The Conference Company (PTY) Ltd

Website

https://confco.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Conference Company is a South African Professional Conference Organiser founded in 1997, providing end-to-end conference, exhibition, association secretariat, destination management, and hybrid event services to corporate, professional association, and government clients via offices in Durban, Cape Town, and Gauteng.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Management Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Meeting & Conference Planning (Internal/External) (THAHACAB), Virtual/Hybrid Conference Production & Platform Management (THAHACAM), Sponsorship, Exhibitor & Partnership Management Services (THAHACAK), Registration, Housing & Travel Desk Services (Delegate Logistics) (THAHACAJ), Venue Sourcing & Contract Negotiation Specialists (THAHACAH)

Keywords

• Professional conference organizing
• Event management services
• Association secretariat services
• Exhibition and sponsorship management
• Destination management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Durban

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Conference Management Services: Full-service conference planning and execution including venue selection, registration management, speaker coordination, exhibition management, sponsorship procurement, and technical facilities. Revenue generated through professional service fees for managing events from bidding stage through execution.
2. Association Management Services: Ongoing secretariat and management services for professional associations including membership database management, financial reporting, communications, sponsorship procurement, and permanent website management. Generates recurring revenue through retainer or ongoing service arrangements.
3. Destination Management Services: On-the-ground logistics including accommodation arrangement, transfers, tours, airport meet and greet, and promotional gifting. Revenue generated through service fees and potentially markups on supplier arrangements.
4. Consulting Services: Bid compilation, host agreement interpretation and negotiation, supplier evaluation and vetting, tender compilation, and professional speaking engagements by CEO Nina Freysen-Pretorius on meeting value and event success.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Conference Company is a Professional Conference Organiser (PCO) that plans, organises, and executes conferences and exhibitions end-to-end for corporate, association, and government clients across South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. Its core offering spans venue selection, programme and abstract management, registration and financial administration, speaker coordination, exhibition and sponsorship management, hybrid/virtual event delivery, and on-site technical services. The firm also provides ongoing association secretariat services and destination logistics (accommodation, tours, transfers) as standalone offerings.

Product overview

The Conference Company is a Professional Conference Organiser (PCO) offering a comprehensive suite of conference and event management services. The core offerings include Conference Management (end-to-end planning, venue selection, programme development, speaker coordination, and registration), Exhibition Management (design, marketing, supplier coordination, onsite management), Association Management (secretariat services, membership database, communications), Destination Management (logistics, tours, transportation), Consulting Services (bid compilation, negotiation, supplier vetting), and Hybrid and Virtual Conferences (blended in-person and online events). The company utilizes state-of-the-art software solutions with secure online payment facilities and real-time registration and abstract management capabilities. Services are delivered by a multidisciplinary project team covering marketing, finance, registration, project management, abstract coordination, and exhibition management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conference Management End-to-end conference planning, organization, and execution services including venue selection, programme development, speaker coordination, registration management, and financial administration. Targeted at corporate, association, and government clients running sector conferences and events.
• Exhibition Management Comprehensive exhibition and sponsorship management including layout design, marketing, supplier coordination, administration, and on-site management for generating additional income and networking opportunities at conferences.
• Association Management Permanent secretariat services for professional associations including membership database management, communications, financial reporting, sponsorship procurement, and governance procedures, delivered as ongoing retainer engagements.
• Destination Management On-the-ground logistics management including itinerary creation, accommodation arrangements, pre/post-conference and special-interest tours, airport transfers, meet-and-greet services, and transportation coordination.
• Consulting Services Professional services including bid compilation, host agreement interpretation and negotiation, supplier evaluation and vetting, tender compilation, and professional speaking engagements on meeting value and event success delivered by CEO Nina Freysen-Pretorius.
• Hybrid and Virtual Conferences Conference design and execution that seamlessly blends in-person and online participation, expanding event reach through technical conference services including audio-visuals, internet connectivity, and online platform functionality.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successful completion of technically demanding medical conference within allocated project time and budget exceeding all expectations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA)coreOthersIndustry affiliation membership providing access to global convention industry knowledge, best practices, and networking opportunities. ICCA is the premier global association for the international meetings industry.
• South African Travel and Tourism Council (SATSA)coreOthersIndustry affiliation membership demonstrating compliance with travel and tourism industry standards. Provides credibility for destination management and inbound tourism services.
• Gauteng Tourism AuthorityminorOthersRegional tourism body affiliation for Gauteng province, enabling coordination with provincial tourism initiatives and promotional support.
• KwaZulu-Natal Tourism AuthorityminorOthersRegional tourism body affiliation for KwaZulu-Natal province, supporting destination management activities in the Durban region.
• South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI)coreOthersChamber of commerce membership providing access to business network, industry advocacy, and commercial intelligence for corporate conference clients.
• Professional Conference Organisers (PCO) AssociationcoreOthersProfessional body membership specifically for professional conference organisers, demonstrating industry credibility and adherence to professional standards.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Freeman: Global brand experience and events company delivering exhibition, conference, and event production services. Comparable at the exhibition management layer but as a broader, much larger incumbent.
• GL events: Global live events company covering venue management, exhibition services, and PCO services for major conventions. Comparable at the exhibition and congress-services layer but at significantly larger scale and with venue ownership.
• Informa Connect: B2B events division of Informa plc running proprietary conferences and delivering PCO services to associations. Comparable in association conference delivery but part of a much larger media and events portfolio.
• BCD Meetings & Events: Large global meetings and events agency serving corporate clients with strategic meetings management, incentive travel, and conference services. Comparable corporate meeting planning capability but at much greater scale.
• CWT Meetings & Events: Global meetings, events, and conference management provider within Carlson Wagonlit Travel. Overlaps with corporate and association conference delivery at much larger scale and with broader geographic reach.

Direct peers

• cievents: Global event management agency offering PCO, association management, and hybrid event services to association and corporate clients. Comparable mid-market PCO with similar multi-service delivery model.
• Congress Care: European-based professional conference organizer delivering end-to-end PCO services for medical and scientific associations. Comparable scope of services including abstract management, exhibition/sponsorship, and registration.
• MCI Group: Global professional conference organizer and association management firm offering full-service PCO, association secretariat, and hybrid event solutions. Most directly comparable due to overlapping service mix including association management retainers.
• ICMS Australasia: Professional conference and event management company serving associations and corporates across Asia-Pacific. Comparable mid-sized PCO model with association management and destination services.
• Kenes Group: International association conference management company specializing in medical, scientific, and professional association congresses. Closely comparable in association-centric PCO delivery and long-tenured client relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/confco
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheConferenceCompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/theconferencecompany

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 The Conference Company