2026 Award Finalists
Emerging Business Events Professional Award
This award recognises rising talent in the business events industry. Open to professionals with five or fewer years of experience, nominees were bepeer-nominated and endorsed by two expert referees. The recipient will demonstrate leadership, drive, and a clear commitment to growth, excellence, and positive impact within the industry. This award complements the BEIA Outstanding Contribution to Business Events Award, which recognises individuals further along in their career journey.
2026 Finalists:
Aleisha Thorne, Theme Productions
Georgia Watson, Conference Innovators
Victoria Wynne, Auckland University of Technology
Zoe Lloyd, Food Envy
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Exceptional Business Events Professional Award
Celebrating seasoned expertise, this award honours a business events professional with more than five years of significant contribution to the industry.
Nominated by a peer and supported by referees, the recipient will be recognised for outstanding performance, client service, and sustained commitment to professional excellence.
2026 Finalists:
Ken Pereira, Auckland Convention Bureau
Kim Milne, Orbit World Travel
Sharon Auld, Business Events Industry Aotearoa
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Legacy Impact Award
This award acknowledges a group, company, or organisation that has delivered a business event project creating lasting social, educational, political, or sectoral impact.
Eligible projects must have been delivered between July 2025 and June 2026 and demonstrate clear, measurable outcomes or a well-evidenced long-term legacy.
Entries are self-submitted and open to single organisations or groups of organisations that worked together.
2026 Finalists:
Auckland Convention Bureau and Auckland Transport
Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury, The Conference Company & ChristchurchNZ
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Outstanding Marketing Award
This award recognises a group or organisation that has delivered an outstanding marketing campaign or promotional activity within the business events sector.
Eligible entries include destination, product, or service marketing initiatives executed
between July 2025 and June 2026, showcasing creativity, strategy, and measurable success. Entries are self-submitted and open to single organisations or groups of organisations that worked together.
2026 Finalists:
New Zealand International Convention Centre
Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre
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Excellence in Environmental Sustainability Award
This award recognises a group or organisation that has achieved significant environmental reduction through an event, campaign, or activation delivered between July 2025 and June 2026.
The award celebrates leadership, innovation, and best practice in building more sustainable business events, and is open to single organisations or groups of organisations that worked together.
2026 Finalists:
Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre
Venues Wellington in Partnership with FillGood
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Innovation Award
This award celebrates a business events organisation that has delivered a standout
project, event, campaign, or activation, between July 2025 and June 2026,
through genuinely innovative thinking. Innovation may be demonstrated across any area of business events practice, including technology, event format, delegate experience, accessibility, or creative problem-solving. The recipient will show clear evidence of original ideas put into action and tangible, measurable outcomes as a result.
2026 Finalists:
Auckland Convention Bureau and Auckland Transport
10th IWA-ASPIRE Conference & Water New Zealand Conference & Expo 2025
Eden Park Trust, Eden Park Catering and LivewireAV / Vidcom
Outstanding Partnership Award
This award honours a group or organisation that exemplifies exceptional collaboration in the business events sector. Entries are self-submitted and should showcase strong teamwork, a significant and demonstrable impact on the event experience, and the delivery of mutually beneficial outcomes. Eligible partnerships may exist between agencies, clients, venues, or any combination of organisations working together toward a shared goal.
2026 Finalists:
Auckland University of Technology – Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makau Rau and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei
Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network and Conference Innovators
Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury, The Conference Company, ChristchurchNZ, Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, Tourism New Zealand Business Events
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