The City's reputation as a leading destination for world-class events is set for a further boost, with the appointment of three respected leaders to the Geelong Major Events Committee (GME).
Marcus Gale, Peter Hertan and Deirdre McGuane each bring decades of expertise in sport, arts, culture, and large-scale events, and will serve on the committee until July 2029.
As a delegated committee of the City of Greater Geelong GME plays a vital role in supporting the growth of existing events and proactively searching and acquiring new major events for the region.
Since its inception, the committee has been critical in securing internationally recognised sporting events, iconic festivals and celebrated community gatherings that showcase the region and deliver strong economic returns.
Geelong is home to some of Australia's biggest and most historic events, including:
- the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, which generated $19.7 million in economic benefits to the region this year
- the iconic Festival of Sails, which was first held in 1844
- the IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong which was part of the global IRONMAN Pro-series in 2025.
The new members will join the current committee, including nominated Councillor representatives, City of Greater Geelong Executive Officers, Tourism Greater Geelong and The Bellarine, and existing external committee members.
About the new members:
Marcus Gale, has more than 20 years' experience in operations, commercial strategy, and event promotion. As Vice President of Events at IMG, he currently oversees the Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival and the Great Ocean Road Running Festival.
Peter Hertan, a former senior Victorian Government official, played a central role in establishing Victoria's major events funding model and delivering landmark projects like the Formula 1 Grand Prix and MotoGP.
Deirdre McGuane, Director of Marketing, Audience and Development at Geelong Arts Centre, brings strong local connections, with previous executive roles at the Melbourne Fashion Festival and Victoria Racing Club.
Major Stretch Kontelj OAM:
The committee hoped to attract even more big events to the City.
Geelong has earned its reputation as a leading events destination, and the experience Marcus, Peter and Deirdre bring will help us build on that success.Their unmatched knowledge across major sporting, cultural and community events will be an asset to the committee and to our city.
GME Chair Councillor Andrew Katos:
The Geelong region benefits when events come to the City.Events are more than just great days out.
They boost tourism, support local business, and showcase our region to visitors from across the country and around the world.
The contribution of these new members will ensure Geelong continues to grow as a city of choice for world-class events.
