ICC Sydney CEO Adam Mather-Brown affectionately described Malu Barrios as a walking “Rolodex”, a fitting tribute to someone whose influence across Australia’s business events landscape has been both far-reaching and deeply personal. She seemed to know everyone, and everyone knew Malu: not just for her formidable knowledge and experience, but for her wit, warmth, humour, tenacity and an unparalleled ability to make things happen.
Malu Barrios with ICC Sydney CEO Adam Mather-Brown and Legends Global’s Rod Pilbeam
And therein lies the truth of her impact. When a close circle of friends and colleagues gathered this week to farewell Malu, it was clear that had circumstances allowed for every person touched by her career to attend, ICC Sydney would have needed to schedule at least three full sittings of its spectacular grand ballroom.
Adam was joined by Legends Global’s Rod Pilbeam in paying tribute to Malu, a moment filled with affection, authenticity, and genuine admiration. Their remarks reflected what the entire room felt: respect, gratitude, and a shared sense of privilege in having worked alongside her.
Malu’s response was heartfelt, poised, and unmistakably “Malu”, a blend of sincerity, strength and emotion delivered with grace, even as tears occasionally pressed through.
What follows is her unedited farewell to the industry she helped shape.
MY FAREWELL SPEECH TO INDUSTRY – Malu Barrios
Thank you, Adam and Rod for your very kind words. I am grateful for your support, friendship, and leadership throughout my career.
Good evening, everyone.
It is truly wonderful to see you all here tonight. Thank you for joining me to celebrate this special moment, especially those who have travelled from interstate.
And to those who couldn’t be here but sent beautiful messages, thank you as well.
I also want to thank everyone who has sent me messages on LinkedIn, I am still answering each one personally. Over 9,000 impressions!
Now, I’m wondering… can I make money from that?
Your kind words, reflections, and memories mean so much to me. They are a wonderful reminder of the relationships and connections that make this industry so special.
You are here because, in one way or another, you have shared in my journey. You have shaped my career, challenged me, strengthened me, inspired me, and seen me as a person beyond any role or title. I am deeply grateful for that.
Thank you to everyone involved in organising and hosting our soiree tonight. I have always said that my work felt like having a big home and hosting parties every day, so please enjoy this final one.
Thirty-six years in this remarkable industry have given me a career I could never have imagined when I first arrived in Australia in 1989. From hotels to convention centres, from pre-openings to major events, and now closing this chapter at ICC Sydney, I stand here with profound gratitude.
Along the way, colleagues have often referred to my “Uniquely Malu” moments. These were usually light touches of humour deployed in tense or complex circumstances, not for entertainment, but to remind us that connection and humanity are powerful tools in leadership.
A well-timed photo, a burst of colour, or a moment of levity sometimes shifted situations more effectively than any strategy meeting. These moments served a purpose: they brought people together.
But tonight, I want to focus on thanks.
To our clients and industry associations, many of you who are dear friends; thank you for your trust, your partnership, and your ambition. You allowed us to dream big, solve problems, deliver excellence, and grow this industry together. Your success was always our success.
To our suppliers and partners, the quiet, steady hands who made every plan possible, thank you for your professionalism, your resilience, and your unfailing commitment. You are part of every achievement and every milestone.
To members of the media, thank you for telling our stories with insight, integrity, and professionalism. Your work has extended our reach and amplified the impact of our venues and events.
To Tourism Australia, Business Events Sydney, and Destination NSW, thank you for your ongoing support, advocacy, and strategic guidance. Your confidence and partnership have been invaluable to the growth of this industry.
To the state representatives, from Southbank in Brisbane, to the Darwin Waterfront Corporation, to Darling Harbour Live and Place Management NSW; thank you for your confidence, collaboration, and support through every project and transition. Your partnership and confidence have been vital.
To Harvey Lister and Rod Pilbeam, thank you for the trust you placed in me through multiple venues and major undertakings.
Your brief for every opening was simple: “Don’t stuff it up.”
I must have done something right, because we’re celebrating tonight, not problem-solving.
I also want to thank my Legends Global colleagues – you are my work family. We’ve been through so many successes, changes and I sincerely thank you for your support, camaraderie, knowledge sharing and friendship.
To Bob O’Keefe, who enticed me out of hotels and opened my eyes to the world of venues;
to Roger Perkins, who broadened my thinking and introduced me to extraordinary minds and champions of industry at the RAS;
and to Geoff Donaghy, my mentor, guiding light, and greatest professional influence for over two decades; your belief grounded me, challenged me, and elevated me.
Thank you.
I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to the VMA Board. It has truly been a privilege to serve as a board member alongside such dedicated and visionary colleagues. Your leadership, guidance, and advocacy for our industry have been invaluable, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have contributed to the Board’s work.
One of my greatest sources of pride is seeing people I have mentored grow into leaders themselves; Russell Durnell, Shaun Mitchell, Liz Bendeich, Brock Gilmour, Kobe Elliott, Rachel Elsworth, Renita Collins, Andrea Wicking, Jessica Oliveux, Nicole Crozier, Michelle Zangari, Sue Bates, Adrian Slingsby, and Marc Singerling, each of you making your mark in this industry.
Watching you succeed has been one of the greatest honours of my career.
I also want to acknowledge my friends in the audience who are either not in the industry or temporarily having a break, or from other venues – who have always been a support for me, a sounding board, a shoulder to cry on, and a source of encouragement throughout my career. Your friendship has meant more than words can express, and I am deeply grateful for your unwavering presence in my life.
To the incredible ICC Sydney team, ExCo, Senior Managers, it has been the privilege of a lifetime to work alongside you. Your intelligence, professionalism, creativity, and drive have set a global benchmark. We have weathered challenges, delivered world-class outcomes, and supported each other with integrity and heart. I could not be prouder of what we have achieved together.
To Adam Mather-Brown, thank you for your leadership and friendship over so many years, and especially these last ten. Thank you for this wonderful send off with my colleagues and peers present this evening. You are the ideal CEO to lead ICC Sydney into its next chapter, and I wish you and the Executive Committee every continued success.
After more than three decades, I know, with absolute clarity, that this is the right moment to step away. You simply know when you know. I do so with immense pride, deep gratitude, and great confidence in the future of this extraordinary industry.
Finally, to Mari, my darling husband, and to my family, represented here by my sister, Vicky Dominguez, my quiet heroes, thank you.
Thank you for your patience, your sacrifices, your understanding and your unwavering love. You have been my anchor through every triumph and every challenge. None of this would have been possible without you.
As I close this chapter, I do so with a full heart, proud of what we have accomplished, grateful for the friendships forged, and thankful for the privilege of serving an industry that brings people together in the most meaningful ways.
If there’s one thing retirement makes clear, it’s that the friendships we’ve built endure well beyond the workplace.
I trust that will be true for us too.
Thank you all for being part of my journey, and for allowing me to be part of yours.
Thank you.
The evening did not, nor should it, end on a sombre note. While Malu was formally farewelling colleagues and friends, the atmosphere carried a quiet certainty that this moment marked not an ending, but the beginning of a new chapter. There was an unmistakable sense that Malu will remain part of the industry’s fabric; I’m not sure how, so how that will unfold is yet to be seen, but her presence feels far from finished.
Perhaps it will be as simple as her continuing this journey of farewelling her extended industry family.
As she steps into a life with more stillness, more travel with her equally spirited husband, and more time to breathe in the clean air of her Queenstown (NZ) home, there is little doubt that Malu’s next journey will be as vibrant and meaningful as the one she now concludes. This industry will keep an ear out for her voice—because voices like hers do not simply fade; they evolve.
Best wishes for your next chapter, Malu. The food and drinks are waiting, and we all look forward to seeing you again soon.
