Executive
Darryl Ferris
Interim CEO
Darryl is a qualified CPA with over 30 years’ experience as a finance professional. He has vast experience working in the events and hospitality industries, sporting organisations and with not-for-profit entities as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and company secretary.
Darryl has previously served as the CFO of Motorsport Australia and concurrently as the CEO of Rally Australia where he was responsible for overseeing the delivery of the World Rally Championship event in Australia.
As an experienced leader, Darryl joined Melbourne Royal in March 2020 and has led the Finance and Corporate Services team for the past 6 years.
Effective 1 September 2026, Darryl is appointed as Interim CEO drawing on his extensive leadership experience and understanding of the organisation.
Michelle McConachy
Executive General Manager, People & Culture
Michelle is a highly experienced human resources professional who specialises in organisational development and transformational culture change.
With more than 20 years’ experience of partnering with businesses and leading teams to influence outcomes and deliver results by creating a culture of high performance and accountability.
Michelle was previously the EGM, People and Business Services at Racing Queensland and was instrumental in achieving Employer of Choice recognition at the Australian Business Awards in 2023.
This followed other roles with South East Water, City West Water and Crown Melbourne, which included a secondment to the start-up team at Crown Macau.
Michelle joined Melbourne Royal in June 2025 and is motivated by helping people succeed and creating innovative solutions that attract, motivate, engage and retain talent.
Hannah von Bibra
Executive General Manager, Melbourne Royal Show
Hannah von Bibra is the Executive General Manager of the Melbourne Royal Show, leading the strategy, planning and delivery of one of Victoria’s largest and most iconic annual events.
Hannah joined Melbourne Royal in 2019 as Head of Commercial and Partnerships and was appointed to the Executive Leadership Team in 2020. Since then, her remit has expanded across commercial, entertainment, customer experience and event delivery, culminating in her appointment to lead the Melbourne Royal Show.
With more than 20 years’ experience across major events, venues and the visitor economy, Hannah has worked with some of Melbourne’s most recognised venues, including the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and Melbourne Town Hall, as well as the Edinburgh International Conference Centre in Scotland.
Hannah brings a strong commercial and customer-focused approach to the Show, with a particular focus on evolving the visitor experience, growing audiences and revenue, building valuable partnerships and ensuring the Melbourne Royal Show continues to celebrate agriculture while remaining relevant to contemporary Victorian families.
In her role, Hannah oversees the teams responsible for the Show’s competitions, entertainment and experiences, commercial partnerships, marketing and communications, bringing together the many elements that deliver the Melbourne Royal Show each year.
Frank Martinuzzo
Executive General Manager, Operations
Frank has more than 35 years’ experience in event operations and venue management. Frank began his career at Melbourne Royal coordinating all areas of safety, risk and operations at Melbourne Showgrounds for 28 years and then went onto establish his own private consultancy business that specialised in event operations, risk management and OH&S.
Some of the events Frank has been involved include: St Kilda Festival, Falls Festival, Splendour in the Grass, Sydney Easter Royal Show, Ekka, Royal Adelaide Show, Royal Hobart Show and Melbourne International Coffee Expo.
Frank’s wealth of knowledge and experience in event operations and venue management is second to none and we are delighted that Frank has chosen to return to our organisation on a permanent basis as Executive General Manager, Operations
Sam Buckley
Executive General Manager, Melbourne Showgrounds
Sam Buckley is an accomplished senior leader with over 20 years of experience in the venue, commercial, marketing, ticketing and operational spaces. His career is focused on growing and driving continuous improvement in major events and facilities.
With previous roles at the AFL, Eventbrite, and Melbourne and Olympic Parks, Sam has a proven track record of success in these dynamic environments.
He is passionate about sports, entertainment, and large-scale Melbourne events and dedicated to delivering exceptional experiences.