Every four years, the world’s leading Angus cattle producers, geneticists and industry leaders converge on one city to share knowledge, forge partnerships and shape the future of the global beef industry.

In 2025, Brisbane hosted the Neogen World Angus Forum, welcoming 1,000 delegates to the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC).

For Angus Australia CEO Scott Wright, the event was a once-in-a-generation opportunity to showcase Australia’s growing leadership in advanced cattle genetics.

“Australia is now recognised as a real source for advanced genetics, and we lead the world in some of our genetic traits such as marbling, which is a major part of meat quality,” Wright says.

“For us, it was very important to put our seed stock stud breeders on a world stage so that we could export Angus genetics going forward.”

Working in partnership with Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA), Angus Australia successfully secured the bid and delivered the event, 28 years after it was last held in Australia.

BEDA provided strategic, marketing and delivery support throughout the process, helping connect Angus Australia with the people and partners needed to secure the forum and make it a success.

Why Brisbane was the ideal host city

For organisations weighing up where to hold a major event, Brisbane offers a compelling combination of industry access, global connectivity and a high-quality delegate experience.

As the capital of Australia’s largest beef-producing state, Brisbane provided direct access to one of the world’s most significant cattle industries, while also serving as a gateway to regional Queensland.

“Queensland is the beef state, so it made perfect sense to come to Queensland’s capital, Brisbane, so we could showcase some of the industry aspects before and after the event,” Wright says. A post-forum tour to Longreach gave international visitors a glimpse of Queensland’s beef heartland that few would otherwise have seen, reinforcing Brisbane’s role as a connector to the country’s pastoral regions.

But Brisbane’s appeal went well beyond proximity to the industry. Wright says the city’s connectivity and delegate experience made it a standout choice long before a single ticket was sold.

“The first thing I’d highlight is connectivity,” he says. “Brisbane has an excellent international airport with strong global connections, which was critical for us, along with a great range of accommodation at competitive price points and a world-class convention centre.

“But ultimately, it’s the experience that sets Brisbane apart. It’s a River City. You have the ferries, great food, a genuinely Australian atmosphere, and a city that’s easy to move around. For international delegates, that ease of movement makes a real difference.

“We held the event at BCEC at South Bank, a world-class venue with attentive staff who went out of their way to help us deliver exactly what we needed. And it’s literally a walk across a bridge from the city, making it incredibly easy for delegates to move between the venue, their hotels, and the wider Brisbane experience.”

The response from delegates reinforced that choice.

“We had international visitors coming up to us and saying, ‘This is the best World Angus Forum we’ve attended,’” Wright says.

How BEDA helped win the bid and deliver the event

From the outset, BEDA acted as Angus Australia’s strategic partner, leading the development of a competitive bid, managing the process through to the decision, and assembling the kind of whole-of-city offer a single organisation could never put together alone.

“BEDA was instrumental in getting Brisbane across the line,” Wright says. “From that very first meeting, they were helpful in just about every way imaginable. They have an exceptional process honed from seeing events like this time and again, and they guided us through every stage of the bid.”

Central to that was BEDA’s ability to bring government and industry to the table. Drawing on its standing as the city’s convention bureau, the agency connected Angus Australia with the partners and decision-makers needed to build a credible bid; securing the backing of government, industry and corporate stakeholders, and positioning the forum firmly within Queensland’s agricultural sector.

“The single greatest advantage BEDA brings is their power to create connections and facilitate meetings,” Wright says. “They drew in partners and stakeholders from across Brisbane and Queensland that we simply couldn’t have accessed on our own. We know our industry well, but navigating the different layers of government is a different skill set. Those connections, and the government support that came with them, were invaluable.

“We certainly had the feeling that it was easier to operate in Brisbane, and that enabled us to put on a better event than we could have somewhere else.”

Once Brisbane secured the forum, BEDA’s focus shifted to attracting delegates. The agency ran a dedicated marketing strategy workshop with Angus Australia to sharpen how the event was positioned, then backed it with destination content and promotional materials, including support to showcase or promote the World Angus Forum in Brisbane at international industry sector events across North America and Europe in the years beforehand.

“BEDA provided materials and support that we couldn’t have produced ourselves, helping us promote Brisbane to potential delegates abroad,” Wright says. “Their marketing expertise and their knowledge of how to position Brisbane competitively against other international destinations was genuinely valuable.”

As the forum approached, BEDA’s role shifted from strategic guidance to on-the-ground support. Drawing on deep local knowledge and a trusted network of suppliers, the agency assisted with venue and accommodation planning, facilitated site inspections, and helped streamline international arrivals, while supporting coordination around gala dinner arrangements and city transport.

“BEDA provided end-to-end support, from our very first meeting until the event was wrapped up,” Wright says. “It was really the complete package.”

His advice to other organisations considering a conference bid is unequivocal.

“Brisbane should be your number one consideration,” Wright says. “It has the great connections, accommodation and facilities of the larger cities, but a more personable feel and a genuine team approach. I think it would be very hard to go past Brisbane.

“And my strongest piece of advice: go and talk to BEDA first. They’ll make all the right introductions. They’re a fantastic organisation, and they will genuinely make your event better.”

Delivering lasting global impact

Hosting the conference in Brisbane delivered measurable global impact for the Australian beef industry, with benefits continuing well beyond the event itself.

“The World Angus Forum really helped lift our profile globally,” Wright says. “It very quickly cemented our position as the number two supplier for Angus genetics worldwide.

“I don’t think a lot of the international community understood just how vast our registered Angus cattle population was, or the quality of our genetics.”

He says the forum helped breed new trade relationships, particularly in emerging Angus markets. And for individual breeders, it has opened up entirely new revenue streams.

“Following the forum there have been some great partnerships from our members and genetic companies exporting genetics to Europe. That’s a new field for us,” Wright says.

“To be able to sell genetics is another revenue stream that wasn’t there before. Really clever operators have used this event to propel themselves.”

For Wright personally, hosting the forum in Brisbane was a proud moment.

“I was very humbled to be in the position I’m in when we held the World Angus Forum here in Brisbane. I’m proud of our organisation, our staff, our breeders and the quality of Angus cattle in Australia.”

Get in touch with the Business Events team at Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA) to explore how Brisbane can bring your next event to life.