New Executive PA research reveals how EAs are navigating shorter deadlines, bigger budgets and growing influence over supplier decisions
Every year, we survey EAs across Australia to understand how corporate event activity is evolving.
This year, 102 EAs shared insights about their 2025 event experiences. And the results paint a picture of an industry that’s found its footing after COVID disruption, with new challenges around timing, scale and expectations.
EAs are personally involved in more events than ever
While the total number of events per organisation has remained stable, individual EAs are managing significantly more. The proportion organising 20 or more events annually has nearly doubled, jumping from 10.5% to 19.5%.
This suggests either that EA roles are expanding to include more event responsibility or that post-COVID staffing adjustments have concentrated event management among fewer people.
Budgets and event sizes are growing
EAs are working with substantially larger budgets. The proportion handling over $500,000 has more than doubled from 7% to 15% since 2019.
Event sizes are growing too. More than one in five EAs (22%) now organise events for more than 300 people, up from 17% in 2019. Those managing events for more than 500 people has tripled from 5.5% to 15%.
Deadline pressure is intensifying
Short lead times continue to squeeze both EAs and suppliers. For events under 100 people, 66% of EAs now receive less than three months’ notice, up from 60% in 2019.
For larger events of more than 100 people, 27% get three months or less – a significant increase from 19%. This trend puts pressure on the entire events ecosystem and makes early planning more critical than ever.
Event management is now a core EA responsibility
Nearly all EAs now specify suppliers and organise events, with 70% stating that event management appears in their job description. However, only 22% have had formal event management training – a significant skills gap that points to real professional development opportunities in this area.
EA influence over supplier decisions has reached new heights
Perhaps the most striking finding – 95% of EAs report that when they present multiple quotes to executives, their preferred choice is accepted. This is up from 80% in 2019 and underscores the level of trust executives place in their EAs’ judgement.
Destination trends
Sydney’s popularity has dropped from 56% to 47% of EAs organising events there, while regional Australia has also lost ground, falling from 37% to 28%.
The big winners are Brisbane and Adelaide, benefiting from major infrastructure investment and Brisbane’s 2032 Olympics designation.
Looking ahead
Despite the challenges, confidence is high. While only 24% of EAs say their organisations conducted more events in 2025 than before COVID, 85% believed their organisation would maintain or increase event activity this year.
A further 24% expected to run more events this year – virtually identical to the 22% who expected increases back in 2019, suggesting confidence has returned to pre-pandemic norms.
The survey paints a clear picture that event management has firmly established itself as a core EA responsibility.
Budgets are bigger, events are larger, influence is greater – but timelines are tighter and formal training hasn’t kept pace with the reality of the role.
This survey contacted Australia-based EAs over three weeks in December 2025 and January 2026. From 115 responses, 102 complete responses from qualified EAs were analysed.
