Sydney New Year's Eve - Organisation

Organisation

The City of Sydney Council is the official presenter of Sydney New Year's Eve. From NYE1996 to NYE1999, management of the event was contracted out to Ric Birch’s Spectak Productions. From NYE2000, the City of Sydney brought production of the event in-house.

Birch, known for his work on numerous Olympic Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies including Los Angeles and Barcelona brought with him former Jimmy and the Boys front man Ignatius Jones as Creative Director and Catriona Brown as Senior Producer.

When the City of Sydney brought production of the event in-house in 2000 Jones stayed on, with Adelaide Festival Centre's Ken Wilby brought in as the Event Producer. After six years as Creative Director, Ignatius Jones stepped down in 2002 to be replaced by former Melbourne and Sydney Festival Artistic Director Leo Schofield. Ken Wilby moved on the following year with the event's Production Manager Ed Wilkinson elevated to the Producer role from 2003 to 2005.

Former Sydney Theatre Company head Wayne Harrison joined Katrina Marton in taking over leadership of the event as Creative Director and Producer respectively for the events from 2005 to 2007. Brenton Kewley, who had worked on the event since 1996 in various roles, including Art Director and Associate Producer took over as Producer for the 2008 and 2009 events while Journalist and broadcaster Rhoda Roberts, took over from Harrison in 2008.

Imagination Australia won a $335,000 contract for the NYE2011 event, to design the creative aspects of the event. Marc Newson is the new and current Creative Headliner, taking over from Rhoda Roberts this year.

Kylie Minogue was appointed as creative ambassador for the 2013 celebrations.

Summary of Creative Directors and Producers of the events: