Jono Whyman, SXSW Sydney’s general manager, and Simon Cahill, TEG’s head of commercial, will jointly lead the event, which is produced by TEG.
Whyman has a background in exhibitions, having worked for Reed Exhibitions – now RX – for over a decade, while Cahill has a background in the music industry, which fits with the festival’s origins.
Daniels oversaw the first two iterations of SXSW Sydney as the event’s managing director in 2023 and 2024. He will remain as part of the SXSW Sydney board.
“First and foremost, I would like to personally thank Colin for his dedication and hard work over the years,” said TEG group CEO and SXSW chair Geoff Jones.
“Colin has done an outstanding job in building a passionate team, successfully launching SXSW Sydney, and ensuring the vision for this world-leading event is set for the future.
“His leadership has been instrumental, and I am grateful for his contributions.
“I am also delighted to welcome Simon Cahill and Jono Whyman as the co-managing directors for SXSW Sydney.
“Both Simon and Jono have been working on the event since day one and have both played a pivotal role in helping build one of the largest events in the APAC region.
“I look forward to working alongside Simon and Jono to continue further expanding the festival to new heights.”
On LinkedIn, Cahill said he was “incredibly honoured” to be taking on the MD role, while Whyman, also on LinkedIn, said he was thrilled and flagged Daniels’ mentorship over the first two years of the event.
“This event has always been about creating a platform to push boundaries, celebrate innovation, and bring together the brightest minds in tech, music, screen, games and culture,” said Cahill.
“To be part of shaping its future is both thrilling and humbling.”
SXSW Sydney will have its third edition in October from October 13 to 19. The 2024 event had over 92,000 individual attendees from 56 countries and included 1,400 conference sessions, 95 screenings and 315 performances alongside 150 games and brand activations.
The event occurs over a tight footprint for its size, taking place in and around Darling Harbour, Chippendale and Broadway.
