Ingrid Proud
Ingrid Proud is a globally experienced major events and tourism specialist with more than 25 years at the forefront of complex, high-stakes operational environments working across, Australia, United Kingdom, Europe, Middle East and Asia. Her career spans some of the world's most significant sporting and cultural events — including the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games in Manchester 2002, Melbourne 2006, and Gold Coast 2018, the FIFA Women's World Cup, World Aquatic Championships, Doha Asian Games, Qatar National Convention Centre, Swimming Australia, Queensland Rugby Union, Rugby World Cup and more — across stadium and arena operations, mass participation events, entertainment industry and large-scale multi discipline projects across government entities such as Tourism & Events Queensland and Trade and Investment Queensland.
Ingrid is the Founder and CEO of Australia Cultures Connect, a Queensland-based specialist consultancy and local operational delivery partner built on a singular philosophy: connecting people and place. Cultures Connect works to ensure that events and tourism generate meaningful, long-term outcomes for communities, operators, and regions — underpinned by robust governance structures, strategic planning, local knowledge, and the integration of policy and procedure aligned to each client's organisational capability and capacity focusing on solutions driven and high-performance results.
With Brisbane 2032 on the horizon, Cultures Connect is uniquely positioned as a trusted-on ground operational delivery partner for national and international sporting federations, National Olympic and Paralympic Committees, high-performance programs, corporate sponsors, governments, and businesses navigating Queensland's corporate, government, sporting, event, tourism, and Olympic and Paralympic network.
Cultures Connect specialises in facilitating critical site evaluations for pre-competition training camps and commercial activations — identifying venues with the right facilities, climate conditions, and logistical infrastructure — alongside the development of comprehensive implementation and risk management plans.
Cultures Connect is your on-ground delivery partner, leading with logistical precision across accommodation, catering, travel, transport, recovery, while focusing on local procurement and partnership initiatives, while leveraging deep local networks to deliver strategic introductions that create genuine, lasting partnerships.
As a founding partner of Global Horizon Alliance alongside Los Angeles based- Australia Made USA, Australia Cultures Connect brings operational depth and international reach to the critical window between LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032 — translating two decades of Games experience into real impact for clients, communities, and partners on both sides of the Pacific. Cultures Connect is proud to extend its operational knowledge and global networks to clients and collaborators navigating the extraordinary opportunities that LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032 present.
Geoffrey Schuhkraft
Geoffrey Schuhkraft is a visionary, direct communicator, and long-term strategist with over 40 years of experience across politics, entertainment, and sports management. His exceptional business pedigree and the calibre of clients he has represented speak volumes about the respect he commands. Known for his strategic insight and ability to craft and implement transformative ideas, Geoffrey has built a reputation for enhancing personal, business, and political opportunities through clarity of vision and decisive action.
A pioneer of the Australian entertainment industry, Geoffrey has managed some of Australia’s most celebrated icons, including Trevor Hendy, Samantha Riley, Matthew Hayden, Lisa Curry, Grant Hackett, Tina Arena, and Little River Band. In 1985, he founded the talent management powerhouse International Quarterback Pty Ltd in Queensland, later expanding globally through ON International, established in 2006 with A.C. Milan superstar Clarence Seedorf. This partnership opened doors to the Middle East, where Geoffrey quickly developed deep networks across government, business, and cultural sectors.
Building on his international success, Geoffrey was appointed Senior Advisor for Middle East Relations to Gold Coast City in 2012, leading the development of its Sister City partnership with Dubai. In 2014, he took on a similar advisory role with Trade and Investment Queensland, leveraging his global relationships to advance trade and diplomatic opportunities for Queensland businesses. A passionate advocate for his home state, Geoffrey continues to foster strategic partnerships worldwide, combining experience, influence, and vision to drive meaningful global collaboration.
Ben Mansfield
Ben Mansfield is a globally respected executive, strategic adviser and complex deal architect with more than 25 years of experience leading transformative initiatives across infrastructure, housing, healthcare, and economic development.
Across his career, Ben has worked on and led complex strategic programs involving capital portfolios exceeding $160 billion, including major infrastructure, urban development, operational transformation and growth initiatives across the private and public sectors. He has worked with organisations including BHP, McKinsey, Bovis Lendlease, Australian Unity and the Australian Government, specialising in aligning strategy, capital, delivery and operational execution across complex environments.
Ben is recognised for his ability to bring together governments, investors, developers, operators and strategic stakeholders to unlock and progress large-scale opportunities requiring significant coordination, structuring and execution capability. His work spans city transformation, strategic infrastructure, complex funding and investment structures, operational scaling, commercial partnerships and long-term value creation initiatives.
Earlier in his career, Ben played a key role in major urban development and infrastructure programs with the City of Gold Coast, including projects connected to the Commonwealth Games, and was recognised as the Project Management Institute’s 2011 Australian Young Project Manager of the Year.
At the centre of Ben’s work is a practical execution-focused approach built around turning complex opportunities into commercially viable and deliverable outcomes. He specialises in strategic structuring, investment and funding coordination, operational transformation, growth strategy and large-scale project activation, helping organisations move from concept and planning through to execution and long-term performance.
In addition to his executive and advisory work, Ben serves as a Board Member for several companies and remains actively involved in initiatives focused on international collaboration, cultural engagement and long-term economic development opportunities across Australia and global markets.