TURNING THE ORDINARY
INTO EXTRAORDINARY:
THE RISE OF THE BIG GROUP
TURNING THE ORDINARY
INTO EXTRAORDINARY:
THE RISE OF THE BIG GROUP
KEYNOTE SESSION
Speakers: Bruce and Chyka Keebaugh
Date and time: Thursday 22 May 2025, 11:30am - 12:15pm
SESSION OVERVIEW
In 1990, a very young Bruce Keebaugh, post a degree in Hotel Management, was given an office and a phone from his Dad. He then spent 500 dollars at Pink Panther Printing on some very fancy letterhead titled “BIG & Small Catering and Event Management”.
Starting at “A” for advertising in the Yellow Pages (a pre millennial book of opportunity) he hit the streets - soon after Badjar, BDBO, Clemenger, George Paterson, all the way down the alphabet to Young & Rubicon became clients.
But without food and flowers, it’s tricky to run a catering company - thank goodness, the incredible Chyka Siney, London Cordon Bleu chef & Constance Spry floral trained dynamo started cooking the meals in her mother kitchen!
The Big Group was born…
Today, The Big Group stands as one of Australia’s largest privately owned catering and event management companies. Renowned for their imagination, perfectionism, experience, passion, and BIG thinking, The Big Group continually transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary on every occasion.
Bruce Keebaugh and his wife, Chyka Keebaugh, will share the story of their family business success, highlighting their journey through diversification, creative vision, and the importance of partnerships. They will also discuss the innovative strategies that keep them at the forefront of the industry and enable them to take bold risks.
SPEAKERS
BRUCE KEEBAUGH
Co-founder, The Big Group
BRUCE KEEBAUGH
Co-founder, The Big Group
Bruce Keebaugh co-founded The Big Group, a global event and hospitality company that provides extraordinary experiences at scale. With offices in Melbourne and Sydney, The Big Group is dedicated to offering memorable destinations, high-touch hospitality, and creative experiences for every occasion.
Driven by a genuine passion for hospitality, Bruce has helped cultivate an environment where everyone is invited. He believes Australia has a world-class event economy with the potential to grow even further. This belief has inspired him to take a giant leap in transforming the industry, partnering with people and places to leverage the best of cities and create value beyond the ballroom.
His commitment to elevating the industry has resulted in a company that champions innovation, collaboration, and exceptional service.
Chyka
Keebaugh
Co-founder, The Big Group
The other half of The Big Group creative duo is Chyka Keebaugh.
Chyka has a reputation for being one of the most creative and innovative event stylists in Australia. Her ideas and talent have featured in numerous design, fashion and interior magazines over the years.
Before meeting Bruce and establishing The Big Group, Chyka started her career as a cadet with the iconic Australia Hotel. Here she learnt all aspects of the hospitality industry. With a burning desire to travel and see the world Chyka embarked on a journey which saw her live in London and study at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu, which is known as being a worldwide leader in gastronomy, hospitality and management.
On her return to Australia, Chyka worked as a senior steward for Peter Rowland Catering. It was here that she met her husband to be, Bruce Keebaugh.
all sessions
Explore all the sessions on offer at this year’s Family Business Conference: Asia-Pacific. Each session has been thoughtfully crafted to provide you with real-world tools and takeaways for navigating change in the world of family business. Featuring a range of expert keynote presentations, family business stories, interactive workshops and parallel sessions, every session is designed to equip you with strategies to navigate current challenges, embrace future opportunities, and achieve sustained success for your family business.