The Board of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras have announced the appointment of Jesse Matheson as Chief Executive Officer.
Matheson has been part of Mardi Gras’ leadership for several years having served as a Board Member from 2017-2022, Co-Chair through the COVID-19 pandemic, a Director of Sydney WorldPride, Company Secretary, and most recently served as Interim CEO.
His time as Interim CEO has seen him guiding the organisation through a period of what the organisations describes as “renewal and stability as it prepares for its 50th anniversary celebrations”.
Matheson stepped in as Interim CEO following the resignation of Gil Beckwith who had left the organisation in June this year having joined in late 2023.
The Board of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras said Matheson brings extensive experience across community engagement, cultural transformation and organisational leadership, with a career spanning the not-for-profit, arts, and public sectors.
In the announcement of his appointment Matheson said it was a great honour.
“It is an honour to lead Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras as we approach our 50th anniversary – a milestone that invites us to reflect on all we have achieved and to look ahead with purpose and pride. This festival exists because hundreds of thousands of people – volunteers, members, queer businesses, community, and our incredible Mardi Gras team – have poured their energy, creativity and courage into building something bigger, louder and braver than any one of us.” he said.
“My priority is to strengthen how we connect, create and care for each other, and to shape a Mardi Gras that is inclusive, innovative and ready for the future. I look forward to working with the Board, the Mardi Gras team and our community to bring this vision to life.”
Before stepping into executive leadership at Mardi Gras, he held roles at CSIRO’s Data61 and the University of New South Wales, where he has worked across strategy, governance, and inclusive innovation. During his time at Mardi Gras, Matheson is credited as having played a central role in strengthening governance, improving internal processes and rebuilding key relationships across government, partners and the LGBTQIA+ sector.
The board said under Matheson’s leadership, Mardi Gras has already taken meaningful steps toward becoming a more modern and future-ready organisation. This includes the launch of the year-round Mardi Gras App and a refreshed visual identity designed to bring greater clarity, vibrancy and inclusivity to how the organisation presents itself to the community and its partners.
As Mardi Gras approaches its milestone 50th anniversary, the newly appointed CEO will focus on strengthening trust, deepening community engagement and delivering a 2026 Festival program that honours almost five decades of activism, creativity and pride, while shaping the next chapter of LGBTQIA+ inclusion in Australia.
