2026 IMPACT International: Australia/New Zealand Next-Gen: Esha Kumar

Esha Kumar
Legal Counsel | AGE: 29
Melbourne Park

A BELIEBER SINCE 2009: “After attending the My World 2.0 tour in Sydney I just knew this was a space I wanted to be in!”

In June, Melbourne Park’s legal counsel Esha Kumar won the Venue Management Association (Asia and Pacific)’s venue industry award for Young Achiever of the Year. She was recognized for her “exceptional commitment, initiative and impact early in her career” as well as her “passion for the venue industry.”

Kumar regards it as one of the milestones of her career to date.

“It reinforced that, even though I work in a corporate role as a lawyer, I can make a meaningful contribution to the live events industry and to the experiences that patrons have at Melbourne Park,” Kumar explains.

She adds: “Being recognized by an industry that is so operationally focused was incredibly rewarding and showed that there is real value in stepping beyond the traditional boundaries of your role to support event delivery. It is recognition that I am extremely proud of and something that motivates me to continue contributing both behind the scenes and on the ground.”

Major Achievements In The Last 12 Months
“One of the highlights of my career has been the opportunity to step beyond the traditional legal role and work operationally at some of Australia’s biggest live events. Despite being a lawyer, I have been fortunate to work behind the scenes at events such as the Australian Open and Kendrick Lamar at AAMI Park, supporting venue operations, undertaking Safety Duty Manager shifts and working in the Venue Control Centre. Experiencing the fast-paced environment of major events firsthand has given me a genuine appreciation of what it takes to deliver memorable live event experiences.”

What Makes Australian & New Zealand Markets Unique
“Our diverse and multicultural communities, which create demand for a wide range of cultural experiences. Our diversity allows us to bring global experiences to local audiences and creates opportunities for the industry to continue growing in new and exciting ways.”

Next 12 Months
“I’m excited to keep growing both as a lawyer and as part of the live events industry! I want to continue getting out from behind the desk, working closely with teams across the business, supporting incident management initiatives during AO27, broadening my legal expertise, and immersing myself in the operational side of event delivery. Most importantly, I want to keep showing the value legal can bring when it works alongside the teams bringing events to life!”