After an application was made to the Supreme Court of Victoria on 02/08/2024 to wind up Australian Exhibition Group Pty. Ltd. (AEG), the operator of Sexpo Australia, the matter was heard on September 23rd, 2024. Sexpo Australia advised interested parties late on same day that it was indefinitely postponing all planned events, including the Adelaide event that was scheduled for October 4 to 6, just 11 days from the notification, and unpublished www.sexpo.com.au shortly afterwards.
Sexpo Australia (AEG), was still sending out invoices and reminders, and accepting payments until, at least, midday on 23/9/24, just hours before the postponement notice was sent.
Sexpo Australia’s Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) pages remain active, albeit with no mention of the cancelation of its events.
On October 15th, 2024, Sexpo Australia informed exhibitors “the company has begun the process of entering into administration as the deadlock and legal fees make it impossible for the business to continue operating.”
David Ross, often referred to as Mr. Sexpo, conceived and launched Sexpo – health, sexuality, and lifestyle expo in Australia, in 1996, before exporting the event to South Africa in 2007, and then London in 2015.
Maxine Fensom, a long-standing and well-respected adult industry identity, and owner of Sexpo U.S.A. (https://sexpo.com/) says, “The action against Australian Exhibition Group Pty. Ltd. (AEG) has no effect on Sexpo U.S.A. operations as AEG has no interest in the U.S.A. Sexpo trademark,” she said.
David says, “After the 2019 sale of Sexpo Australia to Australian Exhibition Group Pty. Ltd., I no longer have any interest in the local event, but still, it’s a crying shame to see what’s happened to my baby,” he said.
Maxine and David have now teamed up with a view to filling the gap left in the market by Sexpo Australia’s demise, focusing on the core production values that were so very successful when David started Sexpo in 1996.
Maxine says, “Exhibitors and public are equally disgruntled due to the last-minute nature of the cancellation, and the lack of communication from Sexpo Australia’s management, leaving them out of pocket for all the expenses associated with travelling to, and exhibiting at a major event.
“The brand may now be too damaged to consider buying the trademark, but the name of the event is less important than giving the public what they want from an adult exhibition, so we are also considering launching under another name,” she said.
David says, “I have a very good reputation amongst Sexpo exhibitors and so the fact that the local brand is now tarnished, it maybe that the Australian trademark is worth nothing, except, possibly, to Maxine and myself.
“In fact, I have been contacted by several affected exhibitors asking if I have any intentions to launch a new event, stating they would be happy to be involved.
“We are currently seeking expressions of interest from potential investors to launch a new event.
Interested parties can contact David at david@mister-sexpo.com.
“So as to avoid the financial pitfalls AEG experienced, we will not move forward without full funding, as producing successful exhibitions requires months of planning and significant financial investment.
“If there’s enough interest and we’re fully backed, we’ll be offering early partners substantial discounts on exhibition space,” he said.
For further information, contact:
David Ross: david@mister-sexpo.com or PH + 61 (0) 419 266 981
Maxine Fensom: maxine@sexpo.com or PH +1 (310) 722 7864
Mr. Sexpo Writes Tell-all Autobiography About A Life Spent Inside the Adult Entertainment Industry Bubble
David Ross, often referred to as Mr. Sexpo, conceived and launched the adult entertainment exhibition, Sexpo – health, sexuality and lifestyle expo in Australia, in 1996, before expanding to South Africa in 2007.
A Life Inside the Adult Industry Bubble
ALL WILL BE REVEALED
After the sale of Sexpo and with no ongoing involvement with the event, David says now is the right time to tell his life story, a salacious tale of what really goes on behind the facade of the adult entertainment industry
With the exhibition industry on hold at the moment, David has decided to use his newfound spare time to write his tell-all autobiography.
Everything you would expect from an insider’s expose of the adult entertainment industry, and then some
David, an Adult Industry Hall of Fame inductee, draws on his 38-year adult entertainment industry background, including stints at Ladies for Gentlemen, Top of the Town, Daily Planet, Simply Irresistible, Club X, and as president of the Adult Entertainment Industry Association, plus much more, to detail not only his time as Mr. Sexpo, but also the many years beforehand spent in the illegal (at the time) brothel industry.
While most would expect there to be a fair amount of sex and drugs involved, what may surprise readers are the stories of corporate mismanagement, gangsters, bomb threats, fire bombings, sexual harassment, bashings, kidnapping and other tales of general naughtiness. On a lighter note, there’s a lot of very funny stuff as well.
From Las Vegas to Johannesburg, from Amsterdam to Boston, from London to Sydney; from Boardroom to Backstage, All WILL BE REVEALED
From Las Vegas to Johannesburg, from Amsterdam to Boston, from London to Sydney; from Boardroom to Backstage, All WILL BE REVEALED
Register your interest in an advance copy of David’s autobiography, or an invitation to the launch party, HERE
Some will be nervous, some will wait with bated breath, and others will be terrified
Speaking and consultancy engagements
Apart from writing his autobiography, David is now available for very entertaining public speaking appearances and business consultancy engagements. Contact us HERE for further information.
David has teamed up with a number of financial service providers to promote financial security to those in and around the adult entertainment industry.
Since leaving Sexpo behind, David, like many in the adult entertainment industry, has come up against industry-based discrimination, including from banks and other financial institutions.
Such discrimination can make it very hard to plan a financial future.
It’s never too late or early to plan for financial security. An interesting background story will not guarantee a job or financial security after working in the adult entertainment industry. Start on your exit strategy today!
If you are, or have been involved with the adult industry, or any other marginalised group, and would like to speak to a forward thinking, liberal minded licenced financial advisor who is sympathetic to your situation, contact us HERE for further information.
Mr. Sexpo
David Ross, often referred to as Mr. Sexpo, conceived and launched the adult entertainment exhibition, Sexpo – health, sexuality and lifestyle expoin Australia, in 1996, before expanding to South Africa in 2007.