What attracted you to the events industry ? I ’ d always been an amateur performer , for as long as I can remember . There is nothing more exciting than the hushed anticipation of a live performance about to start . For me , it doesn ’ t matter if there are five or 50,000 people ; the magic of the event itself is always what keeps the audience coming back for more .

You ’ ve had an impressive career in venue management , give us an example of a landmark moment . One that springs to mind was during the recession , when I took on the role of MD at Alexandra Palace . It was one of those “ what have I got myself into ” moments , as the venue needed a full transformation and due to the economic climate at the time it was a real challenge . However , we did attract new business , and it still fills me with pride to see it continue to be such a success today .

You were involved in the Olympics at The O2 , how challenging was that ?

I was extremely lucky to have an incredible team at The O2 , who had been prepping for more than three years before I joined . I have always been the sort of manager that invests in people and helps them to shine and play to their strengths .

At LW Theatres both you and Andrew Lloyd Webber were heavily involved in lobbying the Government for support during the pandemic . What is your most abiding memory of that period ? The pandemic was an awful time for us all and many industries were severely impacted . However , I really feel theatre was treated incredibly unfairly . What happens when you stop the theatre industry , is you also stop all the things it enables – hotels , restaurants – and all that secondary spend adds up and has an impact on towns and cities across the UK . Not to mention impacting the livelihoods of the million plus people employed by the live industry .

What led you to join Sodexo Live !, and what are your priorities there ? The Sodexo Live ! offering is the perfect blend of my previous roles . It has the heritage aspect I cherished at English Heritage and Alexandra Palace , combined with the live events , music , and performance side . The pandemic left the live events industry a shell of its former self , so making way for these events to flourish will draw people back

into towns and cities and support economic growth throughout the country . A vibrant events calendar supports local communities , promotes world-leading creativity , and has a tangible economic impact . That ’ s why I was so excited to become Sodexo Live !’ s CEO . It is an opportunity to effect real change and highlight why live events and venues are crucial as the beating heart of cities and towns .

Who has influenced you most in your career ? This would have to be Ronan Dunne , who was CEO of O2 Telefonica when I ran The O2 . His vision , passion , and way of getting the best out of people , while keeping the customer at the forefront , still underpins much of my work philosophy and really inspired how I like to do business .

If you could change one thing about the events industry , what would it be ? At Sodexo Live ! it ’ s all about doing things differently and working with our venue partners to allow them to reach their full potential . Looking across the entire industry it would be to make it pandemic proof , should we ever see a repeat of the last few years .

What ’ s your favourite way to unwind ? I really enjoy escaping to Ireland with my partner , holidaying in Italy or doing anything with my young daughter .