THE STADIUM BUSINESS SUMMIT - 12-13 JUNE . MANCHESTER - GET NETWORKING LEARN THE LESSONS
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THE STADIUM BUSINESS SUMMIT
12-13 JUNE . MANCHESTER
GET NETWORKING
INCORPORATING
LEARN THE LESSONS
BUILD YOUR BUSINESS
Ready to play? With engaging loudspeaker systems, at Derby County’s Pride Park Stadium and venues worldwide. www.dbaudio.com Welcome to System reality.
PROGRAMME
Thank you for
joining us in
Manchester
Welcome to our 9th annual edition. Combining a conference,
mini-expo and networking events, TheStadiumBusiness
Summit 2018 brings together a global gathering of stadium
industry leaders to explore new approaches to fan
engagement, revenue generation and sustainable business
GET THE LA
TEST NEW practices. There’s plenty to learn and share over the next two
Global sum S
mary of the days with our most senior, most international and most
happenings industry’s ke
twice a wee y diverse attendance to date.
Inbox from k to your
TheStadium
Business.co
m During this year’s edition we also announce the winners of the
9th annual TheStadiumBusiness Awards winners – see the
shortlists on pages 12/13.
Our thanks to all our speakers for their expert input, to our
partners and sponsors for their support and - above all - our
thanks to YOU for joining us.
We wish you a great visitor experience at #SBS18 - and if
NOVEMBER 2018 there’s anything we can do to assist, please let us know.
! Ian Nuttall & TheStadiumBusiness team at Xperiology
PROJECTS
MEET THE fo r this year’s
em bl ey
We’re at W t Summit.
evelopmen
Design & D se e page 78.
PS. We are committed to making TheStadiumBusiness the
ber -
13-14 Novem industry’s most valued media and events partner – so, if
JUNE 20 you enjoy your time with us here in Manchester then please
19
tell your colleagues. But if you don’t, please tell us and we’ll
get it fixed!
INDEX
R DIARY The Schedule:
MARK YOU ter for next
in Manches Monster Jam™ Kickoff [11 June] ...................5
We’re back it. Save the
iness Summ Day One [12 June] ...............................................6
year’s Bus
June 2019 Day Two [13 June] ..............................................15
dates – 4-5
Speaker Profiles [A-Z] ..........................................23
Don’t forge Sponsor Profiles [A-Z] ..........................................47
t your Attendee List [A-Z] ...............................................63
Tweets #S
BS18 TheStadiumBusiness Awards ..................12/13
@Stadium
Business Design & Development Summit 2018 .......78
TheStadiumBusiness Asia 2019 .................. 99
Ticketing Business Forum 2019 ....................67
3
Identity, payment
and loyalty with
just a touch of
your finger
Fingopay is a brand new way to identify fans,
take payment and age verify.
Our unique VeinID solution removes the need
for cash card and mobile.
Fingopay is a frictionless, secure, convenient
way to transact in a stadium environment.
all you need is you
PROGRAMME
The Schedule
The Summit combines a high-level conference, workshops, mini-expo, and unique
networking events – all designed to give you the latest strategic insights into where the
global stadium sector is heading. Here’s an overview of our three days in Manchester:
Monday 11 June 2018
The Monster Jam™ WELCOME PARTY [For all registered delegates]
Venue: Hilton Garden Inn Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester
HILTON GARDEN INN
HQ HOTEL
CONFERENCE &
THE MARKETPLACE 1864 SUITE
THE POINT PAVILION
With the generous support of our partners at FELD Entertainment we WINE & FOOD BY
welcome all delegates to The Monster Jam™ WELCOME PARTY in the
lobby bar of the Hilton Garden Inn Emirates Old Trafford.
19.00 We kick off with our icebreaker in the HQ hotel bar. All
registered delegates are welcome along. Collect your
badge, catch up with old friends and make some
new contacts in an informal atmosphere.
BEER PARTNER
20.30 Close of Welcome Reception.
5
THE STADIUM BUSINESS SUMMIT 2018
Tuesday 12 June 2018
CONFERENCE SESSIONS
Venue: The Point, Emirates Old Trafford
08.00 Registration and Coffee in The Marketplace.
09.00 Welcome to your 9th annual TheStadiumBusiness Summit
• Ian Nuttall, Founder, TheStadiumBusiness
• Guest moderator: Lisa Knights, Chief Media Officer,
Ashton Gate Stadium
PLENARY TOWARDS OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
Our opening keynote speakers set the tone and lead the agenda
for the Summit. This year we bring together three experienced
executives – from three renowned stadiums in three different
continents – and ask them to share insights from the past 12
months and their plans for the next 12 months as they each strive
to build a better stadium business.
09.15 THE CITY DESTINATION Sleepless In Seattle’s Century Link Field
Home to a host of global old and new economy businesses – from Boeing through to
Microsoft and Amazon, Seattle is one of the fastest growing cities in North America.
Century Link Field (above), home to the NFL’s Seahawks, MLS’ Sounders as well as
convention, events and theatre spaces, welcomes over 2.4m visitors to its 130+ stadium
bowl events each year. From Amazon’s staff picnic (for 40,000 employees) through to the
Sounders record-breaking attendance figures (average 42,000 per game), how does the
stadium management team balance its workload and continue to improve customer
service? Among key changes, 2017 saw the Seahawks take catering in-house after a
series of outsource suppliers. Reviewing the changes we welcome:
• David Young, Senior Vice President, Operations & General Manager, Seattle Seahawks
/ Century Link Field, USA
09.40 A COMMERCIAL APPROACH FNB Stadium – South Africa’s Iconic Venue
Stadium Management SA (SMSA) is South Africa’s
leading stadium management group managing four
flagship stadiums, including the iconic, 87,400
capacity FNB Stadium. These government-owned
venues are privately and independently
administered by SMSA on a full financial risk basis.
SMSA does not receive any management fee,
subsidy or grant – leaving SMSA to independently
fund the commercial business of these multi-
purpose, adaptable venues. Welcoming some
800,000 guests each year, how does the
management company balance the public
ownership with the commercial challenges of the
private sector?
• Jacques Grobbelaar, CEO, SMSA, South Africa
6
PROGRAMME
Tuesday 12 June 2018 [continued]
10.05 GOOD NEIGHBOURS Experience Live At Eden Park – New Zealand’s National Stadium
Eden Park is proud of its 100+ years of history as a hallowed
ground for sports people and fans alike. It has witnessed
numerous world-famous sporting moments - including the
Rugby World Cup 2011, Cricket World Cup 2015 and more
recently the DHL New Zealand Lions Series 2017. With a
seating capacity of just under 50,000, over half a million local
and international guests are welcomed each year for sporting
fixtures and functions. The past twelve months have heralded
innovative changes – new branding (Experience Live Again),
new sponsors, a Zipline, and new approaches to stakeholders,
the surrounding neighbourhood and local business community.
What worked? What are the learnings? And what is planned
as Eden Park heads to 2020?
• Nick Sautner, CEO, The Eden Park Trust, New Zealand
Collect you
r Awards
tickets in t
10.30 COFFEE BREAK in The Marketplace
he break!
GUEST SPEAKERS GLOBAL EVENTS. MAJOR OPPORTUNITIES
11.00 RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP 2021 A Global Stage
The Rugby League World Cup is Rugby League’s premier
international competition and is one of the longest running World Cup
tournaments in world sport. The organisers’ vision is to attract the
largest ever live, digital and broadcast audience to a Rugby League
World Cup tournament. How are the organisers selecting host cities
and stadia to maximise attendance, grow the game and ensure a
successful tournament? What approaches are being taken to
leverage the city and stadium partnerships to meet Rugby League’s
broader strategic goals?
• Jon Dutton, Chief Executive, Rugby League World Cup 2021, UK
BIRMINGHAM 2022 The XXII Commonwealth Games
After this year’s Games on Australia’s Gold Coast, the XXII edition of
the Commonwealth Games heads to Birmingham under the motto
“Heart of the UK, Soul of the Commonwealth” with an estimated
5,000 athletes participating in 275 events in 18 sports. The host city
boasts a range of existing facilities and has committed to upgrades of
Alexander Stadium (to 50,000 capacity) and a new swimming and
diving centre. But, looking beyond the infrastructure, how is the three-
way partnership between the organiser, city and venue being
extended to maximise the opportunities for all?
• David Grevemberg, CEO, Commonwealth Games Federation, UK
7
Changing the
way stadia work
We don’t just deliver world-class time and attendance.
Our complete workforce management solution is designed to
create an engaged, efficient and compliant stadium workforce –
delivering incredible sports and entertainment experiences
for your customers, every time.
Humanforce. Your complete workforce management solution.
PROGRAMME
Tuesday 12 June 2018 [continued]
INNOVATION INTERVAL I POP-UP PRESENTATIONS
11.45 Our first tranche of new ideas – delivered in a quickfire format.
PANEL: GUEST EVENTS RISK & REWARD: WIN OR LOSE?
12.15 More events create more customers – and more
business. But more events also create more costs –
and more risk. How do stadium operators balance
the competing demands of risk and reward? What
Images: Club World Dome / Monster Jam
are the best approaches to negotiating venue hire
agreements with outside promoters? What are the
most frequent ‘sticking points‘ in negotiations?
Beyond ticket sales, where are the key secondary
revenues and how should these be split with guest
promoters? We work through some recent guest
event case studies – along with some topical media
headlines – with our experts:
• Daniel Gidney, Chief Executive, Emirates Old Trafford, UK
• Jacques Grobbelaar, CEO, Stadium Management South Africa (SMSA), South Africa
• Patrik Meyer, Managing Director, Commerzbank Arena, Germany
• Magnus Danielsson, VP International, Feld Entertainment Motor Sports, USA
INNOVATION INTERVAL II POP-UP PRESENTATIONS
13.00 Stay seated for more quickfire innovations.
Last chance to collect
your Awards ticket!
13.30 LUNCH in The Marketplace
*
PARALLEL SESSIONS TAKE YOUR PICK... AND ARRIVE EARLY TO GET A SEAT!
Please note that the Summit programme splits into parallel tracks after lunch.
TIME/ROOM THE POINT 1864 Suite in PAVILION
14.30-15.45 DIGITAL SIGNAGE & EVENT NAMING RIGHTS, SPONSORS &
PRODUCTION PARTNERS
15.45-16.15 AFTERNOON BREAK in The Marketplace
16.15-17.30 PEOPLE FIRST: YOUR TEAM,
THE CASHLESS STADIUM
CULTURE & ENGAGEMENT
9
THE STADIUM BUSINESS SUMMIT 2018
Tuesday 12 June 2018 [continued]
Parallel sessions!
14.45-15.45 ROOM: THE POINT
DIGITAL SIGNAGE & EVENT PRODUCTION
We explore the major investments being undertaken in
exterior concourse and stadium bowl entertainment
lighting and digital signage. Computer-controlled, LED
lighting and ribbon boards can create amazing event
spectacles and enhance the fan experience. But such
investments bring demands in staff recruitment and
training – along with the need to generate engaging
content. Where’s the ROI in investing in showtime?
• Andrew Daniels, CEO, Adelaide Oval, Australia
• Christian Seifert, Head of Events, VfL Wolfsburg, Germany
• Lizzie Liebenhalls, Director, Halls & Halls, UK
to
Head over
r this…
14.45-15.45 ROOM: 1864 SUITE
NAMING RIGHTS, SPONSORS & PARTNERS
Pavilion fo
A specialist breakout session exploring the latest
trends and challenges in stadium sponsorship –
from commercial naming rights through to content
and technology partnerships. We bring together
venue executives with some key brands to explore
the expectations of both parties and how best to
approach the evaluation and renewal negotiations.
Session speakers include:
• Ben Wells, Chief Commercial Officer, Bath Rugby, UK
• Ishveen Anand, CEO & Founder, Open Sponsorship, USA
• Liz Cooper, Head of Key Accounts, Emirates Old Trafford, UK
• Maria Vidal, Head of Communications, WiZink Center, Spain
15.45 AFTERNOON BREAK in The Marketplace
10PROGRAMME
Tuesday 12 June 2018 [continued]
er…
16.15-17.30 ROOM: THE POINT Parallel sessions! Eith SESSION SPONSOR
THE CASHLESS STADIUM
Taking cash out of the stadium environment offers significant cost savings
and operational efficiencies but, despite the numerous technology offers
and proven retail adoption, progress has been slow at sports venue
facilities. We examine some of the barriers to implementation and
survey some of the paths taken to date. Speakers include:
• Lisa Knights (moderator), Chief Media Officer, Ashton Gate Stadium
• Mike Bohndiek, CTO, Stadium for Bath
• Jason Thomas, Global CEO, tappit
• Kieron Wilson, Operational Cost Accountant, Middlesbrough FC
• Matt Hanson, Business Development Director, Bury FC
or head over to Pavilion for this…
16.15-17.30 ROOM: 1864 SUITE
PEOPLE FIRST: YOUR TEAM, CULTURE & ENGAGEMENT
A specialist breakout session exploring ways to develop a winning internal culture in your stadium
business – from your temporary front line event staff through to the Boardroom. The recent focus of
our business has been (quite rightly) around fan engagement and customer service but has this
resulted in us overlooking our own internal staff engagement.? Insights from:
• Peter Watts (moderator), Managing Director, Rockvolt
• Charlene Nyantekyi, General Manager, Club Wembley
• Bart Wiley, COO, Seattle Sounders FC
• Wayne Doran, Director, Human Force
ROOM: 1864 SUITE
GUEST SPEAKER EVOLVING DYNAMICS OF FAN CULTURE
17.30 FUTURE INSIGHTS DEFINING THE NEXT STADIUM EXPERIENCE
Don’t
Drawing on Euromonitor’s statistics across multiple industries, this presentation provides
key insights and analysis on the sports consumer of the future, and how their preferences
miss!
(in parallel with digital growth) will determine the future of the stadium experience. We’ll
look at the impacts of changing lifestyles, demographics, spending priorities, social media,
mobile devices and travel trends to unlock the future global stadium guest.
• Alan Rownan, Senior Consultant, Sports
& Entertainment, Euromonitor International
18.00 End of first day conference sessions / Close of The Marketplace
19.30 TheStadiumBusiness Awards 2018 - see next page for details.
11THE STADIUM BUSINESS SUMMIT 2018
TheStadiumBusiness AWARDS 2018
VENUE OF THE YEAR AWARD
• Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, USA
• Optus Stadium, Perth, Australia
ABOUT THE AWARDS
• CenturyLink Field, Seattle, USA
• Etihad Stadium, Manchester, UK
TheStadiumBusiness Awards recognise
• AAMI Park, Melbourne, Australia leadership, innovation & achievement in
• Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, USA the delivery, operation and management
of sports facilities globally.
EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR AWARD Inaugurated in 2010, the Awards
For the sports venue leader, pioneer or visionary that has over- are presented each year during
delivered in the past 12 months. TheStadiumBusiness Summit.
• Al Guido, President, San Francisco 49ers, USA
• Javier Martinez, Board Advisor for Sports & Entertainment
The 2018 Winners will be announced
(formerly Managing Director for Business, during an exclusive gala dinner.
Club Atlético de Madrid), Spain We received more than 13,000 votes
• Jacques Grobbelaar, CEO, Stadium Management South Africa,
from the public, thank you to everyone
South Africa
• Lee Zeidman, President, Staples Center, Microsoft Theater who voted and best of luck to all
& L.A. LIVE, USA our finalists.
• Tery Howard, VP of Information Technology, Miami Dolphins
& Hard Rock Stadium, USA
EVENT OF THE YEAR AWARD
• First Day-Night Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval, Australia
• Wrestlemania at Camping World Stadium, City of Orlando
Venues, USA
• #Game4Grenfell at Loftus Road, Queens Park Rangers, UK
• NatWest T20 Blast Finals Day at Edgbaston Stadium, UK
• “Battle of Brisbane” – WBO Title Fight, Suncorp Stadium,
Australia
• Arsenal FC in Sydney Tour, ANZ Stadium/VenuesLive, Australia
UNSUNG HERO AWARD
• Patrice Lafarge, Stadium Operations and Maintenance,
Paris Saint-Germain FC, France
• Human Resource Team, Everton FC, UK
• Rafael Mangabeira, Marketing Leader, Arena Corinthians, Brazil
• Sarah Smith, John Motton & Facilities Management Team
at Wembley Stadium & St George’s Park, The FA, UK
• Thomas Franke, Head of Infrastructure & Organisation,
VfL Wolfsburg, Germany
FAN EXPERIENCE AWARD
• Looking After The Fans at Ashes Test, Sydney Cricket Ground,
Australia
• The Junior Tigers Club and the JTC Takeover Day,
Leicester Tigers, UK
• ‘Fans First’ design at Optus Stadium, Australia
• The Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s kids park at
SunTrust Park/Atlanta Braves, USA
• Daily’s Place at EverBank Field, Jacksonville Jaguars, USA
12PROGRAMME
PRODUCT INNOVATION AWARD
• “ASB G9” Stadium Golf at Eden Park (Eden Park), New Zealand
• The Tunnel Club at Etihad Stadium (Manchester City FC), UK
• CherryBot AI Chatbot at AFC Bournemouth (Greenwood
Campbell, Microsoft & Bournemouth • University), UK
• Virtual Hybrid LED digiBOARD (ADI.tv, Supponor), UK
• The District Detroit Mobile App (Olympia Entertainment, XFINITY),
CONGRATULATIONS TO USA
ALL OUR FINALISTS
SUSTAINABILITY & COMMUNITY AWARD
Winners will be announced at the • Rush2Recycle at Super Bowl LII, U.S. Bank Stadium/Minnesota
Vikings, USA
Gala Awards evening at • Reds Going Green at Anfield, Liverpool FC, UK
The Point, Emirates Old Trafford • Sustainability Programmes at CenturyLink Field/Seattle
on 12th June 2018 Seahawks, USA
• #ThisIsOurIce Campaign, NHL Minnesota Wild/Xcel Energy Center,
USA
• Our Neighbourhood Initiative, Eden Park, New Zealand
Wine & Food by • Cleveland Cavaliers’ Quiet Space Sensory Room at Quicken Loans
Arena, USA
SPONSORSHIP, SALES & MARKETING AWARD
• Uber & AEG Global Partnerships Multi-Venue Deal, USA
• ‘GAME Pods’ at Deepdale, Preston North End FC, UK
Beer Partner • Rebranding of “Ciutat de Valencia” Stadium, Levante UD, Spain
• Pitchside Bedroom at Audi Cup, Allianz Arena, Germany
VENUE TECHNOLOGY AWARD
• Venue Operations Centre for Sydney Cricket & Sports Ground
Trust, Australia
• Location Based Services at SAP Arena, Germany
• Digital Ticketing & Fan CRM, Orlando City Soccer/Orlando
Stadium, USA
• Aston Villa FC’s One Card, UK
• Jewel Skin Projection Mapping at Little Caesars Arena, USA
• The Inside Outside Multi-Use Design at U Arena, France
• Halo Board and Mega Column Video Board at Mercedes-Benz
Stadium, USA
TO BE ANNOUNCED ON THE NIGHT...
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
CELEBRATE WITH THE WINNERS
Drinks will be served in
The Point after the Awards JUDGES:
Robin Buchanan, General Stadium Manager, Celtic FC, UK
Ceremony until late!
Umut Kutlu, CMO, Besiktas JK, Turkey
Charlene Nyantekyi, General Manager - Club Wembley, UK
Sponsored by Roser Queralto, Chief Business Development Officer, Euroleague
Basketball, Spain
Ron Vandeveen, President and Chief Executive Officer, USA
Ian Nuttall, Founder, TheStadiumBusiness, UK
Kevin Warren, Chief Operating Officer, Minnesota Vikings, USA
13With over 350 performances and four million fans per year, Monster Jam® is the most
accessible and family-friendly sporting entertainment experience in the world.
Unexpected, unscripted and unforgettable, Monster Jam brings edge-of-your-seat
excitement to stadiums and arenas around the globe, having appeared
in more than 30 countries — with more to come!
TO INQUIRE ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES IN YOUR MARKET, CONTACT:
Magnus Danielsson – International Vice President,
Feld Entertainment, Inc. – Motor Sports at globalfms@feldinc.com
Competitors shown are subject to change. © 2018 Feld Motor Sports, Inc.PROGRAMME
Wednesday 13 June
Venue: The Point, Emirates Old Trafford
08.30 Registration and Coffee in The Marketplace.
Don’t miss ou
09.00 Welcome back to TheStadiumBusiness Summit
r Q&A
- all the way
THE STADIUM BUSINESS INTERVIEW from LA!
09.00 STAPLES CENTER
DESTINATION DOWNTOWN
Dubbed the “sports and
entertainment center of the world”,
LA’s Staples Center opened
almost 20 years ago and has set
the agenda and raised the bar
ever since. Home to the Kings,
Lakers, Clippers, Sparks and an
endless stream of stars, concerts
and showbiz events. We enter a
conversation with:
• Lee Zeidman, President, STAPLES Center, Microsoft Theater and L.A. LIVE
SESSION SPONSOR
09.30-10.45 ROOM: THE POINT
STADIUM DESTINATIONS THE SPORTS HOTEL MIX
A hotel is potentially the perfect partner to a stadium operation. Its
365-24/7 operation compliments the non-matchday revenue objectives,
whilst also providing key support services. But, all too often, hotels are
considered an afterthought or isolated undertaking with little connection to
adjacent sports and entertainment facilities. So, we’ve assembled more
experts in the sector, including the views of those sports venue leaders
who have embraced the integrated hotel approach. How best to integrate
hotel requirements into stadia?
Your panellists include:
• Mark Kelly (moderator), Managing Director, Ashton Gate Stadium
• Suzanne Speak, General Manager, Bolton Whites Hotel at Macron Stadium
• Anthony Mundy, Operations Director, Emirates Old Trafford
• Nick Smart, VP Development for North & West Europe, Hilton
10.45 COFFEE BREAK in The Marketplace
15PROGRAMME
Wednesday 13 June [continued]
11.15-12.15 ROOM: THE POINT
FILLING THE VENUE NEW CHANNELS TO MARKET
Long established sports ticketing distribution models are giving
way to more flexible, mobile and multi-channel arrangements.
Ticketing platforms have been slow to adapt to changes in the
wider retail and eCommerce worlds and we have seen teams
embark on a myriad of different ways to get their venues filled.
How are we adapting to the new, multi-channel environment?
Where are we failing our customers in the buying experience?
Speakers and panellists include:
• David Hornby (moderator), Managing Director UK & Ireland, SecuTix
• Justin Hopwood, Sales & Marketing Director, Emirates Old Trafford
• Andreas Kienbink, Co-Founder and CEO, Keyper
• Einar Saevarsson, CEO & Co-Founder, Activity Stream
Benchmark and build a
12.15-13.30 ROOM: THE POINT
more sustainable business
SUSTAINABILITY THE NEW AGENDA
Sustainability is moving beyond alignment with standards and into the internal stadium culture.
What are the drivers behind the new sustainability agenda? What are the practical lessons to
deployment?
12.15 SUSTAINABILITY & LEADERSHIP The Mercedes-Benz Stadium Story
Sustainability was a driving factor in the planning and construction of the multi-purpose
stadium, the new home of NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. Our speaker shares insights into how
the project team – and now the operations team – have built on the stadium’s green
credentials as the first sports venue in North America to obtain the U.S. Green Building
Council’s LEED Platinum certification.
• Scott Jenkins, General Manager, Mercedes-Benz Stadium/Atlanta Falcons
and Board Chair, Green Sports Alliance
12.40 WHEN THE TAPS RUN DRY Cape Town’s Stadia and the Drought
Water is life. And in the worst drought in South Africa’s history, public authorities took
drastic steps to avert disaster by restricting water supplies. How do you operate a
stadium when the taps are turned off? There are operational lessons for every stadium
operator who take access to water supplies for granted.
• Stuart Diamond, Mayco Member Assets and Facilities Mgmnt, City of Cape Town
13.05 BENCHMARKING REPORT How is Your Stadium Performing?
As our industry transitions to more sustainable solutions across stadiums and arenas, it
is clear that every venue is a unique challenge. How do you benchmark your venue’s
sustainable performance against venues which operate differently?
• Mark Downes, Business Development Director, ENGIE
• Didier Wauters, Senior Sales Manager, Tractebel Engineering
• Jade Boggust, Business Development Manager - Sports & Leisure FM, ENGIE
173D INNOVAtive technologies
3D IMAGESPROGRAMME
Wednesday 13 June [continued]
13.30 LUNCH in The Marketplace
How do we
ensure ROI
on technolo
14.30-15:45 ROOM: THE POINT gy projects?
TECHNOLOGY, CONNECTIVITY & DISRUPTION BEYOND VENUE WIFI
The technology – if not always the
budget – exists to implement high
density stadium wifi throughout even
the most technically challenging
stadium sites. Defining the number
and location of access points is just
one step in the process. Key decisions
must be made around content
filtering, bandwidth management,
user experience, sponsor
participation, technology partners,
management and testing, analytics
and reporting, compliancy and authentication options (from free and pay-to-use through to social
media logins). Clearly the desire of customers is for connectivity but at what cost?:
• Dr. Karsten Zimmermann, Head of ICT, HSV Fußball, Germany
• Tery Howard, Founder, Peer Vision Consulting, USA
• Brian Morris, Chief Executive, Melbourne & Olympic Parks Trust, Australia
CLOSING DEBATE WHO’S LEADING YOUR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION?
Disruption and digital strategies are two of
the key predicaments facing any
technology-driven business, not least
entertainment. Drawing on the insights
from this year’s Summit, our closing
panellists will share their predictions for the
future of the stadium business and outline
their advice for those wanting to make the
most of the emerging opportunities.
15.45 CLOSE of The Marketplace / END OF THE SUMMIT
ne 2019.
k h er e ne xt ye ar? It’s 4-5 Ju
B ac
st rate
you leave for be
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including free ho
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o r t s t ic k e t in g...
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al l
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ex p e r t
n c e s . . .
ex p e r i eTHE STADIUM BUSINESS SUMMIT 2018
Ishveen Anand
CEO AND FOUNDER, OPENSPONSORSHIP, USA
Ishveen Anand is the CEO and Founder of OpenSponsorship, the largest
marketplace for sports sponsorship, connecting brands to a network of over
3,500 athletes, teams and events. OpenSponsorship is a venture backed
startup including VCs from Hong Kong, San Francisco, New York and notable
angels. She was included on the Forbes 30 Under 30 sports list and
graduated from Oxford University. Prior to starting OpenSponsorship, she
was a sports agent working with top teams and federations such as
Mumbai Indians, Tottenham Hotspur, ICC, FIH and top brands such as Hero
MotoCorp, Mastercard and Castrol.
Jade Boggust
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER – SPORT & LEISURE, ENGIE, UK
Jade has significant experience within sporting venue operations, having
worked as Facilities Manager for West Bromwich Albion FC, Harlequins FC
and as Operations Manager across the Jockey Club Racecourses. She has
also worked for England Golf and Trent Bridge Cricket Ground. At ENGIE,
Jade is developing sustainable venue operations across the Stadium,
Leisure and Retail sector, driving integrated energy and FM solutions for
several clients. Jade graduated from the University of Birmingham with a
sports degree and is also a keen golfer.
Mike Bohndiek
CTO, STADIUM FOR BATH, UK
With 12 years of experience in the stadium industry, Mike has now worked
across 11 major venues and on two stadium migrations: Arsenal from
Highbury to Emirates Stadium and West Ham United from Upton Park to
London Stadium, where he has been Head of IT. With his firm PTI Consulting
now offering stadium technology insight, he’ll be speaking on stadium
transformation and the technology powering West Ham United on and off
the field from a matchday perspective.
24SPEAKERS
Liz Cooper
HEAD OF COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIPS, EMIRATES OLD TRAFFORD, UK
Liz has over 25 years’ experience in the leisure industry, including facilities
management, marketing, sponsorship and high level key account
management. As Marketing Director at Ricoh Arena for 11 years, Liz oversaw
the acquisition and activation of key sponsors including Ricoh, Jaguar, Lloyds
Pharmacy and EON. She began working at Emirates Old Trafford in October
2015. The next few years sees Emirates Old Trafford commence an unrivalled
period of hosting and delivering major events, including the Ashes and the ICC
Cricket World Cup in 2019, as well as the new 8-team ECB tournament in
2020. Fuelled by the recent announcement of major match packages from
2020 to 2024, and the completion and launch of the Hilton Garden Inn, recent key sponsorship
renewals have included Emirates as well as the acquisition of new highvalue sponsorships,
meaning Emirates Old Trafford is well on the way to becoming one of the most recognisable cricket
grounds in the world.
Andrew Daniels
CEO, ADELAIDE OVAL SMA, AUSTRALIA
With nearly 30 years of experience in major projects and event
management, Andrew Daniels joined the Adelaide Oval SMA, the
organisation responsible for the management of South Australia’s iconic
Adelaide Oval, as CEO in 2012. Adelaide Oval, a world-class, multi-
purpose, 50,000 seat stadium attracts over 1.8 million visitors each year for
Australian Rules Football, domestic and international cricket, rugby, football,
major concerts and events. Additionally Adelaide Oval is a significant
contributor to South Australia’s tourism cache with the award winning
RoofClimb adventure, an outstanding food and wine experience at the Hill
of Grace Restaurant and behind the scenes tours of the Stadium.
Magnus Danielsson
INTERNATIONAL VP, FELD ENTERTAINMENT MOTOR SPORTS, USA
Magnus Danielsson serves as Vice President - International for Feld Motor
Sports, a division of Feld Entertainment – a worldwide leader in producing
live family entertainment. Productions include Monster Jam®,
Monster Energy Supercross, Nuclear Cowboyz®, Disney On Ice, and Marvel
Universe LIVE! His responsibilities include the development of international
tours and events, routing, media relations, and creating new business
opportunities. Danielsson’s efforts resulted in the first tours of Monster
Jam® in the Middle East and Australia, and the expansion of the European
tour dates. Before joining Feld, he served as President of Touring Exhibitions,
developing and touring ABBAWORLD around the globe. Previously, he acted as Marketing
Director for Live Nation Scandinavia.
25QUEUEING AT THE BIG GAME
IS SO LAST CENTURY
I
Install tappit in your stadium for: tappit's cashless product will dramatically
• Increased profits enhance the club's operational efficiency
and our supporters' overall matchday
• Better customer experience
experience.
• Insights Ian Dutton - Head of Commercial, Birmingham City FC
Our platform provides cashless tappit stadia solutions point the way
payments, entry management, forward for football clubs. It's exciting
detailed reporting, registration, to be on that journey with them.
payment integration and more. Matt Hanson - Business Development Director, Bury Football Club
justtappit.com/stadium
the cashless experienceSPEAKERS
Councillor Stuart Diamond
EXECUTIVE MAYORAL COMMITTEE MEMBER - ASSETS AND FACILITIES MANAGER,
CITY OF CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
After seven years in the private sector holding senior positions in the fields of
finance and human resources, Stuart entered local politics in 2011. The
Assets and Facilities Management Directorate is tasked with the day-to-day
management and maintenance of: The Green Point Precinct; The Athlone
Stadium; The City’s housing rental stock; The City’s corporate buildings and
facilities, such as the City Hall; and oversight of the City’s land holdings and
property management processes. One of his key focus areas is leveraging
the City’s assets in respect of major and key strategic projects that are
envisaged, which includes the upgrading of the Athlone Stadium in Cape
Town. The City of Cape Town has recently established a Municipal Entity (ME) that will manage the
Cape Town Stadium and drive the commercialisation and utilisation agenda of these assets.
Wayne Doran
DIRECTOR, HUMANFORCE, NEW ZEALAND/UK
Wayne has a wide range of industry knowledge gathered from 25 years’
experience in business across multiple industries. Starting his first business
at age 22, Wayne’s experience as a Business Director has been gained
from roles inExport Manufacturing, Wholesale Distribution, Multisite
Retailing, IT Product Services and Stadia WFM, across New Zealand,
Australia, Asia Pacific, United Kingdom and Europe. Having built five
successful startup businesses, Wayne has developed a hands-on
approach to business development, growing highly-skilled teams while
creating long-term business relationships.
Mark Downes
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR – LEISURE & HERITAGE, ENGIE, UK
Mark spent seven years working for the London Mayors Development
Corporation(s) working on the London 2012 Olympic Games & post Games
legacy. He has significant experience in the Leisure and Heritage sectors,
working for Sport England on major projects such as the Loughborough & Bath
Institute of Sport buildings, the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, The
National Ice Arena in Nottingham and Wembley National Stadium. At ENGIE
he leads business development across their Leisure & Heritage Portfolio with
clients such as the British Library, Victoria & Albert Museum, Kew Gardens and
the Network Rail. He is a graduate of Social Sciences and holds a post
graduate Executive MBA specialising in Financial & Strategic Management.
27THE STADIUM BUSINESS SUMMIT 2018
Jon Dutton
CHIEF EXECUTIVE, RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP 2021, UK
Jon started this role on 1st February 2018, leaving his previous post as RFL
Director of Projects and People. With over 20 years’ experience, Jon has
previously worked for the PGA European Golf, Manchester FA, with a
secondment to UEFA, and ran his own sports consultancy company. Jon
was the Operations Director for Rugby League World Cup 2013 and
Director of Readiness for the Tour de France Grand Depart in 2014. Jon
also acted as the RLIF Tournament Commissioner for the 2017 Rugby
League World Cup in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
Daniel Gidney
CHIEF EXECUTIVE, EMIRATES OLD TRAFFORD, UK
An established sports industry CEO for over t10 years now, Daniel Gidney
launched the first ever cricket bond as part of an innovative £12m
fundraising initiative to develop and operate a new 150 bedroom Hilton
hotel, which will opened in the Summer of 2017. Daniel’s time at LCCC has
generated record profits and the securing of the largest ever naming rights
in First Class Cricket, with Emirates. He also secured ECB International
matches, including an Ashes Test and a World Cup semi-final in 2019.
Daniel was also the 2011 Midlands Business Person of the Year, and the
2014 Trafford Business Person of the Year.
David Grevemberg
CEO, THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES FEDERATION, UK
David is Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), the
organisation responsible for the Commonwealth Games, Commonwealth
Youth Games and many other initiatives that inspire Commonwealth athletes
to drive the ambition and power of all Commonwealth citizens through sport.
David joined the CGF after the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games where
he was Chief Executive of the Organising Committee (Glasgow 2014 Limited).
Before that, David was the Executive Director of Sport and International
Federation Relations at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
headquartered in Bonn, Germany. A former competitive wrestler, during his
career he has also served as a coach, athlete agent, team administrator,
consultant and Board member.
28SPEAKERS
Dr Jacques Grobbelaar
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, STADIUM MANAGEMENT SOUTH AFRICA (SMSA)
Dr Jacques Grobbelaar is responsible for the management,
commercialisation and promotion of the FNB Stadium, Rand Stadium,
Dobsonville Stadium and Orlando Stadium. SMSA is privately owned and
funded, receiving no funding from the government: it’s responsible for the
full financial risk management of the stadia and their precincts.. Dr Jacques
together with SMSA is a multi-award winning and recognised
business that continues to be acknowledged in South Africa and
internationally.
Matt Hanson
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, BURY FOOTBALL CLUB, UK
Matt joined Bury FC in January 2018 after a decade of business leadership
in the ground transportation industry. He has quickly adapted to life in the
EFL and has secured key pieces of commercial revenue, notably the long-
term partnership with tappit that will see them work with the football club
for the next three seasons.
Justin Hopwood
SALES AND MARKETING DIRECTOR, EMIRATES OLD TRAFFORD, UK
Justin is responsible for achieving annual and five-year financial targets
across all revenue streams through the formulation and successful
implementation of product development, marketing, e-commerce and
sales strategies. He joined the Club in February 2016 and along with his
senior commercial team has developed strong growth in all revenue areas,
including international and domestic cricket ticket sales, partnerships and
conference and events. Previously, Justin worked in commercial ticketing for
the British & Irish Lions and England Rugby’s joint venture travel business,
working on three Rugby World Cups and other major events.
31THE STADIUM BUSINESS SUMMIT 2018
David Hornby
MANAGING DIRECTOR - UK AND IRELAND, SECUTIX, UK
David is currently heading-up the development of a leading European
Ticketing business, SecuTix. David is also the Founder and Managing Director
of WHY NOT, a strategic consultancy business in the world of major events,
entertainment, tourism and hospitality sectors. Projects have included
working with Red Bull, The NFL, Live Nation, the RFU, London 2012 & Its
Legacy Company, Formula 1 and the next phase of development at The O2
with AEG Europe. He was also a Founding Director of Jamie Oliver’s events
catering company Fabulous Feasts. Previously, David was Commercial
Director at Visit London.
Tery Howard
FOUNDER, PEER VISION CONSULTING, USA
Tery’s focus is in assisting clubs and venues with strategic planning and
resource structuring, delivering transformative and sustainable technology
that is competitive and operationally effective. Prior, Tery spent 19 years as
the CTO and SVP at the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium,
responsible for the technology innovation and strategy with a primary focus
in club and venue technology, converging broadcast media, infrastructure,
telecommunications, analytics, and business systems, positioning the
organisation at the forefront of the industry. Prior to the Dolphins, Tery
started her career at Carnival Cruise Lines, pioneering the technology to
automate Carnival’s fleet. She now serves as an advisor to the Florida CIO Executive Council and
Sports and Entertainment Alliance and Technology.
Scott Jenkins
GENERAL MANAGER, MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM, USA
Scott Jenkins joined Mercedes-Benz Stadium as General Manager in 2014.
In this role, Jenkins oversees all operations for the stadium. Jenkins comes
to Mercedes-Benz Stadium from the Seattle Mariners, where he spent
seven years as VP of Ballpark Operations for Safeco Field. Before his role at
the Mariners, Jenkins served as VP of Stadium Operations and Facility
Management for the Philadelphia Eagles. He’s also held stadium operations
positions with the Milwaukee Brewers and the University of Wisconsin.
Jenkins is a pioneer in the green building movement in sports and serves as
the President and Chairman of the Green Sports Alliance.
32SPEAKERS
Mark Kelly
MANAGING DIRECTOR, ASHTON GATE STADIUM, UK
Mark joined Ashton Gate in 2015 after more than a decade working in the
hotel and hospitality industry in senior management roles. He was involved
in the £45m rebuild to transform Ashton Gate into a multi-sport venue and
the largest conference and events space in the South West. In the last year
he has seen hospitality revenue grow from £250k to over £3m following the
two-year renovation project. During the last two years, Mark has evolved
the matchday experience for both Bristol City and Bristol Rugby fans,
significantly driving matchday revenues and delivering more than £100k
back to the fanbase through loyalty discounts.
Andreas Kienbink
CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, KEYPER, AUSTRIA
Andreas is the Co-Founder and CEO of keyper, a SaaS company providing
white labeled technology for easy and secure sharing of digital tickets by
integrating existing ticketing solutions with mobile user platforms. Prior to
this, he co-founded Media Apparat, the award-winning media agency
producing the startup conference Pioneers Festival in Vienna, Austria. He
was developer, mastermind and the CEO of JetTicket Software (aquired
by Eventim in 2016).
Lisa Knights
CHIEF MEDIA OFFICER, ASHTON GATE STADIUM, UK
Lisa Knights is an experienced broadcaster and crisis communications
expert with more than 15 years working in television news and sport. As an
anchor for Sky, BBC and ITN, Lisa covered many major international Stories,
including three Olympic Games. In 2014 she left Sky to take up the
Communications Director role at Bristol Sport, looking after the media for its
associated clubs (including Bristol City and Bristol Rugby) and the two-year,
£45m redevelopment of Bristol’s Ashton Gate Stadium, which was
completed in 2016. Lisa has overseen the development of the Stadium’s
broadcast facility including its matchday content on the in-bowl big screens
and bi-weekly sports programme Bristol Sport TV.
35THE STADIUM BUSINESS SUMMIT 2018
Lizzie Liebenhals
CO-FOUNDER, HALLS AND HALLS, UK
Lizzie is the Co-founder of Halls and Halls together with Paul Hall, an ex
international footballer and current Under 23 Manager at QPR. It is a
boutique agency that delivers projects within both the sports and celebrity
arenas. Specialisms include Events, PR campaigns and and digital content.
Her experience started back in 1994, working on both the Lillehammer
Olympics and Commonwealth Games. She then moved to the FA in 1996 in
their Commercial department. Her relationship with The FA and Wembley
Stadium is long standing, and she is regularly requested back to co-ordinate
projects from Champions League Finals to most recently, their entire digital
portfolio and platforms. She created and oversaw their programme for six years working with all
their event owners to ensure the Stadium had outstanding and engaging content.
Patrik Meyer
MANAGING DIRECTOR, COMMERZBANK-ARENA, GERMANY
Patrik boasts a wealth of knowledge and experience within the sports
management and live event sector. Having gained his degree in Business
Admin, his experience within the industry includes Director for the Finance,
Ticketing & Controlling for a local concert promoter and at Koelnarena
Management, MD of the operation company for Commerzbank-Arena -
MD of TSP - The Sports Promoters, a company of SPORTFIVE, who
specialise in eventmanagement and event promotion. In June 2010, Patrik
was awarded ‘Executive of the Year’ at TheStadiumBusiness Summit.
Commerzbank-Arena was awarded the Live Entertainment Award 2016 in
the category ‘Arena of the Year’. Patrik has been consultant to many projects the National
Stadium Warsaw and Groupama Arena Budapest.
Brian Morris
CEO, MELBOURNE & OLYMPIC PARKS TRUST, AUSTRALIA
Brian as held senior roles in consulting, hospitality, entertainment and venue
management and spent time in academia as Pretoria University’s Graduate
School of Business where he was responsible for the Chair of Hospitality and
Tourism Management. In 2000 he moved to Australia to take up the
position of Chief Operating Officer at Fox Studios Australia in Sydney. Since
2006 Brian has been the Chief Executive Officer of Melbourne and Olympic
Parks a 40-hectare multi-faceted sports and entertainment precinct in the
heart of Melbourne. The precinct is structured around seven sets of venues
and is the home of Tennis in Australia as well as nine professional sporting
teams covering basketball, netball, rugby and football codes. Brian was previously President of
the Venue Management Association of Asia Pacific from 2012 to mid-2014.
36SPEAKERS
Ian Nuttall
FOUNDER, THESTADIUMBUSINESS/XPERIOLOGY, UK
Ian’s working life began in Sports Hospitality Events Management (including
Formula One, horse racing and Wimbledon), before pursuing an award-
winning career in B2B magazine publishing. He has co-launched and
edited numerous business titles, ranging from energy and industrial
processes through to airport design and Intelligent Transportation Systems.
He has also founded many of the sports sector’s most respected
publications and news sources. In addition to his ongoing commitments as
a sports business writer and speaker, Ian provides highly-valued, specialist
consultancy to the sports and entertainment sectors. Xperiology also owns
and organises the industry’s much-respected TheTicketingBusiness Forum and publishes
TheStadiumBusiness.com and TheTicketingBusiness.com news channels.
Charlene Nyantekyi
GENERAL MANAGER, CLUB WEMBLEY, WEMBLEY STADIUM, UK
Charlene joins the FA from a stint at Formula E where she led the charge
delivering the Electric Street Racing Series premium events across the
globe. Charlene has joined the team as they navigate through a period of
investment back into Club Wembley’s facilities, ensuring that propositions
move forward in keeping with the ever- evolving premium experience
industry. Prior to Formula E, Charlene spent four years with AEG Europe as
Hospitality Director providing strategic plans, proposals and fulfilment for
their European Live tours. Charlene was also integral to the concept and
delivery of the Barclaycard presents BST Hyde Park summer concerts
which are now in their sixth year. Arsenal FC is where her story began as a key member of the
team taking the Arsenal Hospitality proposition from Highbury to Emirates Stadium over a 13-
year tenure, which concluded with Charlene in the role of Premium Memberships Manager.
Alan Rownan
SENIOR CONSULTANT, EUROMONITOR INTERNATIONAL, UK
Alan Rownan is tasked with spearheading Euromonitor’s Sports database,
which is set to launch in 2018. Alongside this, Alan provides data-driven,
compelling insight and analysis on professional top-flight team sports across
domestic leagues globally, covering everything from matchday metrics and
social media performance to cross-industry commercial partnership
opportunities. Alan holds a Master’s degree in Ethics from Dublin City
University, where he focused his thesis on contending moral philosophies of
fairness in professional cycling. In his spare time, Alan has contributed regularly
to a national newspaper, analysing mixed martial arts events specifically.
37SPEAKERS
Einar Sævarsson
CEO, ACTIVITY STREAM, ICELAND
Einar is founder and CEO of Activity Stream, and his private mission is
innovation--specifically bringing people, technology, and industry-specific
business acumen together for real-time decision support. He strongly
believes in an intelligence layer benefitting an entire industry through data
sharing and benchmarking. Prior to Activity Stream, Einar co-founded
several companies in Scandinavia, was an intrapreneur leading
organizational corporate strategy, designed mathematical models,
developed computer games, taught at the University of Iceland, led software
companies and served on several boards. Einar holds a B.S. degree in
Industrial Engineering from the University of Iceland.”
Nick Sautner
GENERAL MANAGER COMMERCIAL, THE EDEN PARK TRUST, NEW ZEALAND
Nick joined the Eden Park team in June 2016 with an impressive resume of
15 years’ experience in the stadium, event and entertainment sectors. Nick
has worked at the AFL, Etihad Stadium and the West Australian Football
Commission in various executive roles, including Chief Commercial Officer
and Chief Operating Officer. Nick’s experience includes on-the-ground
event management, naming rights commercial negotiations and the
successful delivery and implementation of over 5,000 events, including
three British and Irish Lions tours and seven Rugby World Cup matches.
Outside of work, he played 260 VFL matches, won five VFL
premierships and holds Bachelor degrees in Business and in the Arts, as well as a Master of
Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Melbourne.
Christian Seifert
DEPUTY MARKETING MANAGER, VFL WOLFSBURG, GERMANY
Christian spent six years in the position of Deputy Marketing Manager at
German Bundesliga Club, 1. FSV Mainz 05. Since May 2008, he moved on to
become Head of Events at VfL Wolfsburg, responsible for all business
events, club events (including season opening celebrations and champions
celebration), as well as all matchday entertainment and events for the club.
39THE STADIUM BUSINESS SUMMIT 2018
Nick Smart
VICE PRESIDENT DEVELOPMENT, NORTH AND WEST EUROPE, HILTON, UK
Nick is responsible for developing Hilton Worldwide brands into North and
West Europe, including luxury brands Conrad and Waldorf Astoria Hotels
and Resorts, upscale Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Curio and
Canopy, and focused service Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton by Hilton
hotels. Nick has signed over 100 hotel development projects with a significant
proportion of these being at major sports stadiums and venues including
Hilton London Wembley, Hilton at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton, Hilton at St
George’s Park, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel at the Ricoh Arena - Coventry,
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Milton Keynes, Hilton Garden Inn Sunderland,
Hilton Garden Inn at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, and Hampton by Hilton Oxford.
Susanne Speak
GENERAL MANAGER, BOLTON WHITES HOTEL-MACRON STADIUM, UK
Suzanne is a 20-year hospitality veteran! She began her career in New York
as a graduate for Hilton International. After quickly working up the ranks
Suzanne moved to the Marriot. Currently the General Manager at Bolton
Whites, Suzanne led the transition from a national brand to an independent
hotel. Bolton Whites has now operated as an independent hotel since 2013
and is quite unique in the fact that it is fully integrated into the Macron
Stadium, home to Bolton Wanderers FC, the original football hotel!
Suzanne’s role here is varied, she assumes responsibility for international
football, which is a global programme. The role is very involved in the sales,
organisation and execution of out-of-season pitch events: after seven years since the last
concert it was very pleasing to have successfully landed two major gigs for 2018!
Jason Thomas
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, TAPPIT, UK
Jason has a proven track record of leading international teams in countries
across Europe, Asia and North America, working for companies such as
Sony, Virgin, HMV and Universal. He was part of the executive team at
Ticketscript that brokered a multi-million dollar trade sale to San Francisco-
based ticketing company Eventbrite. He specialises in business
transformation and strategy implementation in disruptive technology,
ecommerce, business intelligence and data-driven industries.
40SPEAKERS
María Vidal
MARÍA VIDAL, HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS, WIZINK CENTER, SPAIN
With a Bachelor´s Degree in journalism and a Master´s Degree in
communication management, Maria Vidal has a 10 years experience in the
field of press, communication and digital media. She started working in the
United States and Barcelona for Octagon, a multinational company
specialising in sports marketing and sponsorship. Since 2014, María has
been the Communications Manager of Impulsa Eventos e Instalaciones, the
private company in charge of the management of Madrid´s WiZink Center,
the reference arena for music, entertainment and sports in Spain. During the
last four years, she has been in charge of coordinating the two naming rights
processes, in 2014 and 2017.
Peter Watts
MANAGING DIRECTOR, ROCKVOLT, UK
Peter Watts has been in stadiums all his life. Starting as a fan seduced by
the charms of football, rugby and cricket and then in his professional career
delivering operational solutions and services to four Olympic Games, two
Commonwealth Games, numerous Premier League matches, tennis Grand
Slams, golf majors, Test Match grounds, international rugby stadiums,
racecourses, arenas and festivals. As Managing Director of Rockvolt he
works with clients to ensure they develop their venues in a manner than
enhances the guest experience, but also brings tangible benefits to the
organisation. A big focus is the importance of staff and the engagement
possibilities that reap mutual rewards.
Didier Wauters
BDM: BUILDING & COMPLEX STRUCTURES. TRACTEBEL ENGIE, BELGIUM.
Didier Wauters is Senior Sales Manager for Stadiums, Sport and Leisure
Infrastructure at Tractebel. Didier holds a master’s degree in Electromechanical
Engineering. He started his career in the traffic management sector as
Database Administrator and evolved to Business Unit Manager leading a
team responsible for the real time traffic management system of the Walloon
and Flemish traffic control centre. He had the opportunity to work on all project
aspects, from the concept design to the construction and facility management.
In 2010, he joined Tractebel as Sales Manager for the mobility department and
was quickly involved in multi-technical projects. In 2015, he had the chance to
build and develop the Sport infrastructure product. In 2018, Didier became a member of the
Advisory Committee of ESSMA (European Stadium & Safety Management Association).
41SPEAKERS
Ben Wells
CCO, BATH RUGBY, UK
Ben is a Strategic Commercial Marketer with experience across multiple
business sectors, having consulted at Board level to sponsor brands and
held senior leadership positions in a number of sports organisations. He has
worked at Octagon and Redmandarin as well as being responsible for global
marketing and sponsorship at Chelsea. He is now the CCO at Bath Rugby
and sits on the Stadium For Bath project board.
Bart Wiley
COO, SEATTLE SOUNDERS, USA
As Chief Operating Officer of the 10-year old Major League Soccer Club,
Bart oversees all aspects of business operations including ticket sales,
corporate partnerships, community outreach, game day entertainment,
broadcasting, public relations and the marketing of the team. He is also a
frequent speaker, having travelled to Australia, England and throughout the
US talking to audiences about the Sounders brand and
organisation. Previously, he worked as Director of Communications for a dot
com company, the Director of Business Operations for NASCAR team, and
as publicist for former Major League Baseball player, Brett Butler.
Kieron Wilson
OPERATIONAL COST ACCOUNTANT, MIDDLESBROUGH FC, UK
Kieron Wilson is the Operational Cost Accountant of Middlesbrough Football
Club holding an Accountancy and Finance degree from the prestigious
University of Durham. He joinied Middlesbrough in 2015 with experience of
cost and commercial accounting, as the club achieved promotion to the
premier league. Kieron works as a direct link between the finance and
operations functions and project leads the Epos implementation and
innovation of the Club’s existing rewards scheme. Kieron plans to use the
greater depth of data to build a more accurate budget and set KPIs for
achievement. He places emphasis on accurate and relatable data in
developing the financial structure and operational efficiency of the Club.
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