Managing director Craig Mathie founded full-service event production agency Project 30 in 2022, after nearly 12 years as MD with Bournemouth 7s Festival. In conversation with host and friend Adam Parry, Craig gives a detailed background to the thinking, decisions, and numbers that bore Project 30. Not just the want to run his own business but to do things a bit differently, and how that’s paying dividend – Bournemouth 7s, London Marathon and Glastonbury Festival among the Project 30 clients. A f...
Jul 17, 2025•45 min•Ep. 323
Event strategist and consultant at ElectraLime Marketing, a company she founded in 2009, Lisa Schulteis is also a director of the North West Event Show. Coming to the sector from working as a neuropsychology technician isn’t the most traditional route, but using those skills to analyse show content for optimal brain function, unlocking the secrets of neuroscience in event design, has proved to be an extraordinary asset. This episode sees Lisa reunited with host Adam Parry, who she has worked wit...
Jul 03, 2025•47 min•Ep. 322
Duncan Strain started Silent Noize 16 years ago. A gamechanger. In this episode, Duncan talks host Adam Parry through the journey from promoting Birmingham club nights to hearing about headphones for events from his business partner, launching Silent Noize and the circumstances/breakthroughs that led to the Silent Seminars offshoot some 10 years later. Duncan, and Adam, remember the impact of introducing headphones to an early edition of Event Tech Live, at the Old Truman Brewery, and how the id...
Jun 24, 2025•44 min•Ep. 321
A part of the event industry for as long as he can remember, in some form or other, latterly Chris Carver is co-founder and CEO at Florida-based content/speaker management platform Sessionboard. Beyond the traditional background detail, Chris’s work with non-profits, the Covid tipping point et al, this episode is a fascinating focus on Sessionboard’s latest element, AI Evaluations. With questions from host Adam Parry, Chris highlights the artificial intelligence impact on evaluating content work...
Jun 05, 2025•48 min•Ep. 320
In among the event tech-world for 20 years, working with the likes of Cvent and SwapCard, Kevin Singh launched data integration platform RunMerge little over four months ago. Prompted by host Adam Parry, Kevin, who’s picked a luxuriant backdrop, details his career history before focusing on the here and now. This episode is about the triggers that spurred Kevin and company to develop a solution to the industry’s ‘biggest pain point’, data integration. Getting systems, which can be rooted in thei...
May 29, 2025•35 min•Ep. 319
With 40 per cent of an organiser’s time spent ‘chasing exhibitors’ according to a recent Bizzabo study, this episode is about what’s broken, what exhibitors want, and the impact/potential impact of smart technology. Client director at Ascender Design, Christian Skelton, went on to co-found exhibitor management platform Eventflow in 2022, winning Best Technology Startup at the Event Tech Awards 12 months later. Adam Parry puts the questions, so there is a whole lot of apt experience on both side ...
May 23, 2025•52 min•Ep. 318
Mark Hamilton, strategic, tactical and operational advisor with over 50 years’ experience in security, Paul McCartney among his long-term clients, and equally independent crowd, security, event and fire safety consultant, Steve Allen, have teamed up to develop and deliver the new Showstop Procedure course. Principal consultant with Crowdsafety.org since 2014, Steve toured with any number of big acts, Led Zeppelin, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Beastie Boys among them, and came up with a formal shows...
May 15, 2025•24 min•Ep. 317
In and around events since the 1970s Steve Heap needs little introduction. Saying that, there’s a whole lot of it in the shape of his forthcoming book: You Call That a Career? The Memoirs of a Festival Organiser… In the context of this episode, Steve is a founder member and current Chair of the Events Industry Forum (EIF), which took over The Purple Guide from the HSE some 12 years ago. Steve talks host Adam Parry through its evolution from ‘The Guide to Health & Safety at Pop Concerts and S...
May 06, 2025•25 min•Ep. 316
With a background in managing 10,000 plus events, for the last three and a half years Utah-based Rodney Hart has been at next generation marketing platform RainFocus, where he’s vice president, events. Experienced in mechanics/checks and balances across the trade show model, and beyond, Rodney is the perfect guest. Hosted by Adam Parry, this episode starts quickly and keeps the pace. From answers to the post-COVID ‘what’s in it for me’ mindset the conversation goes on to look at shaping content ...
May 02, 2025•37 min•Ep. 315
Karen Saragoussi, owner of branded apparel/merch company TeamTogs, follows up her 2024 appearance on the podcast, accompanied by business development and sustainability manager Katie Noonan. Karen reiterates the impact of her time as an event producer, how it shapes TeamTogs’ create, supply and ‘take the pain away’ process. She goes on to highlight the power of face-to-face events and the role branding/uniforms can play in creating a lasting impression. Sustainability is the hook to this episode...
Apr 25, 2025•37 min•Ep. 314
Behind the recently published article: Tariffs – now what for trade shows , this episode’s guest, media and events entrepreneur Dr Baris Onay, is a bit of a coup. Referencing the impact of international sanctions on Russia in 2014 from first-hand experience, Baris looks at what to expect, and what might actually happen, as a result of the restless canon of US tariffs. Hosted by Adam Parry, Baris moves from the “cataclysmic potential” for people selling goods to the States, and the China question...
Apr 15, 2025•35 min•Ep. 313
Ten years ago, recognising the narrow horizons of his sales job, Big Event Media founder Vincent Roazzi Jr started exploring New York City through the lens of a new camera, going on to take gig pictures for music events startup Sofar Sounds. Accepting an offer to serve as photographer for a friend’s project in Bhutan, Vincent found his chops, or his shots, on that eastern edge of the Himalayas. So much so that, returning to the States some 12 months later, he launched Big Event Media. Talking fr...
Apr 11, 2025•37 min•Ep. 312
This special edition of the Event Industry News podcast sees editor Adam Parry in conversation with Enrico Gallorini, co-founder and CEO of GRS – a global research and strategy company based in Dubai. Alongside the business, Enrico has written a book: ‘In Person, a journey through the unstoppable evolution of events’, and that’s the topic here. Asked about his inspirations, Enrico highlights chats he’s had with people across the industry and how the perennial ‘future of the sector’ question is r...
Mar 27, 2025•51 min•Ep. 311
Nathan Reed runs experiential events company MEGA, which he founded 15 years ago. Behind rolling successes like The Rock Orchestra, Illuminated Orchestra and Incredible Silent Discos, his story is equal parts passion, conviction, commitment and delivery. Bitten by the events bug in his youth, Nathan switched away from drumming to found a small festival in his home town. From there, things went MEGA. Nathan explains the journey from raves to his first touring brand, Big Freshers Icebeaker, and ho...
Mar 20, 2025•42 min•Ep. 310
Brian Gates, SVP of Industry Strategy at next-generation event platform RainFocus, is James Dickson’s guest for the first Event Industry News podcast of 2025. Founded in 2013, RainFocus made a fast mark on heavyweight shows like Oracle CloudWorld, VMworld, Cisco Live, and it’s gone on to have similar impact for the smallest events. Speaking live from Utah, Brian, who joined RainFocus nearly 10 years ago, details the company’s journey from a data focus to all-encompassing event management. Brian ...
Feb 03, 2025•36 min•Ep. 309
Sustainability strategy experts Sam Wilson, managing director at Syntiro Associates, and Dr Dominic Tantram, partner at Terrafiniti, present a podcast precursor to the ‘Unmasking Greenwashing in the Events Industry: Understanding, Identifying, and Avoiding Misleading Practices’ panel at Event Sustainability Live (ESL). Succinctly titled ‘Greenwashing’, this episode sees Sam and Dominic do some background, their two companies having worked together, before defining the term and inadvertent incarn...
Nov 07, 2024•26 min•Ep. 308
In and around events-world for years, Seattle-based CEO and co-founder of MJ Unpacked, George Jage, sowed the seeds for a show committed to the cannabis sector back in 2014. MJ Unpacked, the biggest trade event in a now burgeoning business, hits St Louis, Missouri, this month and Atlantic City, New Jersey, next spring. Aimed exclusively at retail and brand executives on a national scale, it promises quality collaborations, product innovation and cutting-edge scientific advancements as well as ac...
Oct 31, 2024•36 min•Ep. 307
Founder and CEO at Eventwise, Chris Carter, and company set out to transform financial management in the sector for ‘greater efficiency and control’. Formerly a promoter in Bristol, Chris wanted to get into accounting. This episode, his first appearance on any sort of podcast, incidentally, serves to normalise that leap. Starting with some background, and the focused switch from artist to event ‘whole’, Chris discusses the triggers and ambitions behind developing and launching the Eventwise plat...
Oct 24, 2024•32 min•Ep. 306
Louisa O’Connor, managing director of female-led brand experience agency Seen Presents , which represents the likes of Netflix and TikTok, has been in the industry since she joined Grace & Tailor subsidiary We are Vista, formerly Logistik, in 2008. This episode benefits from Louisa’s experience, nous and personality as it looks at cultural relevance; what it means, how it plays a part in brand events, and beyond. With host James Dickson putting the questions, Louisa talks education and the p...
Oct 18, 2024•38 min•Ep. 305
From sales director at Mentor Direct Marketing to vice president, European sales, at software solutions giant Cvent, nearly 30 years later, Jamie Vaughan has been in the thick of event technology. In this episode, a fast, informative 35 minutes, Jamie takes host James Dickson back to the days, the trials of analogue registration, through the impact of digitising the process, and beyond. James highlights SaaS, putting data to work, apps, good and bad technology. An unabashed, eloquent proponent o...
Oct 10, 2024•37 min•Ep. 304
In and around events since 2002, Kate Holliday brought her considerable sustainability chops to trade show and exhibitions giant GES, where she is head of ESG, some 12 months ago. In this episode, Kate defines ESG – environment social and governance – emphasising its spoils and how crucial it is to embed those things into the GES psyche. In discussion with host James Dickson, Kate goes on to compare Defra’s emission factors to GES’s specific calculations and how the two work together. She talks ...
Oct 03, 2024•35 min•Ep. 303
Multi-award-winning creative agency Sledge can boast an impressive catalogue of clients, Sage, Aruba and O2 contemporary among them. Managing director Sarah Yeats has been with the company for more than 12 and a half years, so she knows a thing or two about live experiences. In this episode, after detailing her career trajectory and giving some concise Sledge history, Sarah talks about event planning, looks between the lines of corporate speak, and highlights the value of talking to attendees. P...
Sep 26, 2024•32 min•Ep. 302
With a background in graphic design, marketing and web development, commercial manager Sam Pearce joined Exhibit 3sixty from the Dovetail Group in 2023. This episode sees Sam talking about Exhibit 3sixty’s development from straight-ahead stand builder when it launched sixteen years ago to delivering a full service for exhibitions. With questions from host James Dickson, Sam goes on to discuss the spoils of the online ordering process and the power of exhibitors’ digital journey, repeat business,...
Sep 20, 2024•32 min•Ep. 301
An outdoor event’s relationship with its local authority ranks high among the elements crucial to success. Following on from Timm Cleasby, director of operations at Tramlines, this episode is about Sheffield City Councillor Richard Williams’ take on the festival. Focused on the city’s green spaces, Richard talks host James Dickson through Sheffield’s new long-term agreement with Tramlines’ organisers, which is set to keep the event in its Hillsborough Park home long-term. Richard discusses plann...
Sep 12, 2024•29 min•Ep. 300
In the event industry for more than 20 years, monitor engineer to director of operations at Tramlines, where he’s worked since it started in 2009, and much more besides, Timm Cleasby is a perfect festival season guest. In this episode, Timm talks host James Dickson through the hard work behind Tramlines’ evolution from city centre to Hillsborough Park and how it’s scaled up while containing costs. He goes on to highlight the benefits of being in a part of Sheffield used to hosting big events – n...
Sep 05, 2024•46 min•Ep. 299
Chrissie Beck, founder of sustainability consultancy for the live events industry, Worlds Better, joins host James Dickson in this episode of The Event Industry News Podcast. Chrissie has worked in delivering events all over the world for 20 years and in her current role focusses on ensuring that sustainability targets are being met for agencies, event production companies and on delivery following observing how many companies were letting themselves down in their approach towards sustainability...
Aug 02, 2024•31 min•Ep. 297
In this episode of the Event Industry News Podcast, host James Dickson is joined by founder of event:decision, Matt Grey. Matt has worked in events for 25 years focussing mainly on the agency side servicing all kinds of events worldwide until the pandemic hit. During the pandemic Matt founded event:decision and three years later offers products that have proven valuable to 120 agency partners and 70 brand partners that use their solutions on a daily basis. Topics covered include: The challenge o...
Jul 25, 2024•42 min•Ep. 296
After a break in recording (and an eventful football tournament) we are delighted to welcome back the Event Industry News Podcast, host, James Dickinson is joined by Valentina Ruffoni, Founder of Beyond The Event, International Event Strategy, Production & Management. In this episode Valentina explores how following University she started her event career on a cruise ship hosting activities then when the pandemic hit she pivoted to community based events. Last year Valentina decided to purel...
Jul 18, 2024•39 min•Ep. 295
In events since 2012, and in technology for about the same amount of time, Zach Butler is director of Amsterdam-based TNW Events. Launched in 2006, full name The Next Web, TNW is a product of its founders’ interest in the future of tech. Buoyed by The FT buying a major stake, and ultimately acquiring the company, 2024 model TNW has four business lines: media platform www.thenextweb.com , commercial real estate, events and open innovation consulting programmes. In this episode, Zach digs into the...
May 13, 2024•37 min•Ep. 294
Clare Gossage is COO & co-founder at The PIE (Professionals in International Education), which since launching in 2011 has become the sector’s hub, ‘transforming knowledge and networks’. This episode is a deep dive into The PIE, looking at its history, its drivers and the big splash it’s made in events-world. An avowed internationalist, Clare studied languages, taking a job in marketing at the University of Arts, London, after she graduated. Meeting Amy Baker and Jane Gilham and discovering ...
May 02, 2024•34 min•Ep. 293
