Who

OUR DELEGATES

The Summit is designed to address the specific needs of project teams delivering next generation stadiums, arenas and major sports venue developments. Our delegate profile comprises:

• Owners, Operators and Investors in stadiums, arenas and major sports facilities;
• Project teams from major sports events and host nations (such as UEFA Euros, FIFA ™ World Cup and Olympic Games)
• City Councils/Municipalities/Regional Agencies (Mayors, Economic Development, Sports/Recreation/Leisure Departments);
• Sports Federations, Sports Clubs (professional and amateur), Governing Bodies, Sports Event Bid Committees, Sports Tourism Officials etc;
• Real Estate Owners/Developers;
• Cost Management Consultants;
• Project Managers and Delivery Experts;
• Architects and Designers;
• Engineering and Construction Firms;
• Consultants/Specifiers;
• Product & Service suppliers to the sports venue sector.

See the 2017 attendee list

OUR PROJECTS

Every year, the Summit invites the world’s largest delegation of stadium project representatives from the most important construction projects around the globe. Our VIP Project programme is running for 2017 with more than €8bn of construction already represented, more details on our projects page…

Meet the Projects

OUR SPEAKERS

Each year, we assemble a stellar cast of design pioneers and industry leaders as we explore the next generation of stadium design. Download your free copy of the Programme Preview, featuring details on all sessions, speakers and topics below,

Download Programme Preview

Our 2017 Speakers Include

• 

  David Manica

  Principal, MANICA Architecture, USA

  David believes in stunning design and innovative functionality as the path to successful buildings. In his 20 years designing large public assembly facilities, David has forged a vision for some of the world’s highest-profile stadium, arena and convention projects totalling over $10bn in construction.

  His comprehensive experience spans all phases of project development. He values a collaborative approach to design that successfully solves all of his clients’ needs related to aesthetics, program, budget, function and schedule. David’s passionate commitment and dedication to balancing the complicated needs of his clients have earned him lasting relationships with them all.

• 

  William T. Mannarelli

  Director Área Patrimonial, Espai Barça, FC Barcelona, Spain

  In July 2014, William decided to take on new responsibilities and moved to Spain to work as FC Barcelona’s Director, overseeing their Espai Barça Project.

  The project includes the renovation of Camp Nou (105k capacity), a new multi-purpose Palau (12.5k capacity) complete with training facility, a new Mini Stadium (6k capacity), and a mixed-use development on the Les Corts Campus served by a 3.5k underground parking facility, all worth €600m. Espai Barça’s completion is scheduled for late 2021. Previously, William was a VP at ICON Venue Group overseeing ICON’s European operations.

• 

  Ronnie Hurst

  Project Director, The new Perth Stadium | Department of Sport and Recreation, Australia

  New Perth Stadium is a $1.24b (AUS) project and at 60,000 seats will be the third largest stadium in Australia once open in 2018. Previously holding the role of Director of Strategic Projects at the Department of Sport and Recreation, Ronnie provided strategic leadership and advice to key departmental projects, including leading the State’s response to the Football Federation of Australia’s bid to host the 2018/22 FIFA World Cup and negotiations for the $100m redevelopment of nib Stadium.

  Ronnie was also a member of the Project Bid Team that won the Australian Rugby Union nomination for a Super 14 rugby union team, The Western Force. Ronnie was appointed by the Minister of Sport and Recreation to the Board of VenuesWest.  VenuesWest is responsible for managing 12 State-owned sport, recreation and entertainment venues. Ronnie’s professional skills in sport, recreation and community development complement an extremely strong participation background in sport and recreation.

• 

  Paulina Ahokas

  Managing Director, Tampere Hall, Finland

  Paulina is Managing Director at Tampere Hall Ltd (the largest Conference and Concert Hall in the Nordic region) and is a Member of the Board at HY Y Ravintolat Oy (a restaurant and events business). She has worked in many countries managing start-up companies both big and small; from busking tables to board rooms. Her goals are ‘empowering possibilities for wellbeing and success, with sustainable values’. Paulina specialises in cultural industries, internalisation, exports, marketing management and government liaison.

• 

  Lisa Knights

  Chief of Media, Ashton Gate Stadium, UK

  Lisa Knights is an experienced broadcaster and crisis communications expert with more than fifteen 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.

• 

  Ros Robinson

  Head of Marketing, Club Wembley, UK

  Ros has 20+ years’ of experience working in sport and entertainment.  Her early career involved working in Formula One creating guest experiences for global brands such as Philip Morris, MasterCard and Vodafone.   She has also worked extensively across Football, mainly with the UEFA Champions League.

  Her experience lies in the creation of guest experiences and specific hospitality suites and lounges, having done so globally through either Formula One or football.  Ros is currently Head of Marketing for Club Wembley, Wembley Stadium’s exclusive members club providing guaranteed access to some of the largest sporting and entertainment events in the UK.

• 

  Mika Sulin

  Chairman, Sport & Live Vision

  Mika established his own advisory business in 2007 following requests from private investment and venture capitalist companies, who needed help to operate and manage global projects in the sporting goods industries, sports marketing and the stadium and arena sector. His clients include several European arena projects, such as Real Madrid Football Club, Supponor Systems Oy, Uplause, Footbalance Oy and Vierumӓki Sports Institute and Country Club.

  Mika was previously CEO of Nike Nordic, Nike Central and Eastern Europe, Salomon and Exel Sports Oy. Other roles included Managing Director of Hartwall Arena, Managing Partner at JC Arena Holding General and, recently, Secretary General IIHF WC Icehockey 2012-13 Helsinki-Stockholm and Secretary General Finnish Olympic Committee.

• 

  Mike Bohndiek

  Head Of IT , West Ham United Football Club, 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 is now permanently employed as Head of IT. He’ll be speaking on stadium transformation and the technology powering West Ham United on and off the field from a match day perspective.

• 

  Debbie Brant

  Associate Director, KSS, UK

  Debbie is a major creative force at KSS with extensive sports and hospitality experience. Debbie leads the creative interior design team on a number of our high profile sports venue projects including Anfield Stadium, Twickenham Stadium and Amex Community Stadium.

  She believes in the practice ethos of understanding client values as the means of generating ideas, and is a strong team player who enjoys collaboration with architectural colleagues, brand consultants, contractors and suppliers.

  Her natural sense of style, attention to detail and ability to communicate her ideas means she is widely respected by clients and consultants alike.

• 

  Derek Muldowney

  Vice President, International Speedway Corporation, USA

  Derek joined ISC in 1999 and has since been responsible for delivering multiple world class motorsports developments valued at over $3.0 Billion. Notable projects include the recent “Daytona Rising” development and the design/construction of Kansas and Chicagoland Speedways, Daytona International Speedway Fan Zone, as well as numerous track resurfacing, grandstand, suite and facility infrastructure projects.

  Prior to joining ISC, Derek worked in the oil/gas industry in Houston, Texas overseeing a diversified portfolio of energy related development projects in North & South America, Europe, Middle East and Asia. He is also a licensed Florida General Contractor.

• 

  Martin Willis

  Director, Ramboll, UK

  Having previously spent 8 years at Ramboll between 1998 and 2006, Martin joined Ramboll as a Director in 2014 and is responsible for delivering multi-disciplinary projects and leading teams.

  His experience covers a range of sectors that include commercial, retail and residential. Martin strives to understand in detail the client and stakeholder key drivers so he can use his experience to add value to projects where it matters most.

  Martin also has an excellent track record in the sport and leisure sector having worked on a number of national and international stadia, arena & leisure projects. Through working on such projects, Martin understands how the requirements of different disciplines need to be integrated together. These design management skills drive a well-coordinated and high value solution.

• 

  Matthew Birchall

  Global Sports Sector Director, BuroHappold, UK

  Matthew is highly experienced in both sports and entertainment venues, and has worked and led the engineering for some of the world’s most iconic and commercially successful stadia. His stadia projects include the original 2012 London Olympic Stadium and subsequent transformation of the stadium into its current multi-use configuration, and the Fisht Stadium in Sochi that hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics and which will become a key venue at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Matthew’s portfolio of stadium projects includes Everton, Queens Park Rangers, West Ham United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal. Plus, experience of venues for motorsport, horse racing, golf, cricket, rugby, and Canadian and American football. An industry recognised expert, Matthew is a Partner of BuroHappold Engineering and is their Global Sports and Entertainment Sector leader.

• 

  Diego Rodriguez

  Senior Architect, IDOM, Spain

  With more than 12 years architecture experience, Diego has worked at IDOM since 2007. His specialisation comes from participating in the development of sports architecture projects around the World, such as the New San Mames Football Stadium for Athletic Club in Bilbao, Mestalla stadium in Valencia, Nou Camp Nou stadium for FCBarcelona, Everton FC stadium at Wallton Park and the Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi, as well as Renovation concept of the Estadio Azteca and the Masterplan for the second phase of the Aspire Zone Sports City in Doha, among others. Currently, Diego is responsible of the Project Management Team from IDOM assisting FCBarcelona on the development of Nou Camp Nou and Nou Palau Blaugrana.

• 

  Jim Keppel

  Founder @ jkeppel., Guest Experience Authority, and Author of "See You Soon”, jkeppel., USA

  James’ role in the universe is to shape how people perceive places, blending planning, architecture, experiential graphics, placemaking, digital signage, brand design, hospitality services, and technology to create compelling and unforgettable guest experiences.

  He’s an award-winning business and brand strategist, designer and maker, and knows that the value of any idea is virtually zero without impeccable execution. His signature projects include SAP Center in San Jose, California, San Francisco’s Exploratorium, Apple Park in Cupertino, California, Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Zoo, Main Street Las Vegas, and Westfield San Francisco Centre.”

• 

  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 more than £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.

• 

  Diego Rodriguez

  Senior Sports Architect, IDOM, Spain

• 

  Chris Shrubshall

  Venue Performance Optimisation Engineer, BuroHappold Engineering, UK

  Chris has been delivering stadia projects for the past decade and has designed some of the most complex engineering structures, including the roof to the Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi and several engineering features of the new Tottenham Hotspur stadium. He is known for conceiving and delivering some of the industry’s most innovative engineering solutions, which are as diverse as sliding pitches and analysing venue atmosphere.

  Chris’s portfolio of projects includes the London 2012 Olympic Stadium and its subsequent transformation, and the stadia at Manchester City and Everton. Chris continues to push the use of data analytics to generate impactful insights into the sports sector business, and is an Associate in BuroHappold’s dedicated Sports and Entertainment sector group.

Who will be there

• Sponsors
• Partners
• Attendees

What are people saying?

Thank you for a great conference, which gave us several potential suppliers for our new stadium

Janus Khyl Director, FC Helsingor

You get people from all over the world; architects from Brazil or the states, owners from clubs in Europe and design experts and project teams... and it’s absolutely fantastic

Daniel Gidney Chief Executive, Lancashire County Cricket Club, UK

My colleague and I agreed it was one of the slickest, most professional events we have ever attended, well done to you and your team.

Jason Maher Director, Condy Lofthouse Architects

A fantastic couple of days. wonderfully organised. Slick and professional. A week later, people are still saying how good it was.

Patrick Donoghue Sales Director, Ferco Seating

We’d heard good things about this conference so we thought we would just give it a go... we’re very pleased we did and we're definitely going to attend the show next year

Gordon Bolton Managing Director, Bleep, UK

The team was superb in introducing me to key stakeholders. Without doubt the best customer service I have ever experienced at an event

David Morris Director, CryoAction