Exploring NextGen Spaces for Sports & Entertainment

Henk Markerink (69) was CEO of the Amsterdam ArenA ( later Johan Cruijff ArenA) from November 1995 till September 2021. From 1991 till 1995 he was the project manager for the design and construction of the ArenA, working at TwijnstraGudde Management Consultants. In 2000 Markerink founded Amsterdam ArenA Advisory. With this consultancy company he advised about 30 stadiums worldwide, in Europe among others the Allianz ArenA in München and Galatasaray Stadium in Istanbul, in China the Olympic Stadium in Beijing, 4 World Cup2014 stadiums in Brazil and the Government of Qatar for the World Cup2022 stadiums. In 2005 he started a Sustainability program with the ArenA colleagues resulting in a solar panelled roof of 10.000 m2, changing heating systems from gas to renewable energy, a battery with a 3.5 MW capacity, resulting in a climate neutral venue in 2015. Also the year that he founded the ArenA Innovation Centre in where all types of protocol driven processes were re-arranged to data driven processes based on vast data collection of 20 years of operation, a process run together with various partners from the public and private sector.

Besides his job Markerink was active in various social/economic organisations and activities nationally and internationally. The past four years as chairman of the Employers Association VNO-NCW in the Metropolitan Area of Amsterdam.

Markerink got a Master’s in Architecture and Structural Engineering from Eindhoven Technical University.

As General Counsel and member of the leadership team at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, I oversee venue legal affairs, manage business risks, and help our teams deliver all kinds of events from concerts to functions, large projects, sponsorship and venue services. I have worked in venues for over a decade and have had the privilege to be involved with major events such as the London 2012 Olympic Games, international, FA Cup and Champions’ League football and more recently three Women’s World Cup tournaments in Aotearoa including the hugely successful 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

John Jackson is the International Business Development Director at Fenwick Iribarren Architects. His role over the last 15 years has been very much focused on exploiting the company´s expertise in Sports Architecture. John started as an Architect in Fenwick Iribarren in 1999 having gained his Professional RIBA Qualifications in the UK and subsequent experience in the UK and Malaysia. John has both instigated and been directly involved in Fenwick Iribarren’s internationalisation over the last twenty years starting with Masterplanning and Commercial projects and now focused on Stadium and Sports projects.

This internationalisation has seen the company work both in isolation and in collaboration with other leading architects in stadium/sports throughout the MENA region, culminating in our leading role in the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup , as well as the Far East , China , South America and Eastern Europe. This extensive international experience and portfolio has led Fenwick Iribarren to be regarded as one of the leading expert stadium designers and consultants in the last decade.

Natasha leads Forward Associates work in venue commercialisation, creating high functioning sales and marketing operations.   She has spent her 25-year career working with sports and entertainment venues to maximise revenues from premium seating, partnerships, catering and ticketing.

Previously, Vice-President of IMG’s Stadium Division, Natasha has worked in a wide range of international sports environments including multi-purpose arenas, racecourses, world-famous stadiums such as Wembley, the Maracana and Lusail Stadium and on major events including the UEFA European Championships.

Kamil Kukułka is an executive board advisor at Ergo Arena, an indoor venue in Gdańsk/Sopot, Poland, opened in 2010 hosting over 100 sporting and music events, with a capacity up to 15,000 fans. He is responsible for the commercialization strategies, incomes and new business  since 2011.

Kukułka also owns Sport Innovation and NamingRights.pl, offering independent consulting services since 2008 specialized in sports venues and events commercialisation, naming rights and corporate sponsorships. Previously he worked for Coca-Cola Femsa in Mexico City for 6 months and as General Director of IAAF World Indoor Championships Sopot 2014 organizing committee. He also advices the organizer of athletic Diamond League Silesia 2023-2027 and local municipalities offering naming rights of football stadium (Szczecin) and other arenas in Poland. Member of AIESEC Alumni and BNI (Business Network International).

David is both the driving force behind the practice and instrumental in building our international reputation in the field of sports stadia and integrated commercial development.
He has an instinct for understanding clients’ needs and building collaborative relationships, and his creativity and commercial acumen gives him the ability to deliver clear strategic thinking and business-sound solutions.
He is passionate about exploring how good conceptual design can have a positive influence on the building user experience, and as an avid sports fan enjoys the challenge of creating memorable venues for spectators and sports stars alike.

Ruth is a Technical Director at Mott MacDonald and a leader of specialist engineering on major construction projects worldwide.  Ruth has a true passion for sports venues, working with teams globally to create venues which are sustainable, resilient to our changing climate and have an incredible atmosphere for players and spectators.

As a d&b audiotechnik Director since 2002, Stephen has intimate knowledge of the company, its technologies and positioning in the market. Starting his career as a sound engineer and joining d&b in 1998, more recently in the role of Head of Sports Projects, Stephen has overseen the positioning of d&b audiotechnik in the Stadia and Arena segment where his desire to deliver the perfect audio experience can be matched with a passion for all sporting disciplines.

Hannu Helkiö has very wide experience as designer and project manager/director and has been involved in these roles with many different types of projects.
His expertise includes numerous sports and event facilities such as multipurpose arenas, stadiums and other sports facilities as well as property development projects.
Hannu has experience of more than 25 sports/arena projects which have included either conceptual design or full design and he has worked as a Main Designer in several projects.
One of the latest arena projects is Nokia Arena in the city of Tampere Finland where Hannu was the main designer for the arena facility.

Mannarelli has over 30 years of experience in the sports and live entertainment industry and is currently focused on consulting on new arenas initiatives in Europe. Previously, Mannarelli finished a year-long tour in NEOM, Saudi Arabia serving as an Executive Director – THE LINE Proponent or “client representative” managing the delivery of THE LINE, a 170-kilometer-long cognitive and sustainable city at the heart of NEOM that will redefine conventional urbanism to address global challenges.

A licensed German architect, Mannarelli has worked on some of the largest urban planning projects as well as sports and live entertainment venues around the world. Prior to joining NEOM, he served as the Director of Real Estate at FC Barcelona for seven years, where, as part of the Construction and Facility Management Department, he was responsible for the Espai Barça, a EUR 1 billion project to transform FC Barcelona facilities.

Before his time at FC Barcelona, Mannarelli spent almost 10 years with ICON Venue Group, an industry-leading owner’s representative and strategic management consulting firm for public and private sports and entertainment, first as a Project Manager and then as Vice President overseeing ICON’s European operations. During this time, he was responsible for ICON’s engagements in Hamburg, Bern, Helsinki, Yekaterinburg, Geneva, Lausanne, Seoul, Barcelona, Fribourg and Dubai. Regionally, Mannarelli worked on the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre Project Development Plan.
Mannarelli began his career in the sport and entertainment business as a Design Manager with Anschutz Entertainment Group, a world leading owner and operator of entertainment venues. While at AEG, he oversaw the development of O2 World in Berlin.

Considered an expert in his field, Mannarelli often speaks at industry events around the world, offering key insights into the urban planning, architecture and construction markets. He has lectured at Georgetown University in Washington, University of Nebraska in Lincoln and Johan Cryuff Institute in Barcelona.
Mannarelli holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in architecture from Princeton University, both in the United States.

Peter Bryan, Partner at TMG Partners, worked for the Golden State Warriors from 2016 to 2021 where he oversaw the final design, construction, and completion of Chase Center and surrounding development.  Chase Center is an 18,064-seat, state-of-the art sports and entertainment venue located in San Francisco, CA and home to the Golden State Warriors.  Chase Center opened 5 years ago to critical acclaim, receiving numerous awards both domestically and internationally.  Peter joined TMG Partners in August 2021 and continues to play a key role in San Francisco Bay Area development work.  TMG Partners is a local, privately owned, full service real estate company, specializing in urban infill projects across the Bay Area with over 30 million square feet under its belt and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

Alain Belsoeur boasts an extensive career in football administration. From August 1972 until December 31, 2012, Alain served as Deputy Secretary, Secretary General at Le Havre Athletic Club, and then CEO of the club. His contributions include:

• Promotion to Professional Ligue 2: Spearheaded the club’s ascent to Professional Ligue 2 in 1979, ending a 15-year period as an amateur team.
• Regaining Professional Status: Instrumental in restoring the club’s professional status in 1981.
• Academy Development: Played a pivotal role in the establishment and success of what is now recognized as one of the most successful football academies in France (1984).
• Sustaining Top Division Presence: Ensured the club’s presence in Ligue 1 between 1985-1988 and again from 1991-2000, marking the longest period at the top level in the club’s history.
• Stadium Creation: Conceived and managed the design and construction of a new stadium, culminating in its completion in 2012.

At the national football level, Alain’s achievements includes:

• Creating the “Strategic Stadia Committee” and chairs the committee, now known as the “Stadia Infrastructures Committee” (since January 2013).
• President of the union of football Clubs Administrators (SNAAF) and Founder and President of the Union of Football Actors (UAF).
• Member of the Control Committee of Professional Clubs Finances (D.N.C.G.) and the Rules and Regulations Committee of the French Football League.
• Recipient of the Gold Medal from the French FA and French Football League, and Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medals from the Ministry of Sports.

Mika Sulin has held prestigious positions throughout his career, including: General Secretary of the Finnish Olympic Committee, General Secretary of the IIHF 2012 Ice Hockey World Championships andLeading the restructuring of Finnish sports and securing €9 million in sponsorships

He has successfully marketed and sold several brands across Europe and played key roles in developing major product and marketing concepts internationally. His experience includes, General Manager of Nike Central and Eastern European countries, General Manager of Nike Nordics, Key roles in the development of Nike Retail concept and Nike Football category in CEE and Nordics.
Mika has developed multipurpose arena concepts worth nearly 2 billion eur in various European cities, including:
Hamburg (Barclays Arena), Prague (O2 Arena), Helsinki, Riga Arena, Vilnius (Siemens Arena) and many others

In the past seven years, he has orchestrated the Tampere Deck and Arena project, a €550 million development that includes Nokia Arena, home to Finnish League Teams Tappara and Ilves. This venue hosts significant international sports and cultural events, including the IIHF World Championships in 2022 and 2023.

In 2007, Mr. Sulin established his advisory company to assist private investment and venture capitalist companies with internationalization and global development projects in sporting goods industries, sports marketing, and stadiums and arenas. He has been involved in several European arena developments and feasibility studies.

In December 2023, Mika joined PMY Group as an Global Advisor. He is also leading the Hakametsä Sport Campus project, the first European downtown city sport campus worth €500 million to be opened 2027.

Pete Watts is the founder and Manging Director of Rockvolt, an operations consultancy that enjoys developing and progressing venues, events, and sports market suppliers.

Peter has years of operational, facility and event management experience gained through working across three continents covering major international moments including Olympic and Commonwealth Games, Premier League football, Premiership rugby, Test Match cricket, horse racing, golf majors, tennis grand slams, arenas, confex halls, and visitor attractions. As a BASIS Board Member, much of Peter’s work is centred in sustainable practices driving the environmental agenda forward in the sport world.

Peter Bryan, Partner at TMG Partners, worked for the Golden State Warriors from 2016 to 2021 where he oversaw the final design, construction, and completion of Chase Center and surrounding development.  Chase Center is an 18,064-seat, state-of-the art sports and entertainment venue located in San Francisco, CA and home to the Golden State Warriors.  Chase Center opened 5 years ago to critical acclaim, receiving numerous awards both domestically and internationally.  Peter joined TMG Partners in August 2021 and continues to play a key role in San Francisco Bay Area development work.  TMG Partners is a local, privately owned, full service real estate company, specializing in urban infill projects across the Bay Area with over 30 million square feet under its belt and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

Paul has over 26 years’ of experience in the world of fit-out, delivering extraordinary projects for world-leading brands in every sector, from high-end technology stores to premium hospitality spaces, including the new Riverside Stand at Fulham Football Club.

We create extraordinary spaces, experiences and finishes that transform great ideas into exceptional realities. It is this passion for perfection that drives us to deliver fit-out projects of the highest standard for some of the world’s most prestigious brands. With over 40 years of fit-out experience, we have the people, the expertise and the relationships to deliver across a wide range of sectors. From luxurious flagship stores to complex stadia, we are creating the extraordinary.

Marko Hurme, CEO of The Nokia Arena, the Finland’s most popular music and sports arena. As CEO, Marko heads up the Leadership team at The Nokia Arena and is fully accountable for arena management, including overseeing venue strategy, sustainability, improving the experience for customers, development projects in the arena, facilities management and driving continued commercial growth. Arena ecosystem includes several companies, forming a complex ecosystem. The customer journey and the digitalization that support the arena operations need to be managed in full cooperation with all the involved ecosystem partners.

Angela Hodson is the Sales Director at Lancashire Cricket, Emirates Old Trafford and is responsible for all revenues associated with ticketing, hospitality, the Club’s on-site hotel – the 250-bed Hilton Garden Inn – as well as the venue’s Conference and Event business.

Angela, who has previously been employed at Manchester City Football Club, Bolton Wanderers Football Club and The Lowry, has worked at Emirates Old Trafford for just over 10 years – since starting at Lancashire Cricket in May 2013, initially in the role of Venue Sales Manager.

Most notably, Angela has worked on three Men’s Ashes Test Matches, the ICC Cricket World Cup as Emirates Old Trafford hosted six matches in 2019, as well as being part of the team that delivered the One Love Concert after the Manchester bombing in 2017.

Paul Yeomans is the founder and CEO of PMY Group (PMY), a leading technology solutions company boasting more than 1,000 of the most recognisable stadia, major events, and entertainment clients globally. Whether it be the Superbowl, Olympics, Grand Slam Tennis, Golf, Glastonbury Music Festival, or anything in between you will find Paul and his team implementing the latest technologies to wow crowds and deliver commercial outcomes for owner/operators.

Under Paul’s leadership, PMY’s journey has been marked by dynamic growth, a curious approach to creating new offerings, and a commitment to its people, clients, and a pursuit of excellence. The company played a significant role in the transformation of Australian stadia over the past decade and is now at the cutting edge of the sector globally stewarding billions of technology outcomes for its impressive stable of clients. This success story led to a landmark moment when New York based Bluestone Equity Partners invested in PMY in 2023, providing a strong foundation for PMY to reach its next horizon.

Now based between Melbourne and Houston, Paul balances his time leading PMY’s growth, maintaining its client-focused ethos, and cherishing moments with his family and friends. Paul’s commitment to both his professional and personal life highlights his belief in enjoying the journey, and his blend of humility, ambition, and fun-loving approach has shaped PMY into an innovative, exuberant, market maker in the global technology sector.

Stephanie Bax is Managing Director of European Operations for CAA ICON. Stephanie is leading CAA ICON’s expanding European division, managing a team of 10 regional experts based in London and Milan, and has been developing business and activating projects in Europe with a focus on the UK and Italy. Stephanie is a LEED Accredited Professional with 15+ years of project management experience. She’s currently serving as Project Executive for Co-op Live, a 23,500-seat multipurpose arena in Manchester, and previously served as Co-Project Executive for Stadio della Roma, providing project management services through preconstruction, prior to the sale of the team.

As Capital Projects Director at Liverpool Football Club, I have responsibility for the strategy and delivery of capital expenditure across our portfolio including Anfield, our Training Centres and our office estate.  I am fairly new to the Stadia sector having previously worked in Healthcare, Retail and Corporate Real Estate but I have a passion for sport, entertainment and the built environment and hope to bring my experience from outside the sector into this role.

Chryssi Soteriades is a strategic account manager at AiFi for the UK, Ireland, Nordic and Baltics regions.

Chryssi is a Greek South African now based in Athens. She has research experience in emerging technologies and their impacts and has been invited as a guest speaker and panel member in numerous Technology and Beyond Humanism Forums.

At AiFi Chryssi has worked within the Product Team understanding the technology in depth. Currently she is focusing on strategic partnerships and the application of frictionless stores with renowned retailers.

Andy Price leads the commercial strategy for the NEC Group’s Ticketing & Arenas division, with overall responsibility for venue programming for Utilita Arena Birmingham, Resorts World Arena and Bradford Live. This extends to all event and non-event revenues such as F&B, merchandise and retail, premium hospitality brand Amplify and the Group’s national ticketing agency, The Ticket Factory.

Prior to joining the NEC Group in 2019, he spent 19 years in senior marketing and live event roles, primarily within the UK commercial radio sector.

Andy is currently leading a strategic review project for Amplify, which looks to roadmap their investment in facilities for the next five years and beyond.

Stuart is the owner of SFA, an Architect and Design practice specialising in transformational projects which deliver across the luxury hospitality and commercial sectors.

 The practice has developed a strong reputation for delivering projects requiring exceptional levels of detail which culminate to create amazing results for their clients.

 Recognized and award-winning projects include The Riverside Stand at Fulham Football Club and prior to starting SFA, Stuart worked as lead Architect on the Millennium Dome (O2) and The Wembley Masterplan including the Wembley arena amongst other major award-winning schemes with RSHP. 

Andy Simons jointly founded the multi award-winning AJ100 architecture and design practice KSS over thirty years ago. Andy provides strategic design direction on our major projects ensuring the clients’ needs are met and guides the management of the consultant team. With his main focus on stadia and training centre projects both in the UK and abroad he brings analytical depth and experience to every project he is involved in, believing in the power of sport as a force for good.

Kym Shilton is a highly accomplished professional in the sport, leisure and entertainment industry, possessing over 20 years of invaluable experience, within government, within industry and as an Advisor.

Throughout her career, Kym has collaborated with a diverse range of stakeholders, including government bodies, sports organisations, venue operators, and private sector entities. Her extensive involvement in venue planning and development, operations, commercialisation, and sustainability has equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies and dynamics of the industry. Kym’s ability to navigate and bridge the gap between various stakeholder interests, and set clear direction, focussed on outcomes, has been instrumental in successfully executing projects of varying scales and complexities.

In 2019, Kym joined PMY Group, a Melbourne born, technology transformation company, to lead the strategy and infrastructure business, and has quickly established herself as an expert in this field, having led several major technology infrastructure projects worldwide. These include a mega project in Saudi Arabia, Kai Tak Sports Park, Hong Kong, Galaxy Entertainment Precinct, MAC, Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust, AU, Southern Cross Station, AU, Victorian Racing Club, AU and Queensland Performing Arts Centre, AU and homegrown examples like Fulham FC Riverside Development, UK and Brabazon Precinct, UK.

Recently, Kym assumed the role of Senior Vice President at WJHW International, pioneering the global expansion of this esteemed design and consulting firm. Renowned for its groundbreaking work in major US sports venues like NFL, MLB, MLS, and NBA arenas, WJHW International leads in technology integration in sports.

Kym excels in understanding the fundamental role of technology in venue design, operations, and fan experience, crucial aspects of technology integration timing, emerging trends, cost planning, potential ROI, and the risks of overlooking technology in design and development projects.

Kym continues to push the boundaries of excellence within the sport, leisure and entertainment industry. Her invaluable expertise and unwavering dedication make her an invaluable asset to WJHW International and the broader industry.

James Ransome has been working in Live Production for more than 12 years and has held roles ranging from Warehouse Technician to Regional Sales Manager.  As a well-rounded and versatile professional, James most recently drove business for Ross Video across the United Kingdom and Ireland. Specifically, he supported our customers and business with major installations within stadiums and arenas, including the Principality Stadium in Wales and The Confetti X Arena in Nottingham.

Before joining Ross, James was a Key Account Manager for Canon and supported the growth of their Cinema, Broadcast, and Professional Video business lines. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business and Management from the University of Sussex and is a first-degree Black Belt in ITF Taekwondo.

François is a Senior Principal and President of Populous France, with extensive experience in all phases and types of sports architecture, including stadium, arena, horse racing and training centre design.

François is the Director of the La Meinau stadium project for Racing Strasbourg, while other recent projects include the CoMet Arena in Orléans, He led the Populous team to help the Paris 2024 Bid Committee secure the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, providing technical expertise and assistance to develop plans for 38 Olympic and Paralympic venues across the city. Additionally, François worked on the design of the Aviva Stadium in Ireland, completed in 2010.

Ben Vickery has thirty-five years’ experience in the design of sporting venues, both permanent and temporary and of related buildings and projects. With a keen interest in all sports, Ben’s design expertise includes stadiums for soccer, rugby football, athletics, venues for horse racing, and event overlay design. This experience has culminated in a great degree of knowledge of the standards and requirements for all sport building types. As a member of the CEN commitee Ben assists the writing of technical standards for the design of sports buildings throughout Europe, and is co-author of the 5th Edition of “Stadia: The Populous Design and Development Guide”, 2013, Routledge.

He prides himself on the excellence of his many major projects: popular with their users, they operate successfully, they look great and are profitable for their clients. Each building must achieve the aims of the client and improve on the ones before. It should incorporate the best ideas and the latest technology, including current experience from elsewhere in the world, and innovative ideas specific to the project.

Strongly committed to the power of collaboration, the success of these projects has been achieved through teamwork with clients, consultants, staff and all other authorities and stakeholders

Roy Westwood founded Forward Associates in 2015 following a 20-year career working for some of the hospitality industry’s biggest players. Bringing this wealth of experience to bear, Forward Associates is responsible for the Strategic, commercial and creative direction of many of the world’s most prestigious venues and events, including The O2, The Wimbledon Championships the new stadium for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club and the new Everton Stadium

“Setting up on my own was a direct response to the fast-moving nature of the industry. Forward Associates, with its handpicked team of industry experts, allows us to act much quicker on market intelligence and ultimately makes us much more effective at achieving our end goal of improving guest experiences.

Now with over 20 associates and offices in Helsinki and Chicago, forward associates continue to play a key role in the developments of next generation venues and fan experience.

With over 20 years of experience in Experience Design, Maarten Holland is the Creative Director at Beewan Sports Experience, where he leads a dynamic team of professionals, including concept developers, 3D and digital designers, graphic specialists, and visualizers.

His creative perspective from the world of Experience Design, enriches the sports industry by contributing to the development of engaging fan and hospitality experiences in and around stadiums on match and non-match days.

This expertise bolstered the development of projects like the groundbreaking, sustainable new Cambuur Leeuwarden stadium, hospitality and business lounges, skyboxes, supporter homes, fan zones for several professional football clubs, and an immersive football museum to name a few.

Ben Veenbrink is one of the leading stadium experts in the world with nearly 25 years of experience in the venue industry. Building on his experience as a member of the management team of the Johan Cruyff Arena, Europe’s first multifunctional stadium, he founded The Stadium Consultancy in 2006. During the last 17 years The Stadium Consultancy successfully realised more than 120 projects in 4 continents under his leadership, ranging from community stadiums to FIFA World Cup stadiums.

He has been working as a client project manager as well as specialist consultant for stadium (re)developments. His expertise ranges from feasibility studies, business plans, employer’s requirements, design reviews, compliance audits and value engineering to the preparation of operations plans and strategies.

Ben has been appointed a member of UEFA’s Expert Panel on Stadium Construction & Management since 2006 and he is a consultant to FIFA’s Forward Program since 2015. He was co-author of various stadium requirements and good practices, most recently the new FIFA Stadium Guidelines 2023. He has been a regular speaker on international stadium conferences.

Jonathan is responsible for leading the sport sector at Rider Levett Bucknall and works across the companies UK & European offices to guide and develop RLB’s activity in the sector. Jonathan leads the development of RLB’s Sustainable Venue Solutions company which focusses on supporting clients to deliver truly sustainable sports infrastructure by setting and measuring development values such as Sustainability and Social Value alongside more traditional measures such as programme and cost.

Rob is the UK Sports & Entertainment Leader for Buro Happold. He is a highly experienced Structural Engineer who has delivered designs and led teams for numerous projects including Astana and Sochi Stadiums in Kazakhstan and Russia respectively, the New Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, and most recently the Coop Live Arena currently under construction in Manchester. Rob believes engineering is a key enabler in the design of venues and as an industry we have a vital role to play in finding solutions to the climate emergency and carbon reduction.

Jonathan is a former co-founder of Goodtill, an IPAD POS company with a key focus in the stadium market. When Goodtill POS was acquired by SumUp in 2020 they had over 40 stadiums with over 5,000 terminals using the platform. Jonathan then spent the next 2 years transitioning the business into SumUp POS. Post-transition success, Jonathan, fueled by a passion for technologies driving the UK’s net-zero initiative, embarked on exploring new ideas. Earlier this year, in collaboration with his Goodtill co-founder Oliver Rowbory, he launched ZOLB EV. This venture is committed to supporting the government’s goal of establishing 300,000 public EV charging stations by 2035, with a strategic focus on stadiums/arenas. ZOLB EV provides a comprehensive suite of EV charging solutions, encompassing hardware, software, site surveys, power readiness, installation, and ongoing client and customer support. This can be funded by the customer or ZOLB EV. 

Having a master in electronics, focusing on acoustics and communication technology he spent more than 25 years in the professional audio industry. He worked several years as system design support engineer for a global system integrator and later as sales director and regional tech support manager for fixed installed sound systems. Working for Bosch Communications Systems since 2006 he leads now a global team of 30 engineers for system design, application support and technical training of sound system solutions using products of the brands Bosch, Dynacord and Electro-Voice in the segments ProSound, Public Address Voice Alarm and Conference Systems.

Daniel Riess joined WJHW as a consultant in 2015 following his tenure as a broadcast and venue engineer at Texas A&M’s Sports Broadcast and Production Department, 12th Man Productions. His background encompasses extensive work in both college and professional settings, collaborating closely with end users and project teams. Daniel boasts significant expertise in traditional and non-standard aspect ratio video production, utilising baseband and IP-based technology in HD and 4k formats. He’s contributed to groundbreaking displays in renowned sports venues like Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Progressive Field, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, and SoFi Stadium. His involvement spans system design for innovative displays, pioneering continuous 360-degree video displays, early permanent 8k installations, and the development of Broadcast Production Facilities at leading sports venues.

Claudio is the lead Architect and key figure in the strategic space design at Forward Associates. His expertise spans diverse projects both in the UK and abroad, showcasing a rich portfolio of architectural types: from luxury shopping centres to sporting and leisure venues.

Dedicated to providing resonant experiences, Claudio is deeply committed to integrating designs that harmonize with local environments and cultures. His methodology involves meticulous research and a keen understanding of place, coupled with a client- and guest-centric approach, and conscious awareness of people’s behaviours and perspectives.

Recent works involve premium hospitality and general admission projects such as The O2 Arena, Tottenham FC’s Stratus lounge, the FC Porto Stadium redevelopment in Portugal, and Everton FC’s new stadium. The latter includes the immersive sales and marketing showroom situated in the Royal Liver Building.

Jakub Rachfalik, Forum by Nowy Styl Managing Director, a brand that produces seats designed for stadiums, concert and lecture halls, cinemas and theatres, and telescopic grandstands. Managing large-scale projects, including providing 95.000 seats for two stadiums in France,  over 60,000 seats and rails to the 67,215 capacity Puskás Aréna in Hungary. Jakub Rachfalik was instrumental in the Forum striking a deal with Coastal Qatar as a result of which Forum by Nowy Styl seats filled six stadia during the 2022 FIFA World Cup™ in Qatar. Developing the brand all over the world, closely cooperating with multiple divisions within Nowy Styl and managing several dozens of employees. In private passionate of aviation, motorization and licensed pilot.

Stephen Papaloizou is the Account Manager for the UK and Europe at Ipsotek, an Eviden business, specializing in computer vision and AI video analytics. Leveraging his physics background from Imperial College London, Stephen thrived as a Presales Engineer at Ipsotek and Associate Consultant Engineer at Cisco, showcasing technical excellence and relationship-building prowess. Stephen is a recognized industry expert at creating smarter, safer, and more efficient environments through computer vision applications.

Involved in the LED industry since 1997, Tom brings a wealth of practical and technical expertise to digiLED. Working for LED screen pioneers Invision, Phillips and Lighthouse, on a practical level has played key roles on many high profile events including the 2000 Sydney Olympics and as Head of Video for Robbie Williams. 
Now found regularly working on new patents, Tom’s outstanding engineering skills drive product and industry innovation for the digiLED range of screens and accessories.

With extensive experience leading large multidisciplinary project teams across multiple sectors and regions internationally, Rob has delivered a variety of challenging projects throughout his career. He has led significant sports and entertainments projects, such as the Education City Stadium for the Fifa 2022 World Cup. Rob is passionate about design and innovation and is part of our global innovation and technology steering groups. He has a broad experience across sectors and regions, but he still applies his depth of knowledge in structural engineering, project delivery, and technology (as one of the co-founders of the BHoM open-source code framework).

David is the Sustainability Design Lead for Populous in the EMEA region, working to embed long-term sustainable design strategies and principles across the company’s projects. With over two decades of global sustainability leadership, he actively leads teams in innovative design implementation, maximising benefits for all stakeholders, including investors, asset owners, building users, and facilities managers. His role is part of Populous’ wider commitment to staying at the forefront of the industry in delivering sustainable outcomes.

Patrick is Managing Director for Daktronics UK. With over 18 years experience in the LED display industry, Patrick is responsibe for strategic market development in the UK and Europe.
Daktronics is a global leader in LED displays and have been informing and entertaining audiences for over 50 years. They have been responsible for delivering many milestone projects in the UK, including the install of one of the first large-format digital roadside billboards, Piccadilly Lights, the landmark 4K display on Piccadilly Circus, London and the supply and installation of the LED technology throughout the new groundbreaking Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Neil Fox brings more than two decades of hospitality experience to Forward Associates.  He started his career as a chef, in a career that has taken him from London to Sydney and Helsinki, where he spent two years as the head chef at Rivoli – an iconic French brasserie.  His formative years were spent in fine dining, learning under esteemed chefs, including Chris Galvin, John Torrode, Graham Garrett, Lee Purcell and Serge Dansereau to name a few.

Neil’s work since has extended far beyond the kitchen. He has been instrumental in the creation and launch of many new concepts, including Graze, a thriving bar and chophouse in Bristol.  Neil’s understanding of brands and his ability to design commercially successful high street concepts are testament to his capacity to stay relevant in a fast-moving industry.  He is passionate about different cuisines, new techniques, sustainability and the latest trends.

Paul is an experienced project leader predominantly within the sports & entertainment sector. A structural engineer now working in the project leadership group he has had key roles in the successful delivery of the New Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Lord’s Compton & Edrich Stands in London, Education City Stadium in Qatar, and Co-op Live Arena in Manchester. With this experience and his own personal interest in sport and venue design Paul is focussing on the future of stadia design as his project on Buro Happold’s Urban C:Lab, a two year programme aimed at exploring emergent themes in the built environment.

With over 25 years of diverse experience spanning the entertainment and broadcast industry, Charles Adkinson is a seasoned professional whose journey has encompassed every facet of the field, from theatrical stage technician to becoming an esteemed executive leader in large-scale, vertically integrated manufacturing companies. His career has been marked by a relentless focus on the broadcast industry, starting in 2004, where he has excelled in systems design and manufacturing with a primary emphasis on infrastructure.

Currently, Charles serves as Senior Vice President, Sport Development, at WJHW, a PMY company – a world-class technology design and consulting firm that provides state-of-the-art services to owners, operators, and designers of major venues and public assembly places worldwide. He plays a pivotal role in driving infrastructure and operational ideas to support convergent and connected technologies as part of WJHW’s global expansion efforts.

With a career spanning from the theatrical stage to the executive suite and a passion for pushing the boundaries of broadcast technology, Charles Adkinson brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the industry, making him a sought-after expert in the field. His role is poised to shape the future of technology design for major venues and public assembly places on a global scale, and his expertise is sure to leave a lasting impact on the industry.

Guy – a family man with sport at his heart, he spent his formative years growing up in Wales, played Rugby for Swaziland and has a passion for the outdoor environment. He has 30 years Construction Project Management experience, graduating from the building sites of the 1980’s, working in Sport, Leisure and Retail construction in both the UK and overseas. In 2016 he set up EnTodo Project Management and has led major projects with clients including Fulham Football Club, Crystal Palace Football Club and Plymouth Argyle Football Club –  notably achieving planning permission and completing the build for Crystal Palace Football Club’s new Cat 1 Academy in Beckenham in 2021, leading the team which accomplished planning for CPFC’s new £120M Main Stand and last year securing PAFC’s new First Team and Academy sites for development.

“I don’t think I am a perfectionist but without exception I assemble the strongest most appropriate team for each project and I cannot accept less than 100% effort from everyone – I am driven to challenge the accepted norm and I pride myself in achieving the best result for the clients we serve.”

Agne Grendele is a seasoned professional with a rich history in the field of facility management and real estate development. Currently, she holds the position of CEO at the National Stadium Park in Vilnius, a monumental project set to be completed in 2025. This ambitious venture is based on a Private-public partnership contract, marking a significant milestone in Lithuania’s sports infrastructural development. Upon completion, the stadium will be operated by a private company for an impressive tenure of 22 years.

Before assuming her current role, Agne was at the helm of a facility management company which was given an investment of a prominent Baltics private equity and venture capital investor BaltCap. 7 years leading proved to be fruitful and led to significant growth and expansion. So, in 2020, Agne successfully navigated the sale of the company to SOL, a Scandinavian property maintenance group.

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, Westview for Chelsea FC and 1901 Club at 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.

Gené Willis is an experienced Operations Manager with a strong background in Health and Safety and Risk Management. Until Worcester Warriors’ untimely collapse, Gené was Head of Stadium Operations at Sixways Stadium for over 7 years, responsible for all operations and safety at the stadium which hosted more than 60 sporting fixtures, 100 conference and exhibitions, 25 private functions, and over 50 music and entertainment events per year.

Gené has recently been appointed Head of Operations at Bath Rugby and with planning permission about to be submitted for a new state of the art stadium to increase the capacity by 30%, she is relishing the opportunity to get involved in the design and development of the new stadium.

Gené has a passion for sustainability in sport and stadia and has been a regular delegate and panellist at the Stadium Business Summit where her enthusiasm is leaves a lasting impression. A recent winner of the ‘Event of the Year’ award at #SBS22 for her ‘Convert to Zero’ Premiership Rugby match.

Dipesh is an architect and urban designer and leads BDP Pattern, the sports and entertainment division of BDP. He has over 30 years of experience in both the public and private sectors and has led projects in Europe, North and South America, Asia and the Middle East.

Recent projects include the design of Everton FC Stadium, two stadia and masterplans for the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Doha, Qatar, and eight venues for the Pan-American and Para-Pan-American Games in Lima, Peru, which include several multi-sports halls and outdoor sports facilities.

Myriam Calaber, VITEC’s Sales Director for Europe & Africa, has over 30 years’ experience in international sales and business development, with the last 20 in the ProAV sector. Since joining VITEC (previously Exterity) in 2011, Myriam has been passionate about providing stadiums and venues across her region with the very best integrated IP video and digital signage solutions and was personally responsible for installations at many stadiums and sporting venues, including ParisLongchamp, Decathlon Arena, Matmut Gerland and Matmut Atlantique stadiums, and other major venues across Europe including Eintracht Frankfurt or Philips Stadium, the home of PSV Eindhoven.

John-Paul has worked for the Football Foundation for the last fifteen years, the UK’s largest sports charity, which is funded by The FA, Premier League, and the UK Government.  John Paul now leads specifically on the delivery of the Premier League Stadium Fund which is wholly funded by the Premier League. The Premier League Stadium Fund is the largest provider of capital grants to non-league and women’s stadiums in England which has distributed over £164m to the game since it was formed. The investments it makes are not only designed to help clubs to become more financially sustainable, but also to create better matchday experiences for players, officials, and supporters.

Earlier this year the fund launched the Stadium Accreditation Programme. Joining forces with The FA, the Premier League Stadium Fund will be assuming responsibility for the collection of all ground grading data for over 1,000 stadiums that are used in both the National League System and Women’s Football Pyramid.  To modernise and digitise the process for the first time since the ground grading process was introduced in 2006 a new digital tool, StadiumPower will be used by the programme to assess the quantity and quality of facilities at these stadiums and will use the insight collected to help inform its future strategy and investment decisions.

Hannah has worked in the Football Industry for over 20 years working for County Football Associations, The Football Association and Charity sector. I have delivered capital football projects large and small in a professional and grassroots sports setting across the country . For the last 5 years I have headed up facilities in the Barclays Women’s Super League and championship, the most followed women’s league in the world.  I am continuously seeking to innovate and drive-up standards and facilities across the game both on and off the field as the women’s game thrives. I currently lead a stadium think tank designing the stadium of tomorrow for the women’s game.

In my career to date, I have secured and delivered over £150 million investment in a range of Football Facilities across the country.  I volunteer as an independent director and trustee of the Cymru Football Foundation.

Tony joined the Signature Systems team in 2010. With a strong focus on Worldwide Stadium Sales, Tony has successfully delivered composite matting and ground protection solutions for more than 15 world games, including the 2012 London Olympics, where he was responsible for the largest trackway contract in Olympic history. He and his team have also negotiated and delivered ground protection systems for the 2014 Sochi Olympics, the 2015 European Games in Azerbaijan, the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia, and the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.

Ian Nuttall is the owner and founder of TheStadiumBusiness Design & Development Summit, presented by his Xperiology events business. His working life began in sports hospitality events management (including Formula 1, 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 – most recently TheStadiumBusiness News, delivering the all the latest Stadium Business news, blogs, videos, and up-to-the-minute media coverage from all the leading voices in the Stadium Business industry, all in one place. In addition to his ongoing commitments as a sports business writer and speaker, Ian provides highly-valued, specialist consultancy to the sports and entertainment venue sector.