Meet the Working Group Chairs

Here you you can delve (in no particular order) into the minds of our various Working Group chairs!

Click on their names to visit their LinkedIn page.

Head of eForce and IT at Olympia London

Chair of the Cross Association Technology Working Group

Cheryl Busby

HR Director at Clarion Events Ltd

Chair of the Cross Association Event Industry HR Working Group

Kate Vandenburg

Marketing Director at the Business Design Centre

Chair of the Marketing and Communications Working Group

Michelle Baldwin

Senior Event Manager at the NEC

Chair of the Event Managers Working Group

Siân Richards

Business Services & Sustainability Manager at Olympia London

Chair of the eGuide Working Group

Chris Morrison

Facilities Director at Olympia London

Chair of the Cross Association Electrics / Technical Working Group

Head of Food and Beverage at ExCeL London

Chair of the Catering Working Group

Steve Neal

Group Operations Manager at the NEC

Chair of the Security Working Group

Emma Dengate

Senior Operations Manager at Reed Exhibitions

Chair of the Cross Association Health and Safety Working Group

Martin Cottrell

Director at A1 Event and Exhibition Cleaners

Chair of the Cross Association Sustainability Working Group

"Great day hosting our first AEV working group event!..WOW did I learn a lot and some great insights into how other venues work and the challenges they are trying to overcome. If you are a venue looking to network with other like minded professionals I would recommend looking at joining the AEV".

Danielle Worker
Corporate Events Team Leader, Silverstone Circuits Ltd
"“Great catering...is essential for a successful venue. The AEV provides a platform to establish consistent best practice in this field"

Phil Wetz
Retail & Catering Manager, ExCeL London
“The AEV provides collective representation for its member venues, turning individual commitment into a group effort"

Paul Brough
Venue Health & Safety Manager, Olympia London
"Proud to be part of this Cross Association discussion. I am confident in our ability to improve and progress our working platform through conversation".

Amir Vered
Head of eForce and IT, Olympia London (Chair of Cross Association Technology WG)
“The AEV is essential to the venue sector’s ability to cooperate and collaborate"

Jazmin Beale
Head of Marketing & Communications, Olympia London
“The AEV undertakes crucial work on behalf of event venues up and down the country to ensure our voice is heard. They reinforce the important role our sector plays in delivering economic impact, increasing trade, providing jobs and driving the visitor economy.”

Lucy Merritt
Head of Marketing and Communications, ExCeL London
AEV Membership is a key part of our business strategy; it has and will continue to be a core elements of our plan to support knowledge sharing in the industry and to develop both our team and the venue.

Kate Vandenburg
Marketing Director - Business Design Centre
Our team at ACC Liverpool feel indebted to the substantial work that the AEV do for our amazing industry. As the pillar association for venues across the country it’s a real privilege for our teams to participate in many of the working groups, learning and contributing to new processes which helps drive our industry forward on a national scale.

Colm Graham
Senior Exhibition Account Manager, ACC Liverpool
We have benefited hugely from all of the insight, discussion, events and networking, but it has also meant that we have been able to give back to the industry by sharing our unique experiences and professional knowledge and allowing our employees to help lead and shape the Association from the inside.

Mathew James
Head of Brand, Telford International Centre
“The AEV has been an invaluable asset to us as a company and the wider industry, helping to lobby on the industries behalf, consolidating and distributing information and facilitating vital knowledge sharing.”

Charlie Hodgson
Managing Director at The Kia Oval