Big Interview
Private ownership under LDC,
and now even more so with
Blackstone, has given us the freedom
and incentive to realise our latent
potential. Blackstone have experience
of the live events sector, as well as
stellar property credentials.
We have always retained a close
relationship with both Birmingham
and Solihull Councils, particularly on
wider planned developments around
our sites, including the Birmingham
Airport expansion and around the
planned High Speed 2 launch.
Our types of venues around the
world are economic regenerators for
the regional and national economies
of the countries they sit in.
We have recently been chosen
as the operating partner for the
Bradford Odeon, an historic venue
and we will be working with Bradford
Live, a not-for-profit charitable trust
formed in 2012, to find a long-term
viable use for the building.
As a highly commercial and
creative private sector operator,
with a clear understanding and
appreciation of public sector drivers,
we are uniquely placed to respond to
opportunities such as this.
What would you say to organisers
considering Birmingham and the
NEC for the first time?
We’re able to offer an end-to-end
experience - surpassing many of our
rivals – which includes ticketing,
ancillary services and award-
winning catering. Our NEC campus
has become a 24/7 destination, with
shops, hotels, bars, restaurants and
a casino. A recent partnership with
Merlin Entertainments has also seen
the launch of another attraction
on the NEC campus - the global
first Bear Grylls Adventure with its
indoor skydiving, assault courses and
swimming with sharks!
The NEC site is within a three-hour
drive of 75% of the UK’s population
and post 2026, a high-speed rail
station which will connect us to
London in 38 minutes.
Birmingham’s £500m Grand
w w w.exhibitionworld.co.uk
This kind of content becomes
more than a customer attending
an exhibition – it’s tapping into the
mantra that anything is possible.
Our research and insights team have
aided many shows to expand their
profiles.
What of festivalisation and other
trends to watch for?
In recent years we have seen many
other venues incorporate outdoor or
festival type experiences into their
offer. The ICC Wales has for example,
incorporated its outdoor plaza into
a space for events and teambuilding
activities and our addition of the
global first Bear Grylls Adventure at
the NEC also taps into this additional
teambuilding, sensory offer.
We programme our campus to be
the background to lakeside music
concerts over the summer and our
exhibition halls are interconnected
with our 15,600-seater Resort World
Arena, offering a unique proposition
for events such as Horse of the Year
Show and the Crufts dog show.
“Private ownership has
given us the freedom
and incentive to realise
our latent potential”
Central Station opened a few years ago and the city
centre has benefitted from a development plan across
two decades launched in 2012 and which has acted as
an umbrella for over £5bn worth of mix use, residential,
quality hotel stock, and infrastructure developments.
Birmingham boasts the most inward investment from
overseas and UK businesses over any other UK region
except for central London.
Which organisers are showing creativity and
innovation in driving their shows to new levels?
Many of our smaller organisers have been able to work
with us to grow their exhibitions and existing shows
have upped their game in terms of the content offer.
The Running Show, organised by Raccoon Events, is a
particularly good example. This year they were able to
bring their followers new experiences through access
to inspiring speaker including Nikki Love, who ran 63
marathons in 63 days, and Rob Pope, who ran across the
USA five times.
How are you promoting new talent
in the event management industry?
I have personally championed
the NEC Group’s relationship with
students from our regional colleges
and universities.
Every year we promote Event
Week Live, run in association with
Birmingham City University, which
aims to provide on-the-job learning.
Five of the most engaged and
promising students are chosen to
take part in the NEC’s Elite mentor
programme.
We’re delighted to have recruited
large numbers of local apprentices
and I am also Chair of the Skills and
Employment Board, a joint initiative
between regional government
and business to address the skills
challenges across the region.
The advice that I always give
students is don’t listen and speak in
equal measure – we’ve been given
two ears and one mouth, so use them
in that ratio!
Issue 2 2019
17