Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top United Kingdom based Director operating in the Event Management space. If you think a Director is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Guy Flintham
Director of OnSerro
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About : OnSerro provides community management software for companies to engage with customers and clients.
Harry Hardisty
Commercial Director of OnSerro
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About OnSerro: OnSerro provides community management software for companies to engage with customers and clients.
Peter Seldon
Director of OnSerro
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About OnSerro: OnSerro provides community management software for companies to engage with customers and clients.
Mike Sealy
Customer Experience Director, EMEA of Informa Markets
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About Informa Markets: Informa Markets creates global platforms and opportunities for industries, specialist markets and communities to trade, innovate and grow.
Phin Mpofu
Director of Startup Grind
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About Startup Grind: Startup Grind is a global startup community designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs.
Marian Gazdik
Director, Europe of Startup Grind
Marian has over twenty years of business experience, having worked in different marketing and product management roles with fast growing technology businesses. He is Director at Startup Grind Europe, world’s largest organisation for entrepreneurs, based in 150 countries. Marian is a founding partner at IPM Growth, a venture capital company that invests in high growth companies from Central and Eastern Europe with world class technology. In 2015 he co-founded Braintrust, a think-tank of top entrepreneurs based in the Central & Eastern Europe region. Marian is an advisory board member at Tachyum and is a member of Acquisition Committee (REEAC) at TATE Gallery. He was featured in New Europe 100 (organised by the Financial Times, Google, Respublica and Visegrad Strategy), a list of outstanding leaders in world class innovation from Central and Eastern Europe. Marian holds an MBA from ESCP, the oldest business school in the world.
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About BrainTrust, InfraPartners Management, IPM Growth, Startup Grind, Tate: Startup Grind is a global startup community designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs.
Ed Goodman
Director of Cambridge Grind of Startup Grind
Ed Goodman is a business start-up mentor who’s worked with over 10,000 start-ups to successfully build their knowledge of financial management, social media, networking and more. He has also delivered keynote presentations and workshops at large-scale seminars and exhibitions, including the MADE Festival, Business Start-Up Show, and other events at Earls Court, ExCel London and The National Space Centre. Through independent consultancy and mentoring, along with aligned partnerships, he has worked with multinational corporations including Barclays, Google, Sage, Intuit and more. In 2012, Ed co-founded the Cambridge Business Lounge, a co-working space and support hub for start-ups and small businesses. He also regularly blogs on small business topics, including ‘The A–Z Guide to Starting a Business’, as well as being a contributor on the BBC, podcasts as well as other established business blogs. January 2015 sees the release of Ed’s first book “New Business, Next Steps – The All In One Guide to Managing, Marketing and Growing Your Small Business”, published by Pearson.
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About Startup Grind: Startup Grind is a global startup community designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs.
Ed Goodman
Director of Cambridge Grind of Startup Grind
Ed Goodman is a business start-up mentor who’s worked with over 10,000 start-ups to successfully build their knowledge of financial management, social media, networking and more. He has also delivered keynote presentations and workshops at large-scale seminars and exhibitions, including the MADE Festival, Business Start-Up Show, and other events at Earls Court, ExCel London and The National Space Centre. Through independent consultancy and mentoring, along with aligned partnerships, he has worked with multinational corporations including Barclays, Google, Sage, Intuit and more. In 2012, Ed co-founded the Cambridge Business Lounge, a co-working space and support hub for start-ups and small businesses. He also regularly blogs on small business topics, including ‘The A–Z Guide to Starting a Business’, as well as being a contributor on the BBC, podcasts as well as other established business blogs. January 2015 sees the release of Ed’s first book “New Business, Next Steps – The All In One Guide to Managing, Marketing and Growing Your Small Business”, published by Pearson.
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About Startup Grind: Startup Grind is a global startup community designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs.
Lisa Thomson
Co-Director of Edinburgh Chapter of Startup Grind
Lisa is co-Chapter Director of Start Up Grind Edinburgh & Glasgow Chapters, and Founder/MD of Purpose (HR & Coaching) Limited. Lisa has developed her HR experience in high-growth, fast-paced entrepreneurial technology companies across a range of sectors. She supports business leaders and managers with fast-paced changing environments, business growth and the associated people and organisational challenges, and coaches technical, creative and entrepreneurial people supporting their personal and soft skills development. Lisa is a 2014/15 Saltire Fellow and will be studying at Babson College, Boston from September – December 2014.
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About Startup Grind: Startup Grind is a global startup community designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs.
Emma Wilson
Director of Client Operations of First Protocol
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About First Protocol: First Protocol is an international events agency.
Sophia Petrides
Global Account Director of First Protocol
Sophia has over 18 years’ experience working in events within investment banking and is highly regarded within the industry for her operational and team development expertise. Sophia has built a strong international network throughout her career, which has proven invaluable in her role as Global Account Director at First Protocol, where her objective is to develop a global strategic approach to enhance the client experience and align best practice across the regions.
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About First Protocol: First Protocol is an international events agency.
Kerry Hogarth
Co-Founder & Managing Director of 3D Printshow
Kerry Hogarth is Co-Founder & Managing Director at 3D Printshow.
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About 3D Printshow: 3D Printshow brings together key players from the entire 3D printing ecosystem.
Eleanor Dallaway
Editorial Director of Reed Exhibitions
Eleanor Dallaway is Editor of Infosecurity Magazine, and as a result of her eight years in the job, knows more about information security than most English Literature graduates should. She spends her working days interviewing industry professionals, keeping the website updated with news on an hourly basis, editing the magazine, and attending industry events. Day job aside, Eleanor crams her diary full socialising with friends, family, and her basset hound. Any small gaps in her social life are reserved for a good book and an even better glass of wine.
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About Guardian Media Group, Reed Exhibitions: The world’s leading events organiser
Kieran Alington
Managing Director of Eventcube
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About Eventcube: A full service, feature rich event management platform empowering Event Organisers| through beautiful technology.
Simon Thompson
Co-Founder & Managing Director of Conferences-uk.org.uk
Simon Thompson is Director and Co-Founder of Conferences:UK, ConferenceVenues.com and ConferencesGroup. Simon is an active member of the Hotel Booking Agents Association (HBAA) and strongly supports Accreditation in Meetings (AIM). Simon is passionate about transforming our successful UK business into the World No.1 Hotel and Conference Booking Agency.
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About Conferences-uk.org.uk: Conferences-uk.org.uk (part of ConferencesGroup) is a flagship UK Expert Venue Finding Agency.
Nathan Elstub
Chief Investment Officer & Executive Director of GetMyFirstJob
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About GetMyFirstJob, Nesta Impact Investments, The Big Consulting: GetMyFirstJob is a web-based platform that improves the speed and quality of matching young people to the right apprenticeship.
Liam Dowd
Managing Director of Reuters Events
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About Ethical Corporation, Reuters Events: Reuters Events is a global B2B events specialist that provides thought leadership, learning, and networking for senior executives.
Ruthana Foulkes
Managing Director – Supply Chain of Reuters Events
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About Reuters Events: Reuters Events is a global B2B events specialist that provides thought leadership, learning, and networking for senior executives.
Matt Chrisp
Commercial Analytics Director of beIN MEDIA GROUP
Matt joined beIN in February 2016, to launch the Commercial Insights team based in London. He leads a team of insights and analytics executives, seeking out the value that content drives for beIN’s platforms and channels across our international portfolio. Matt’s team is also responsible for valuing entertainment and sports rights for beIN and beIN’s competitors, to contribute to bidding strategy in the various major tender processes that beIN participates in. Matt started his career in New Zealand at KPMG, before taking a 9 month sabbatical to play rugby in London in 2009…which he never made it back from. Since then Matt has held positions at the National Basketball Association, Sony Pictures and A+E Networks during which time he contributed to new ventures across the various elements of the pay-tv ecosystem.Matt has two children, loves to travel, and enjoys triathlons and the odd tennis match.
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About beIN MEDIA GROUP: beIN MEDIA GROUP brings unrivalled sport action and major international events, to dozens of millions of viewers around the world.
Patrick Lewis
Commercial Director of Maddox Events
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About Maddox Events: Maddox Events is the world’s only B2B company exclusively dedicated to creating large-scale conferences.
Freddie Lewis
Creative Director of Maddox Events
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About Maddox Events: Maddox Events is the world’s only B2B company exclusively dedicated to creating large-scale conferences.
Charlotte Greaves
Account Director (International) of The Event Business
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About The Event Business: The Event Business Ltd. is a privately owned and independent company with the owners at the heart of the business.
Janet Walkden
Managing Director of The Event Business
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About The Event Business: The Event Business Ltd. is a privately owned and independent company with the owners at the heart of the business.
Simon Webber
Director of The Event Business
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About The Event Business: The Event Business Ltd. is a privately owned and independent company with the owners at the heart of the business.
Sophie Malone
Commercial Director of Zinc Systems
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About Zinc Systems: Zinc Systems offers data-driven insights and creative solutions to help organizations grow.
Tim Gillions
Director of Ents24
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About Ents24: Ents24 is a live entertainment website covering live music, comedy, theatre and shows.
Ryan Nicol
Managing Director of Ceres Productions Ltd
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About Ceres Productions Ltd: A video production company based in London, offering high quality video & event filming services direct to the corporate market.
Cris Tran
Group Director of QRC Group
High level expert Strategy Consulting, Digital Transformation and Retail Banking experience, Cris is currently managing projects of QRC globally. Prior to this, Cris was the Senior Market Leader for Frost & Sullivan, a global consulting firm based out in Singapore. Cris has consulted on multiple strategic and syndicated projects for leading multinational companies, regulators and government bodies, providing growth workshops and client counsels, among others. He is also frequently featured in leading media, such as Bloomberg, Forbes, Nikkei and others.
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About QRC Group: QRC Group invessts in Blockchain RegTech Startups in order to promote compliance across the Blockchain industry. QRC is an STO advisory.
Andrew Lester
Director of Pagoda Public Relations
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About HardHat, Pagoda Public Relations: Pagoda Public Relations Ltd is an independent PR agency producing good public relations and public affairs results for its clients.
Chris Read
Production Director of Corinium Global Intelligence
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About Corinium Global Intelligence: The leading community for Chief Data Officers, Chief Analytics officers and Chief Data Scientists.
Ed Murdoch
Director of Red Pepper Events
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About Red Pepper Events: Red Pepper Events is an event management company.
Eleanor Whitby
Event Director of Red Pepper Events
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About Red Pepper Events: Red Pepper Events is an event management company.
Rachel Whitby
Creative Director of Red Pepper Events
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About Red Pepper Events: Red Pepper Events is an event management company.
Bill Hoston
Managing Director of Burkett Web Solutions
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About Burkett Web Solutions: Web Development, Internet Marketing and Social Media Management, Optimization and Marketing Agency.
Bill Hoston
Managing Director of Burkett Web Solutions
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About Burkett Web Solutions: Web Development, Internet Marketing and Social Media Management, Optimization and Marketing Agency.
David Calvert
Director of iFormulate Ltd
David Calvert is co-founder and director of iFormulate Ltd. David has over 20 years experience of developing new products and services for the chemical-using industries including pharmaceuticals, inks, coatings, agrochemicals and FMCG to name but a few. More recently he has worked for companies offering innovation, consultancy and training services to companies active in formulation.
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About iFormulate Ltd: iFormulate Ltd benefits its clients by providing consultancy, innovation projects, training.
Jim Bullock
Director of iFormulate Ltd
Jim Bullock is co-founder and director of iFormulate Ltd. Previously Jim was CEO of Intelligent Formulation Ltd which promoted formulation technology in the UK After a D.Phil from Oxford, Jim led R&D projects in imaging at Ilford Ltd and activities on crystal engineering and dye formulation and chemistry at ICI/Zeneca. At BASF, in UK and Germany, Jim headed formulation development for colours and held marketing, strategy, R&D and regulatory affairs functions for BASF’s global biocides business. Jim was also a board director of Agion Technologies, USA.
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About iFormulate Ltd: iFormulate Ltd benefits its clients by providing consultancy, innovation projects, training.
Jim Bullock
Director of iFormulate Ltd
Jim Bullock is co-founder and director of iFormulate Ltd. Previously Jim was CEO of Intelligent Formulation Ltd which promoted formulation technology in the UK After a D.Phil from Oxford, Jim led R&D projects in imaging at Ilford Ltd and activities on crystal engineering and dye formulation and chemistry at ICI/Zeneca. At BASF, in UK and Germany, Jim headed formulation development for colours and held marketing, strategy, R&D and regulatory affairs functions for BASF’s global biocides business. Jim was also a board director of Agion Technologies, USA.
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About iFormulate Ltd: iFormulate Ltd benefits its clients by providing consultancy, innovation projects, training.
Matthew Funge
Managing Director & Founder of Your Stand Builder
Matthew is the Managing Director & Founder of event technology company Your Stand Builder, and currently lives in London. He is a graduate from the University of Manchester who already has valuable experience of living and working in both the USA and France, in addition to various parts of the UK, which has provided him with valuable international exposure already. He is responsible for building and launching the Your Stand Builder platform in March 2019, following more than 5 years’ in an exhibition project manager role preparing 25+ worldwide events annually for his previous employer – an experience which directly led to the YSB idea being born. Matthew is passionate about making a difference in the global events industry, and is committed to continually exploring technological innovation. He has taken YSB from concept all the way through to execution and plans to build upon this in the future through gradually developing the service further.
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About Your Stand Builder: SaaS, online marketplace, web platform
Steve Clarke
Managing Director of FinTech Connect
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About FinTech Connect: FinTech Connect is a free global network offering for the fintech industry, hosting live events, a connection portal, and original content.
Steve Clarke
Managing Director of FinTech Connect
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About FinTech Connect: FinTech Connect is a free global network offering for the fintech industry, hosting live events, a connection portal, and original content.
Charlie Lines
Events Director and Founder of The Ecommerce Club
Charlie Lines is the director and founder at Mixing Digital and The Ecommerce Club. She used to work as a freelance Marketing & Sales manager for CleanTech magazine. Charlie is a graduate of Thomas Bennett Community College & Crawley College of Technology.
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About The Ecommerce Club: The Ecommerce Club is a member-led group dedicated to encouraging and supporting retailers in developing e-commerce expertise.
Charlie Lines
Events Director and Founder of The Ecommerce Club
Charlie Lines is the director and founder at Mixing Digital and The Ecommerce Club. She used to work as a freelance Marketing & Sales manager for CleanTech magazine. Charlie is a graduate of Thomas Bennett Community College & Crawley College of Technology.
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About The Ecommerce Club: The Ecommerce Club is a member-led group dedicated to encouraging and supporting retailers in developing e-commerce expertise.
Petra Johansson
Founder/Director of TwistedTree
Event management and event sales professional working across business to business events in the digital, technology, creative and financial sectors. Petra runs events company TwistedTree since 2007, and is a co-founder of 2Pears. Petra holds a MBA from Lund University from Lund University in Sweden and has more than 11 years experience from the business to business events industry ranging from delegate, media and sponsorship sales at organisations including IIR Conferences, Incisive Media, and Financial News. She has managed profitable events from the concept stage researching a topic, through speaker recruitment, sponsorship sales, marketing and on-the-day event management and execution, to post-event follow up and rebookings.
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About TwistedTree: TwistedTree Limited is a business to business event solutions company specialising in sponsorship sales and event management in digital,
Petra Johansson
Founder/Director of TwistedTree
Event management and event sales professional working across business to business events in the digital, technology, creative and financial sectors. Petra runs events company TwistedTree since 2007, and is a co-founder of 2Pears. Petra holds a MBA from Lund University from Lund University in Sweden and has more than 11 years experience from the business to business events industry ranging from delegate, media and sponsorship sales at organisations including IIR Conferences, Incisive Media, and Financial News. She has managed profitable events from the concept stage researching a topic, through speaker recruitment, sponsorship sales, marketing and on-the-day event management and execution, to post-event follow up and rebookings.
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About TwistedTree: TwistedTree Limited is a business to business event solutions company specialising in sponsorship sales and event management in digital,
Mark Scott
Director of HelpMeGo.To
Mark Scott joined HelpMeGo.To Ltd in 2001 after running a direct sales and marketing company since the age of 20. Mark has helped build websites and brands including www.gobananas.co.uk , www.whitepages.co.uk , www.scotland.org.uk and www.karmakerala.com
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About HelpMeGo.To, The New York Times: HelpMeGo.To is a travel based company dealing a group travel system for planning & booking.
Rushi Shrestha
Social Media Marketing Director of emerz Marketing
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About emerz Marketing: Restaurant Marketing Agency in London helping restaurants to acquire and retain customers using SEO, PPC, PR, Email & Social Media.
Raj Shahi
Sales & Marketing Director of emerz Marketing
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About emerz Marketing: Restaurant Marketing Agency in London helping restaurants to acquire and retain customers using SEO, PPC, PR, Email & Social Media.
