New appointments have been made to the Events Industry Board to strengthen its membership. These are to ensure it continues to be fully representative of the various sectors of the industry that can influence the growth of international events that are held in the UK.
The new members are Leigh Jagger, CEO, EVCOM and formerly Director of the Banks Sadler Group (left on the picture) and Conrad Bird, Director of Campaigns and Marketing at the Department for International Trade and formerly the GREAT Campaign Director working in the Prime Minister’s Office and the Cabinet Office Communication Department (middle on the picture).
Jennifer Jenkins, former CEO, EVCOM will be remaining on the Board as an independent member (right on the picture).
The Events Industry Board, established in 2015, advises Ministers on ways of improving the competitiveness of the UK. The objective is to attract a greater number of high-quality international events as well as growing the value of existing international events and seeking to facilitate the creation of new events which relate to priority economic sectors. Its aims are to deliver growth through the economic impact generated by business events and visitor spend, whilst increasing opportunities for trade, exports and inward investment for UK businesses.
The Board is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the UK Government’s International Business Events Action Plan, announced as part of the wider Tourism Sector Deal by the former Prime Minister Theresa May.
The Board has created a comprehensive work programme, a series of roundtables with industry stakeholders including an Industry Leaders’ Advisory Panel and has working groups due to report back on Venue Infrastructure and Talent and Skills.
Michael Hirst OBE, Chair, Event Industry Board said: “I am delighted to welcome Leigh and Conrad to the board. Leigh’s experience of the industry and its creative enterprise will be essential as the Board looks for more ways of using events to showcase the best of Britain. Conrad has already been highly supportive of the business events sector through GREAT’s backing of VisitBritain’s Business Events Growth Fund. His marketing skills and links to the Department of International Trade will be invaluable in the future work of the Board, especially as we go forward and implement the UK Government’s International Business Events Action Plan.”
The Events Industry Board membership is as follows:
- Michael Hirst OBE - Chair and Chair of BVEP
- Sarah Wright - Independent
- Jennifer Jenkins - Independent
- Leigh Jagger – CEO of EVCOM
- Conrad Bird – Director of Campaigns and Marketing at the Department of International Trade
- Mike Rusbridge - Formerly Chairman of Reed Exhibitions - attending in a personal capacity
- Tracy Halliwell MBE - Director of Business Tourism and Major events - London and Partners
- Chris Skeith - Chief Executive of AEO
- Simon Hughes - Independent
- Kate Nicholls - CEO of UKHospitality
- Representatives from VisitBritain, VisitEngland, VisitScotland, VisitWales and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board. It is also be attended by representatives from Government departments including DCMS and DIT.
The next meeting of the Events Industry Board will take place on Friday 6th September 2019.
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Notes to editors
For further information please contact Hollie Luxford at davies tanner –
About The Events Industry Board
The Events Industry Board (the Board) has been set up to help grow the business events industry across the UK, and to act as a sounding board for Government on the best way to achieve this. The Government wants to attract more business events to the UK, support our existing events to grow and discourage existing events from leaving.
The Board is an advisory body which will provide Ministers and Officials guidance and feedback on how Britain may become a more competitive environment in order to attract, grow and create international events.
In so doing, it will reinforce and assist the Government’s objective of improving on the UK’s position of number three in the world ranking for international association meetings to become the leading European country for business events, conferences and congresses by 2025.
This will have the effect of staging in Britain a greater number of high quality international events which will deliver UK growth and prosperity through:
a) Direct economic impact generated by event and visitor spend;
b) Attracting overseas key industry decision makers to the UK, increasing opportunities for exports and investment for UK businesses;
c) Attracting leading academics and innovators;
d) Increasing year round productivity within the UK tourism sector;
e) Enhancing regional prosperity and sense of place.
This objective is in line with the Business Visits and Events Strategy, published in 2015. This commits the UK Government, led by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for International Trade, supported by VisitBritain and working with the devolved administrations and industry where appropriate, to deliver this vision through;
a) Developing and implementing a systematic strategy to identify international business events which we want to attract, grow and create.
b) Driving forward a delivery plan to coordinate government support for events identified by the strategy.
c) Working with the industry to develop and resource the evidence base to inform any future government support for business events.
Further information on the Events Industry Board can be found online here - https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/events-industry-board
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