UKEVENTS BUSINESS EVENTS WORKING GROUP

The working group's key priority objectives and areas of policy under the UKEVENTS Strategic Plan of Work 2022-23 are as follows:

• Continue to support the business events sector through its post pandemic recovery, working with partners to highlight specific issues and opportunities and to develop new ways of working.

• Develop a plan to quickly adopt the new sector specific SIC/SOC codes to support clearer identification of the organisations that work within business meetings and events and to improve the collection and quality of relevant data.

• Focus on the issue of sustainability and the role business events can play in supporting the UK’s journey to net zero.

Working Group Members:

Chair: Rachel Parker, EIA - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Heather Lishman, ABPCO
Lisa Hatswell, UVL
Paul Black, VisitBritain
Rory Archibald, VisitScotland / Business Events Scotland.

UKEVENTS OUTDOOR EVENTS WORKING GROUP

The working group's key priority objectives and areas of policy under the UKEVENTS Strategic Plan of Work 2022-23 are as follows:

• Promote the entire UK outdoor sector and to re-establish a more competitive supply chain.

• Endorse and advocate for more free movement across the labour market.

• Encourage increased training within sustainability, diversity, equity & inclusion and the promotion of sector specific apprenticeship
  programs.

Working Group Members:

Chair: Tom Clements (UKEVENTS Vice Chair / NOEA)

Cris Cicirello – Wasserman Experience
Tom Clements – NOEA
Steve Heap – EIF
Simon Hambley – STRATA
Paul Hooper – ASAO (Agricultural shows)
Amelia Shepherd – TRO
Susan Tanner – NOEA
Jim Winship – EIF
Andrew Orr – TRO
Des Fitzgerald – The Showmen’s Guild
Gary Elson – BADA

UKEVENTS ADVOCACY & GOVERNMENT RELATIONS WORKING GROUP

The working group's key priority objectives and areas of policy as follows:

• Continue to raise the Industry’s profile, making influencers and policymakers have more understanding of Industry and of the economic and social benefits from aligning the Industry’s activities with the government’s growth objectives.

• Working with Partners and other allied organisations to provide the evidence to secure greater support for the Industry through regulatory changes and fiscal incentives to boost growth in the Industry.

• Promote a one team approach across the UK Government to establish a standalone body that takes a policy lead on delivering a nationwide event strategy and to win new business for the UK.

• Maintain a collaborative approach across Industry bodies and government departments on issues that promote the interests of the Industry.

(Revised on 6th March 2024)

Working Group Members:

Co-Chairs: David Tremmil (Beam / UKEVENTS Vice Chair) and Michael Hirst OBE (UKEVENTS Advocacy & Government Relations co-Lead)  

Clive Wratten, BTA
Rachel Parker, EIA
Shonali Devereaux, MIA
Susan Tanner, NOEA / UKEVENTS Vice Chair
Peter Heath, PLASA
Paul Black, VisitBritain
Neil Brownlee / Marie Christie / Torquil MacLeod, VisitScotland
Heledd Williams, VisitWales
Simon Hughes, The Power of Events
Martin Fullard, UKEVENTS Executive Committee Member for Communication
Lesley Whyte / Mike Fletcher, The Business of Events / daviestanner / APPG for Events.

UKEVENTS RESEARCH & BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE WORKING GROUP

The working group's key priority objectives and areas of policy under the UKEVENTS Strategic Plan of Work 2022-23 are as follows:

Be the primary resource, collector and reference point for all research, insights and market intelligence related to the UK events
sector, and to specifically:

• Extend the sample audience for the Quarterly Business Barometer to achieve a more balanced market view.
• Complete and publish a new version of the UK Events Industry Report (last completed in 2019 and published in 2020) in early 2023 to provide an update and comparison for the sector both pre and post pandemic.
• Create annual research on the volume and value of events within the UK, potentially in collaboration with VisitBritain.

Working Group Members:

Chair: John Gallery