Meet the Judges

Clare is a Company Founder / Director and Consultant Event Operations Manager with over 15 years delivering event experiences across outdoor mass gathering and brand sectors. Clare is a TechIOSH safety manager, contributor to the Purple Guide, and was one of the first UK cohort to undertake an MSc in Crowded Places & Public Safety Management. Working predominately alongside independent and grassroots festivals, Clare has developed her company to be an award-winning organisation driven by values that include collaboration, belonging, clarity and thought leadership.

Clare specialisies in event operational delivery and project management, including health & safety, crowd management, policy development, licencing, budgets, team leadership, and communications.

Pauline Bourdon brings a unique set of logistical expertise and unshakable commitment to climate and social justice. Over the years she has supported major festivals and events from Glastonbury Festival (Silver Hayes) and Boomtown Fair to FORWARDS Festival, Love Saves The Day and Simple Things Festival, first building her career in Artist Logistics and Accreditation Management.

Pauline’s values and creativity have always been at the heart of her life and career. Her time growing up in France nourished a profound love and respect for artists, cultural spaces and their ecosystem of creatives. In 2021, seven years after moving to the UK, she took a bold leap and founded Soliphilia. A consultancy that would merge her passion for artist development and for a fairer, greener and kinder future for the music industry.

Nick Dann is Head of Production at Labyrinth, known for turning bold creative ideas into safe, commercially strong, fan-first experiences - whether indoors or on a greenfield site. Working at the intersection of promoter and production, Nick leads delivery across planning, stakeholders and on-site execution, ensuring the experience stays ambitious while the operation remains watertight.

Rob is Chief Operating Officer at We Group, the umbrella company providing festival and event production services via The Fair; creative production in the public-realm through We Are Placemaking; and operations, health & safety and licensing services via We Are OPS. The teams deliver events across the UK, Europe, US and beyond.

Responsible for leading the operational delivery and commercial performance of Co-op Live in Manchester, the largest purpose built indoor arena in Europe, operated by Oakview Group. I have 30 years of experience in venue management, previously working as Managing Director of Arenas and Ticketing for the NEC Group Arenas. I have successfully led the venue event delivery of major events such as the BRITs, MOBO Awards, BBC Sports Personality of the Year, the Ryder Cup Gala Dinner and Horse of the Year Show. I am a former Chair of the National Arenas Association (NAA) and currently a member of the NAA Steering Group.

Lana Elworthy is Head of Production at Boomtown, one of the UK's most ambitious and complicated festivals. She leads the production delivery of Boomtown's temporary city, working across stages, creative districts, infrastructure, suppliers, technical teams and onsite crews.

Her role is about turning big creative ideas into something that can actually be built, signed off, opened safely and still feel magic when the gates open.

Lana brings hands on experience in high pressure site delivery, supplier management, technical coordination and leading teams through intense build and live periods. She brings a practical, honest and production led perspective, with a real appreciation for the craft, graft and problem solving that sits behind brilliant live events.

With over 20 years experience in the events industry, Lucy Fenner is Commercial Director at Alexandra Palace and a member of the Executive Team. Responsible for Sales, Programming, Ticketing, Catering, Partnerships, Attractions and Marketing, helping to shape the commercial strategy and delivery of one of the UK's most iconic venues.

Iain Game is Festival Director of Wychwood Festival, leading one of the UK's longest-running independent music festivals. He oversees programming, marketing, commercial strategy and delivery. His career spans over a decade in live events, including the delivery of large-scale outdoor festivals. Prior to this, Iain held a senior event management role on Y Not Festival at Broadwick Live.

Hugo has consistently demonstrated exceptional ambition throughout his career, actively contributing across various sectors within the events industry and continually seeking innovative approaches. At O2 Guildhall Southampton, he works tirelessly year-round and embraces every festival season as an opportunity to broaden his expertise. His diverse experience and adaptability firmly establish his place among industry leaders.

Adam Gregory is part of the team behind Bloodstock Open Air, one of the United Kingdom's leading heavy metal festivals. As Festival Director, he contributes to the overall vision and delivery of the event, working alongside founder Paul Gregory and co-Directors Rachael Greenfield and Vicky Hungerford.

Together, the team has built Bloodstock into a globally respected destination for metal fans, known for its strong sense of community and its support of both emerging artists and major international acts. Adam's role sits within this collaborative effort, helping to shape the festival's direction while maintaining the spirit and authenticity that define it.

Bee Grzegorzek is the Inclusive Communities Manager at Attitude is Everything, where they combine a passion for music and live events with a commitment to accessibility and inclusion. Drawing on their lived experience as a disabled professional and musician, Bee has spent the past five years advocating for Deaf, disabled, and neurodiverse people within the live events sector.

Since joining Attitude is Everything in 2023, they have created accessibility frameworks for grassroots and community organisations, delivered training, and provided practical support to industry professionals, volunteers, and audiences alike. Bee's work ensures that accessibility is not just a policy, but a lived reality, fostering inclusive environments across venues and events of all sizes.

Toby Gwazdacz is the Managing Director of Boomtown, where he leads one of the UK's most ambitious and immersive cultural experiences.

Combining commercial discipline with creative ambition, he oversees the strategic and operational delivery of the festival, from long-term vision and business performance through to audience experience. His focus is on building financially resilient, future-facing live experiences that push the boundaries of immersive storytelling at scale.

Luke Hinton is the founder and director of Juicebox Live, a multi award winning independent live music promoter with nearly two decades of experience championing emerging artists and grassroots venues across the UK. Through Juicebox Live, he has promoted thousands of shows, built long-term relationships with artists, agents and venues, and developed initiatives that create new opportunities for independent musicians.

Alongside his work as a promoter, Luke is a Chair of the Association of Independent Promoters (AIP), where he helps represent and support the UK's independent promoter community. He has played a key role in industry advocacy, professional development and collaborative projects, working with organisations including Music Venue Trust, Arts Council England and other sector partners to strengthen the grassroots live music ecosystem.

Jack is Co-Founder and Managing Director of The Park, the marketing-led experiential agency and creators of Brand Proof. The Park works with brands that stand for something and helps them prove it to their customers and internal stakeholders. Those brands include H&M, Acast, NBC, Red Bull, Dreamworks and Pinterest.

He brings over 20 years of marketing experience, having held various positions at Cake, Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, Frank and Exposure, before jetting to Sydney to set up M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment in 2009, where he learned about the business side of running an agency.

Jack returned to the UK to start The Park with partners Will and Lloyd in 2018, and today oversees the operational side of the business, as well as ensuring the team supplies the best ideas and delivery of brand proof to current and potential clients. He also oversees the Sydney office, which opened its doors in 2021.

Andrew has worked for over 30 years in cultured academia and politics. He specialises in policy research and transnational cultural collaboration. He runs a consultancy advising governments, trade bodies and sector organisations bringing together policy research and project delivery across creative ecosystems

Fran leads live event production across Europe for Octagon and FRUKT.

His team delivers impactful experiences for brands at some of the world's biggest sporting and entertainment platforms, including the UEFA Champions League, Formula 1 and the Olympic Games.

From retail activations to large fan-focussed events, he specialises in turning ambitious creative ideas into seamless live experiences that create impact in the moment and long after the event has ended.

Believing that the best experiences are culturally relevant, strategically purposeful and flawlessly executed, he has led award-winning work for brands including PlayStation, Mastercard, ABInBev and M&S.

With over two decades of experience in live events, Jackie has built a career at the intersection of operations and creativity. From her long-standing work at Glastonbury Festival and many other independent events, to major international projects such as the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, she's collaborated with exceptional logistical teams and some of the most radical and ambitious creative thinkers, designers, and production companies in the world — helping them to realise their artistic visions in full.

With a solid background in site design and operations, and fluency in AutoCAD, she specialises in turning ambitious concepts into practical and safe events, across music, culture, and sport.

Fiona is Director of Festival Productions at FUEL, based in Dublin, Ireland. Fiona oversees the end to end delivery of several major Irish festivals including WellFest, Beyond the Pale & Kaleidoscope Festival. With a background in site production & event licensing, Fiona began her career working for major Irish productions including St Patrick's Festival and Electric Picnic, before joining FUEL in 2019. Fiona leads the development and delivery of FUEL's public events and festivals, directing a team of event producers to create unforgettable moments and experiences for audiences across the country.

With over 25 + years experience in managing successful sales & marketing teams, Sian is currently the Sales & Marketing Manager for the Utilita Arena Cardiff, part of Live Nation. The role includes developing a core corporate business for events and premium hospitality sales, plus creating and delivering successful marketing strategies.

Sian is a member of the Access All Areas 100, plus sits on the Board of Advisors for NOWIE "The Network of Women in Events and has recently co-launched the Hospitality & Events Network Wales" a growing group for event professionals within Wales.

James Penfold is the Commercial Director at Dreamland Margate, overseeing all commercial operations at the historic seaside venue. With over 15 years of experience across programming, production, operations and promotion, he has worked with major music acts and managed large-scale events, both in venues and festival settings.

Mike Pickets is a multi award-winning entrepreneur with 20 years experience in live events. He is the Founder of Raver Tots, the UK’s leading family-friendly rave and festival brand, now entering a global expansion phase following successful pilot launches across the USA, Europe and the UAE.

Alongside Raver Tots, Mike operates and holds licences for multiple festival sites across the UK, spanning dance, soul and orchestral formats. He has delivered touring shows in over 60 cities, selling more than 100,000 tickets annually.

Emma Simpson is an Operations & Production Manager who has worked on shows like - Glastonbury, Big Feastival, Boomtown and Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. In her role she leads complex live events and her leadership is grounded in empathy, shaped by her freelance background, and built on creating environments where all staff, from on-site crew to senior stakeholders, can perform at their best.

Passionate about collaboration and sustainability, Emma champions transparency, fair freelancer pay, and practical solutions to rising operational costs. Her expertise spans operations, production, logistics, budgeting, and health and safety, and she is known for mentoring junior team members while sharing knowledge openly across IMG and the wider industry.

Contribution to Live Events 2025 MEI awards as an Outstanding Contribution to Festivals 2024 UK Festival Awards - NOEA National Outdoor Events Association 'Presidents Award' in 2019. Gills career started at Capital Radio, in her final year as 'Head of Entertainment' and responsible for producing the first 100,000 capacity Party in the Park, Hyde Park. With a burning passion to start an event production business left Capital to start 'entertee' producing prestigious events across the UK including Festival Director/Producer for 'The Hop Farm Festival' working with the legendary music man and Promoter Vince Power featuring iconic artists, including Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Prince's only ever UK Festival.

Mel is the co-founder and CEO of Continental Drifts, specialising in the management and development of outdoor events and celebrations.

Mel has worked with a wide range of clients including the Royal Docks, the GLA, BskyB and the American Embassy. With qualifications in both event safety and crowd management Meal leads on the safety management of many of the Continental Drifts events. She also works on the programming of events including Ireland's 'All Together Now' festival. Mel also runs training sessions in event and safety management.

Senior promoter for 25yr.

Live nation SVP

Co CEO AEG presents

MD TEG Europe