ExCeL London has announced that it has expanded its senior leadership team via the appointment of Anna Clover as head of event management and Simon Callow as head of technology, further strengthening the venue’s senior leadership team.

Clover has 27 years of industry experience, and previously worked as director of venue operations and customer experience at The Queen Elizabeth II Centre. She has also been a main board director for the Association of Event Venues (AEV).

According to new research commissioned SAP Concur, a company that provides integrated travel, expense, and invoice management solutions, health and safety will be key to returning business travel to pre-pandemic normality.

The research, which surveyed 500 UK business travellers and 100 UK travel managers, found that the most common emotions they feel about their next business trip include anxiety (43%) and worry (37%). Despite this, many business travellers feel positively about their next business trip, with 31% feeling encouraged and 18% feeling relieved.

Consortium Venues of Excellence (VOE) has announced that it has become a strategic partner of the Institute of Hospitality (IOH).

Executive director of the VOE, Mandy Jennings (pictured), said: “VOE value the importance of their alliances with key industry partners, who all play a crucial role in the strategic development of moving our consortia and brand forward.  We believe sharing best practices across organisations and becoming a Strategic Partner of the Institute will being benefits to our members and their teams, enhancing the relationship for all. 

CEO of DRPG, Dale Parmenter, on how Covid-19 will affect the market for event suppliers.

Cheshire-based brand experience agency, Make Events has launched a post-pandemic business strategy, which CEO Holly Moore, says is: “Not a temporary pivot, it’s a change in strategy without a change of vision.

“In a world that is ‘zoomed out’ and suffering with digital fatigue; we wanted to make sure we can create an energetic, content driven, fast-paced, visually exciting virtual experience partnered with digital and tangible pre and post event communications,” says Moore.

CEO of Smyle agency, Rick Stainton, and chairman of the Business Visits and Events Partnership (BVEP), Simon Hughes (pictured), have published an open letter to those within the live events industry, outlining how best to inspire confidence in events once they reopen on 1 October.