Speakers

James is a Tech Champion at the Digital Culture Network, a programme by Arts Council England to upskill the creative and cultural sector and embrace digital technologies. Over the last five years James has delivered over 1,200 one-to-one support sessions, workshops and webinars.

Amy has over 10 years’ experience in the heritage sector, from Retail & Admissions at IWM and the opening project team for the redeveloped Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery, to the Sales & Welcome team at V&A and now Head of Operations & Commercial at Young V&A. Amy loves talking all things visitor experience, commercial, operational planning and queues!

Ashley develops and produces film adaptations of Hasbro’s amazing brands including Cluedo, Magic: The Gathering, My Little Pony, and Tonka Trucks. Most recently, she produced the critically acclaimed film Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves. Her expertise lies in helping brands diversify their stories, deepening engagement with current audiences and growing new audiences.

Sarah‘s career has spanned 25 years across the Attraction, Leisure and Hospitality sectors, from front-of-house roles to senior commercial and operational positions, before honing her ticketing/membership/EPOS/CRM software knowledge. This cross-sector and industry experience provides 360-degree insights, enabling you to select the right tech or deliver the operational and commercial practices that will grow your business.

Previously based at True’s Yard Fisherfolk Museum, Lindsey now spearheads the Full Steam Ahead Project at Cambridge Museum of Technology. Passionate about the heritage sector and its development, Lindsey has achieved Associateship of the Museums Association and Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts.

As Volunteer Manager at Young V&A, Rachel is dedicated to fostering a positive and meaningful volunteer experience, taking the time to understand each volunteer’s motivations and interests. Rachel has also worked in youth engagement and volunteer management at a London based community learning centre.

With over 10 years’ experience in visitor facing roles, Will is currently Deputy Visitor Experience Manager at the Design Museum. He has a keen interest in how the Visitor Experience is front and centre in a museum’s offering and how human connection is more important than ever.

James is a founding member of Lumsden’s award-winning team, shaping commercial experiences for
destinations including MoMA, British Museum, M+, Royal National Theatre, and Warner Bros Studio Tour London and Tokyo. James is passionate about creating experiences that blend culture and commerce through captivating storytelling, design, and inventive product curation.

As Head of Business at The Box, Plymouth’s £47m new museum, gallery and archive, Kate works closely with the CEO to drive commercial and
fundraised income and audiences. Kate was previously Executive Director of Torbay Culture, leading the implementation of Torbay’s Cultural Strategy and Great Place Scheme.

George leads the commercial and growth strategy at Ticket Tailor, a leading online ticketing platform, offering a user friendly, white-label solution for a wide range of events and attractions. Founded in the UK in 2010, Ticket Tailor now issues over 20m tickets a year, for clients all over the world – ranging from national attractions, to festivals, independent venues and pop-up workshops.

Claire has over 25 years’ experience as a preventive conservator. After roles in the National Trust and English Heritage, she founded Spencer & Fry in 2015. The company supports historic houses and museums in all aspects of collections care, specialising in managing the risks associated with hosting filming and events.

Joseph Galliano-Doig MBE is co-founder and Director Emeritus of award-winning LGBTQ+ museum Queer Britain. He has also been an editor, major donor and charity ambassador manager, and was Deputy CEO for OUTstanding, a network for business leaders working to create a more equitable corporate culture. He firmly believes in driving social purpose through entrepreneurial behaviours.

Lloyd has 20 years experience in the heritage and cultural sector in South Wales, with roles at Cardiff Castle and BBC Cymru Wales, and as a freelance writer and lecturer. Now CEO of Insole Court Trust, Lloyd is taking the charity to the next stage of its development as a much loved community hub and vital part of Cardiff’s heritage landscape.

Specialising in events and public programming with a strong commercial focus, Georgina has held roles at English Heritage and the Natural History Museum as well as Old Royal Naval College. She is experienced in large scale events, activations for key corporate partners, and exploring new ideas for commercial income.

Kelly focuses on creative and commercial results for clients by combining the constraints of the real world with the opportunities of imaginary ones. She leads on guest experience strategy and narrative
concepts. Kelly weaves her magic on Ferrari, York Archaeology, LEGO and Warner Bros Discovery among others.

As part of the core partnership team at Oxford Brookes Business School, Paul has worked with Blenheim Palace for five years, supporting its vision for digital innovation. He teaches Digital Transformation and Leadership on the Brookes MBA and has also worked as a management consultant, trainer and start-up entrepreneur.

Robbie provides data-driven audience and market trends as well as operational insights to inspire Katapult’s design team to create immersive, commercially successful experiences. He has over 10 years’ experience in the leisure industry working with iconic brands, museums and visitor attractions worldwide.

Naomi Korn Associates is one of the UK’s leading suppliers of copyright and data protection expertise to the cultural and creative industries with consultancy services and an Online Training Academy. Naomi is a lecturer and author and is also undertaking a PhD analysing the impact of Brexit on the management of orphan works.

Samantha became Artistic Director at Little Angel Theatre in 2015. Formerly Director of Projects at the Almeida Theatre and Education Manager at the Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch, where she created Theatre-in-Education shows for schools, Samantha has adapted and directed numerous shows at Little Angel Theatre which have toured across the country.

Deborah leads on Achates’ income generation consultancy across the cultural sector, having held senior positions in venue-based and touring cultural organisations. Previous roles include Head of Development for Opera North where she oversaw the £18m Music Works capital campaign, Director of Development at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and Fund-raising Manager at Sheffield Theatres.

Melanie brings extensive leadership experience in heritage, arts, culture, and visitor engagement. Previously CEO at Shakespeare North Playhouse, she was instrumental in launching this pioneering cultural venue as a catalyst for community regeneration through arts and heritage, and has also spent a decade as an Executive Director at National Museums Liverpool.

Caroline heads up Achates, a cultural consultancy which takes a purpose-led, audience-informed approach, ensuring resilience with integrity. She is Chair of the Cultural Philanthropy Foundation and founded the Achates Philanthropy Prize. She is a Trustee of the National Centre for Writing, co-founded The London Ticket Bank and was on The Stage’s 2023 list of the 100 most influential people in theatre.

As Associate Director in BVA BDRC’s Tourism and Attractions Team, Diana specialises in running Mystery Shopping programmes, having led on their design and delivery in the hospitality, fitness and attractions sectors. Diana collaborates with the team and clients to ensure successful delivery and to enhance the value for participating venues.

Julie has over 30 years’ experience in commercial transformation within cultural organisations. Previously Managing Director of National Gallery Global, she has also held roles at The Royal Academy, Royal Collection and C&A UK, and trustee positions with Cultural Enterprises, Lyric Theatre Hammersmith and Watts Gallery.

With responsibility for the operational and strategic leadership of Cultural Enterprises, Gordon is passionate about helping cultural venues to develop and thrive. He has a wealth of experience in culture, tourism and hospitality, having previously held roles at ASVA, VisitScotland and Museums & Galleries Edinburgh.

As Commercial Manager at The Box, Plymouth’s £47m museum, gallery and archive, Charlotte works on delivering commercial income across catering, venue hire, events, retail and licensing. Charlotte has previously worked for The Institution of Civil Engineers and in regional television.

As National Venue Hire Manager Christina is responsible for all areas of English Heritage’s hire business from photoshoots and weddings to large scale events and feature film hires. She is also the Founder and Chair of the Heritage Filming Alliance.

With 15 years’ experience working with institutions including the National Theatre, Metropolitan Opera, and Sydney Opera House, David specialises in earned income strategy and audience segmentation. His approach emphasises meaningful relationships between cultural venues and their audiences, helping to build sustainable income streams.

Sandy has extensive experience within the hospitality and events industry through various management, commercial and leadership roles. Heritage Portfolio is a leading provider of hospitality at cultural venues, providing exceptional dining experiences with personalised service and impeccable attention to detail.

With over 20 years’ experience working within culture, tourism and events, Susan has held senior roles with Criton, Underbelly Ltd, and Festivals Edinburgh before joining Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society. She holds an Executive MBA (Merit) from Edinburgh University and is also Founder and Chair of Women In Tourism.

Peta has worked across the arts industries for 15 years in various roles, including the Barbican Centre, Guildhall School and currently as the Executive Director of Little Angel Theatre. She is a chartered accountant with a passion for creativity and enjoys using her skills to increase organisational efficiency and resilience, enabling more time and energy to be concentrated on their primary purpose.

Kieran has over 25 years’ experience in the cultural sector including buying, merchandising, supplier negotiation, publishing, operations, ecommerce, wholesale and events. He manages IWM’s merchandising and wholesale operations, and works closely with the publishing team. He is also the author of The Ultimate World War II Quiz Book, The Churchill Quiz Book and Aircraft of World War II.

Harriet has extensive experience leading visitor experience in cultural organisations with a focus on hospitality. At Arc she has led the development of the café and retail offer as a social enterprise, raising vital funds and increasing sustainability. She is passionate about creating the best possible visitor experience at the Hat Works in Stockport.

With 10 years under his belt at Canterbury Cathedral, Simon is the Commercial Manager, leading the Admissions, Retail, Travel Trade, and Pilgrimage elements of the Visitor Experience. With a background in retail analysis, he has developed new income streams, consolidated existing platforms, and launched new systems across the Cathedral.