Dr Rhodri Thomas, Professor of Events Management at Leeds Metropolitan University, talks to H&E North about the prospect of the events sector becoming professionalised.

Alison Plant, Head of Hospitality & Events at Aston Villa Football Club, speaks to H&E North about the Club’s success off the pitch.

How has Aston Villa’s corporate hospitality offer developed since you joined the Club in 1997?
It’s changed dramatically over the years, more so since the take over of Aston Villa three seasons ago by Randy Lerner. We’ve invested in facilities to enhance the experience for customers. Over the last few seasons we’ve renovated suites and this past summer the Holte Pub, one of the Club’s landmarks, reopened after being restored to its former glory.

We, the staff, have had a lot of say in the changes; we didn’t call in the interior designers! Mr Lerner encouraged our input and it’s been fabulous to be a part of the new look hospitality offer.

Entrepreneur and former Dragon’s Den star Rachel Elnaugh spoke to H&E North at Event UK about her plans for creating events that inspire the new wave of business minds.

Entrepreneur Rachel Elnaugh was catapulted into the limelight in 2005 when she became one of the original ‘Dragons’ on the first series of BBC’s Dragon’s Den. Having set up events and experiences brand Red Letter Days from her living room in the early 1990s, the business generated a turnover of over £100million in the years that Rachel was at the helm, earning her an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2002. Upon the company’s collapse in 2005, Rachel removed herself from the media spotlight.
She has since carved a career in public and motivational speaking. Her latest venture, Rachel Elnaugh Events, was launched in June.

Simon Thompson, founder and Managing Director of online venue finding service www.conferences-uk.org.uk , speaks to H&E North about the company’s mission to become the world’s number one conference venue finding agency by 2010.