Leadership

MPI UK & Ireland

Board of Directors

Fiona Pelham

Position:              President

Tel:                         +44 (0) 161 273 5107

Email:                    fiona@organisethis.co.uk

Fiona is managing director of Sustainable Events Ltd, which provides support for the implementation and measurement of sustainability within the event industry. In 2004, the year Fiona joined MPI she launched Organise This, an event management company followed by Positive Impact, not for profit education on sustainability and Event Sustainability an online reporting system .Fiona has served on the board of MPI since 2006. Fiona is co chair for ISO 20121 a management system for sustainable events, inspired by London 2012 Olympic Games and she is passionate about supporting the development of sustainability within the event industry.

Anthony Hyde

Position:              Past President

Tel:                         +44 (0) 20 7382 2392

Email:                    ahyde@barbican.org.uk

Anthony is currently Head of Corporate Sales at the Barbican, responsible for the commercial sales, marketing and PR for conferences, banqueting, exhibitions and corporate hospitality.  He joined the Barbican in 2001 as Business Development Manager from a background in hotels and has been in the industry for more than 10 years. He has been a member of MPI since 2001, during 2009/2010 Anthony was president of the MP UK and Ireland Chapter, it was a year that saw great energy and progress brought to the association and his ongoing involvement will continue to develop the chapter for the benefit of its members.

Samme Allen

Position:              President Elect

Tel:                         +44 (0) 20 7382 7093

Email:                    sallen@barbican.org

Samme is the Business Development Manager at the Barbican Centre and Chair of the London City Selection. Samme has been a member of MPI for 4 years and has served on various committees and was VP of Sponsorship 2008-2009. She is now President Elect of the UK & Ireland Chapter. Samme has been working in various capacities within the event industry globally for 8 years including event planning roles in both the UK and Hong Kong. Samme's goal is to continue to work hard to maintain and develop the rich global events community within MPI.

Liz Rice

Position:              Vice President Knowledge

Tel:                         +44 (0) 20 7202 2947

Email:                    liz.rice@metrobroadcast.com

Liz is a Director at Metro Broadcast, company that has supplied audio visual, event and broadcast services for over 30 years. Metro support all types of live event including conferences, seminars, road shows, AGMs, gala dinners, award ceremonies and webcast events. Liz manages events for numerous clients including Deloitte, Unilever and Tesco. Liz has been a member of MPI since 2006. Since this time she has held various committee and Board positions including Marketing, Membership and her current Education role. She is passionate about delivering high quality, professional educational events that meet the needs of both planners and suppliers. In the last year she has spearheaded the development of the Corporate Planner Forums and has successfully staged a series of live panel debates featuring industry heavyweights.

Miguel Neves

Position:              Vice President Marketing

Tel:                         +44 (0) 20 7193 3250

Email:                    miguel@synaxismeetings.com

Miguel has designed and produced meetings, conferences and events throughout Europe and North America since 2005. Miguel is based in London where he heads the European office of SYNAXIS Meetings & Events and serves as VP of Marketing for the MPI United Kingdom & Ireland chapter. Miguel holds a Masters degree in Conference and Events Management from the University of Westminster and has received the Certified Diversity Meeting Professional designation from the International Association of Hispanic Meeting Professionals. Miguel is a passionate apprentice of Meeting Architecture and seeks to gain and share knowledge on improving the effectiveness of communal human experiences.

Mandy Torrens

Position:              Vice President Membership

Tel:                         +44 (0) 20 8910 7005

Email:                    mandy.torrens@reedexpo.co.uk

Prior to her current role as Immediate Past President, Mandy has been on the MPI UK Board for 4 years and has served as Events Chair before becoming President in 2008. Mandy has a strong background in marketing with over 12 years of experience in services, publishing and exhibitions. Before becoming an Event Manager, Mandy, was responsible for the move to Barcelona and the See You There campaign. She also launched the first EIBTM website and monthly e-newsletters, online sharing company registration and online visitor registration. Mandy helped launch the industry's first dedicated Association Programme and now Corporate Programme. Mandy has been Exhibition Director of EIBTM since April 2007, overseeing Sales, Marketing and Hosted Buyer Programmes reporting to Paul Kennedy MBE, Meetings and Incentives Group Exhibition Director.

Mike Lyon

Position:              Vice President Regional

Tel:                         +44 (0) 1926 624107

Email:                    mike@write-style.co.uk

Mike Lyon is a copywriter, trainer and consultant for the events industry, drawing on over 20 years experience as a conference organiser. As a copywriter, he specialises in the conferences and exhibitions industry, providing compelling words for Direct Mail, Brochures, Newsletters and Web Pages. Recent speaking engagements include International Confex, EventUK, EIBTM, Academic Venue Show, Business Travel Show and the UK Business Tourism Conference. He also manages the Advice Centre for International Confex. On the MPI Board, he is responsible for the Regional Events. Mike is also on the board of ABPCO. Mike has written the one of the most comprehensive handbooks on Venue Finding and Site Selection techniques, which has achieved wide recognition from event planners around the world. Mike is Director of Write Style Communications, a consultancy offering solutions to support the Conference Bureau, Hotel and Venues industries. Write Style has managed Press and Media Centres at some key exhibitions including the largest Audio Visual Show in Europe - Integrated Systems Europe and the largest Bus and Coach exhibition in Europe - Euro Bus Expo.

Nathalie Jean

Position:              Vice President Partnerships

Tel:                         +44 (0)7990 643644

Email:                    nathalie@lychee3.com

After graduating from Buckinghamshire Chilterns University in 2000, Nathalie started her career as Business Development Manager working for an agency, Res-O-Tel, where she gained experience in corporate reservations, exhibitions and conferences.  After 2 years, Nathalie joined IHG first as Corporate Sales Manager working for 2 Holiday Inns in London & then as Sales Manager, opening the new Crowne Plaza London – The City. After 3 successful years at IHG, Nathalie joined Park Plaza Hotels working in the UK & Ireland Regional Sales Team. She was first Sales Manager looking after key corporate/consortia accounts, then Regional Director of Sales, and finally tasked with leading a 10-strong Regional MICE team focusing on driving new business to the portfolio. After 5 years at Park Plaza, Nathalie decided to take on a new challenge and started her own sales representation company - Lychee3 Solutions - offering sales support to venues, hotels & destinations in European markets.

Charles Perkin

Position:              Vice President CSR

Tel:                         +44 (0) 20 7549 3300

Email:                    charles.perkin@ciria.org

CSR I am currently the Events Manager for CIRIA, a not for profit association who work in the Built Environment Sector. I manage a program of 120 events a year, mainly in the UK, but also Europe.  I have 10 years plus of Event Management experience and I have been a member of MPI for 5 years now. I have a keen interest in CSR and Sustainability so I am happy to now be the CSR Chapter president for MPI UK & Ireland Chapter. I have met some great friends through MPI, and valuable business contacts.

Rob Eveleigh

Position:              Vice President Events

Tel:                         +44 (0) 7885 298 199

Email:                    rob@ideasevents.co.uk

I'm a freelance conference and event manager based in London, experienced in all aspects of conference and event management, from conception, through planning and operations, and of course evaluation. In MPI I am responsible for the event logistics of education events, and conception and execution of all social events. Why am I in MPI? Because I believe in the value of both education and networking in the industry and MPI personifies that.....(it's also a lot of fun!)

Emma Hood

Position:              Treasurer & By Laws

Tel:                         +44 (0) 20 7680 8763

Email:                    ehood@apex-insurance.com

Emma has been a member of MPI since 2005. As an Underwriter of a wide portfolio of events throughout the industry, Emma finds it particularly interesting to see things through the eyes of planners and suppliers. In particular, Emma has found the education evenings of great interest and has gained a greater understanding of what is involved in organising an event. In the forthcoming year Emma looks forward to seeing a soar in membership with the fantastic Training and Social events scheduled, and to meeting more members of the MPI fraternity. Emma is currently the Treasurer & Chair of By-laws.

Becky Smith

Position:              Director, Marketing

Tel:                         +44 (0) 20 8334 7026

Email:                    becky@humewhitehead.co.uk

Becky started her career at Carlson Wagonlit Travel with particular focus on the business events team. She then went on to join the Travel Industry Association of America, working with the U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Embassy organising all European events and working closely with all sectors of the MICE market. Becky then joined Qatar Airways working throughout the marketing spectrum and was tasked with setting up and kick starting the MICE and direct corporate department.  Prior to joining Hume Whitehead, she led the MICE and corporate sales activities for NYC & Company, Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority and Reval Hotels in the UK.  She now leads the MICE, Leisure sales and marketing initiatives for a selection of clients in the USA, Europe and Asia within Hume Whitehead. 

Colin Bradbury

Position:              Director, Membership

Tel:                         +44 (0) 20 7659 0391

Email:                    colin.bradbury@jestacap.com

Colin has many years selling and marketing experience in media, exhibitions and the hotel industry. Currently Director of Sales for Jesta Hotels who own the 5 star Palais Stephanie in Cannes, the 4 star Hotel Ambassadeur in Juan les Pins and the Airport Hotel in Montreal. Colin has been an MPI member for 7 years now and has served on the Events and Marketing committees before taking on the Chair of Marketing in 2008/9. The reason he likes MPI is that the networking is the best in the industry and the 50/50 buyer, supplier split ensures a healthy membership. Objectives for this year will be to create a greater awareness and attract more members to the MPI global community as well as giving greater value to members as well as supporting regional initiatives.

Paul Cook

Position:              Student & International Relations

Tel:                         +44 (0) 1883 734999

Email:                    paul@clarityeventinsurance.com

Paul Cook has created and developed businesses specifically for the events industry. Planet Planit is his internet publishing business. Planet Planit has in a very short space of time become the website for event planners everywhere to go to for event planning information. Clarity Event Insurance is his specialist event and media insurance brokerage. Paul's passion is connecting people and ideas. Through his businesses and his leadership in Meeting Professionals International (MPI) he is a recognized industry figure known for his pragmatic, creative and common sense business approach. Many people know Paul as The Events Connector.

Richard Kidd

Position:              Secretariat

Tel:                         + 44 (0) 7889 644527

Email:                    secretariat@mpiuk.org