CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

Andy joined the NEC Group in 2024, his role is to lead the Conventions and Conference division of the business based across ICC Birmingham, NEC Birmingham, and the Vox Conference Venue. Andy's role is to attract domestic and international conventions to the venues and also to deliver a best-in-class experience to visitors.

Prior to Andy’s role at Stadium MK, he was a Managing Director at the Ricoh Arena and Commercial Director at GES. Through these roles he brings with him significant experience in delivering conventions, exhibitions and conferences, as well as live music and sporting events.

Facilitating an ambitious growth strategy for conventions across the venues, his innovative focus continues to push the boundaries of event delivery.

Allan’s previous position with the Group, from 2014-2019, was Director of Event Services of the Group Convention Centres.  During that time, Allan significantly progressed event processes at the ICC and was heavily involved in the mobilisation and development of the Vox, which opened in 2015.  This position had further dual responsibility, handling operations not only at the ICC and Vox, but also The Convention Centre Dublin (CCD) - which was under the successful management of the Group between 2014-2016.

Prior to his recent positions in Birmingham, Allan held the Catering Director role at the then newly built CCD, where he was tasked with setting up the catering contract and hospitality function. He was promoted into the role of Events Operations Director in 2010 to oversee the full operational delivery of the business.

Allan joined the CCD from the ICC, where over a 14-year period from 1995, he held a variety of positions, acquiring vast and in-depth knowledge about the venue, the region and the events industry.

Donna joined the NEC Group in February 2013 as Sales & Sponsorship Manager. Later that year she joined the ICC Sales Team as a Senior Account Manager, and in 2015 was promoted to Account Director. Two further promotions followed over the next five years as Donna was made Sales Director of the ICC and Vox in 2018 before becoming NEC Group Conventions Sales Director in 2020.

Donna has amassed great experience of the Group’s conventions business through her positions, and has been instrumental in shaping the corporate and agency business across the ICC and Vox. She was also heavily involved in the sales operation of the newly built Vox in 2015, taking on responsibility of the Vox Sales Team, restructuring appropriately and implementing new processes and strategy. These efforts, and the consequent success of the venues business, have led to Donna’s rise through Group sales management.

Before joining the NEC Group, Donna worked within local radio, being responsible for sponsorship & partnership for regional corporate and local authority accounts whilst managing the sales team and overseeing the sales strategy.

Craig has vast experience in delivering outstanding conference and banqueting, and during his time with the Group has led the mobilisation of the catering operation at the Vox upon its opening in 2015, as well as being a vital support in his role as mentor to Amadeus colleagues at the Belfast Waterfront Conference Centre.   

Before joining the ICC team, Craig oversaw catering at Highfield Road Stadium, where Coventry City Football Club had great success in the FA Premier League.

He is a Chartered Accountant with over 15 years post-qualified experience having qualified with PwC in Nottingham, and has previously worked in the leisure sector for Punch Taverns Plc.

In his current role as Divisional Finance Director, Ed is now responsible for the combined commercial finance team across the NEC, ICC and Vox. Ed works in partnership with the Managing Director and senior management teams, providing leadership in the development of strategy and financial plans to deliver on strategic objectives.