Connecting eCommerce and Entertainment

As Managing Partner of Braintrust Hospitality & Leisure, José Ignacio Sánchez Butragueño brings over 20 years of executive international experience with some of the tourism & leisure industry’s most prominent companies.

Before joining Braintrust, José Ignacio worked at Deloitte as a Senior Director for the Travel & Leisure industries. He served as Global Vice President of Revenue Strategy for NH Hotel Group, leading a team of over 230 people who played a pivotal role in the company’s revenue growth within the context of a highly ambitious Strategic Plan. He also held the position of Revenue Management Director at Parques Reunidos, where he developed revenue optimization processes and strategy from scracth during an IPO process. Additionally, he was Revenue Management Director-EMEA for Meliá Hotels International, overseeing a team of more than 70 people across over 20 countries.

He has been also member of the advisory board in different companies, such as The Leading Hotels of the World, Sercotel or Selenta Hotel Group, as well as in the american pricing technology company Duetto.

José Ignacio offers clients an unmatched blend of strategic vision, executional expertise, and deep commercial & marketing knowledge. A recognized leader in the Tourism and Leisure sectors, he is considered a respected authority in Commercial Strategy & Pricing and has been a driving force behind transformative growth for top organizations since 2001. José Ignacio’s proactive approach prioritizes both immediate results and long-term strategic alignment. His commitment to profit optimization and sustainable growth has consistently enabled his clients to thrive in competitive markets and has solidified his reputation as an industry leader and valued partner.

José Ignacio holds a diploma in Tourism Business Administration from UNED (Madrid) and a diploma in Information Technology from Complutense University (Madrid). He also has a Master’s in International Hotel Management from Les Roches – Swiss International School of Hotel Management and a Master’s in Digital Marketing from ESIC (Madrid).
Alongside his professional endeavors, he is also a distinguished professor in university master’s programs, such as International MBA at IE Business School, URJC University or Politécnica University, sharing his expertise in pricing and commercial strategy.

An international business leader with extensive experience of commercial, charitable and Government- supported cultural activities in the UK, Europe and the Middle East, including both developing and running iconic global destination performing arts venues.

Jim McCarthy is the founder of Impresario Strategic Growth Service. The co-founder and former CEO of Goldstar and Stellar Live, Jim is the world’s leading authority on audience development for live events organizations. He and his team have supported more than 2,000,000 live events and delivered tens of millions of customers to partners and clients.

His work at Impresario Strategic Growth Service focuses that expertise on professional football (soccer) teams and leagues, supporting their revenue and audience growth.

Jim also serves on the Advisory Board of the Rose Bowl Institute, the Board of Trustees at the Pasadena Playhouse and is an adjunct professor at the Greif Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Southern California. He graduated from Harvard University and earned an MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA.

Simon Weber is the Co-Founder of vivenu, the technology-leading primary ticketing software for major organizers around the world such as the Grammy Awards, FC Schalke 04, Stanford University, Hockenheimring, ESL, and many more. With a focus on business expansion and stakeholder engagement, Simon drives vivenu’s mission to become the backbone of the global ticketing industry.

At #TBF24 Simon will be presenting Unlocking the Power of Data in Ticketing: Navigate the Data Rush of the 2020s. He’ll explore how harnessing data revolutionises ticketing industry strategies, enhances customer experiences, and drives business growth in an era of unprecedented digital transformation.

Emily is General Manager for STH UK, leading the team to deliver world-class travel and hospitality programmes. She has worked on a range of major sport events including the London 2012 Summer Olympics, Rugby World Cup 2015 and 2019, PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics, Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics and a number of International Cricket Council events globally.

Blake has spent his professional career contributing to the sports and entertainment industry, specializing in business development, marketing, and commercialization including spearheading first-time sport and entertainment experiences in numerous territories across APAC and the Middle East.

In 2021, Blake joined Michael Cassel Group with a focus on expanding the company’s touring theatrical productions around the globe and the development of new musical markets. Most recently, Blake led the business development and commercial negotiations for the first-ever international tour of Hamilton and & Juliet in Singapore.

Prior to MCG, Blake held the position of Senior Director, Live Events at ONE and served eleven years with Feld Entertainment.

His next move is yet to be revealed…

Tim Chambers is a Mentor, Advisor and Consultant. He currently works with a number of organisations seeking to enter, redefine or expand their operations within the live entertainment and ticketing sectors, advising on corporate development strategies and directing transactions. Tim also has a number of advisory posts including NED roles with various start-ups and emerging companies.

Carolyn Sims is a seasoned marketing strategist and consultant with extensive experience in ticketing, audience engagement, and campaign management across both the commercial and charitable sectors. Known for her creative, collaborative approach, she has successfully led initiatives to build long-lasting relationships with stakeholders and deliver impactful, results-driven projects. Her freelance consultancy work since May 2021 has seen her contribute to high-profile organisations like The Roundhouse, Eden Project, and FKP Scorpio Entertainment, where she delivered projects ranging from venue pricing strategies to major capital fundraising and large-scale event marketing.

Hugh Gledhill leads the marketing for Layered Reality experiences. He’s responsible for growing ticket sales via growth and performance marketing, demand management/dynamic pricing, and website optimisation. He has over 20 years’ experience growing ticket sales 30-60% for music, theatre and innovative entertainment events using data driven approaches.

Chris is an entrepreneur, strategist and thought leader. He was previously Global Insight Director at EMI and Universal, and has consulted for the likes of Sony, Spotify, The O2 and Hipgnosis. Chris is a mentor for Abbey Road Red and was Chief Economist for UK live music trade body LIVE from March 2020 to December 2023. Chris is also founder of the FastForward music conference.

Edwin studied Medicine and later Business Economics at Erasmus University in Rotterdam. He has always had a strong interest in IT, and throughout his career, he has worked at the intersection of business and IT. Even in his general management roles, he has consistently focused on leveraging IT to drive business efficiency, growth, and differentiation from competitors.

He moved into strategic and senior executive positions over 15 years ago. For the past decade, he has concentrated on the ticketing industry, working with a top European soccer team and a large international live entertainment company. He firmly believes that ticketing should be at the core of the organisation and its technical architecture. This belief is rooted in the understanding that ticketing represents the main source of revenue, data, and customer interaction, making it a strategic asset for any organisation.

His experience includes selecting and implementing two ticketing systems and playing a leading role in developing a ticketing system from scratch, which is now in use by over 30 clients.

Georgia has over 20 years of experience in the sports industry, beginning with the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Athens 2004, where she worked in Tennis. In 2005, she joined Panathinaikos FC, where her passion for ticketing truly took root. In 2012, Georgia became Head of Ticketing Operations at UK Athletics, overseeing a diverse portfolio of national and international events, including the IAAF World Athletics Championships and the World Para Athletics Championships in London (2017).

In December 2020, Georgia took on a new challenge at Warwickshire County Cricket Club at Edgbaston, contributing to the successful delivery of pilot events post-Covid, as well as the inaugural matches for The Hundred. She then returned to football, joining Everton FC, where she managed ticketing for both Goodison Park and the new stadium development at Bramley-Moore Dock, before joining Arsenal FC for a short but impactful time.

Currently, Georgia is leveraging her extensive experience as an Event and Operations Consultant, helping event organisers navigate the complexities of large-scale events and optimize their operations.

Katy Raines MA MBA (CEO, Indigo-Ltd) is regarded as one of the UK’s leading consultants on data-driven strategy for Cultural Organisations. She has developed and led research and implementation programmes for large and middle scale organizations throughout the UK and Europe.

During Covid-19 she developed and delivered the UK’s largest collaborative dataset of cultural attenders’ attitudes to returning to events, beginning with After-The- Interval, and working with over 800 organisations – capturing over ½ million responses from attenders, for which Indigo won several awards, and Katy won a national award for Outstanding Leadership (Covid Response Awards).

For Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022, Katy developed the West Midlands Place Profiler and authored the Audience Development Strategy (Identity-Confidence-Connection), before leading a consortium of industry specialists to undertake the overall Evaluation of Birmingham Festival 2022.

Indigo’s recent clients include the Young Vic, Leeds Heritage Theatres, Donmar Warehouse, National Lottery Heritage Fund, British Film Institute, Theatre Forum Ireland and National Museums Liverpool.

Mark is the Head of Commercial Operations for the Elite League, the UK’s highest level of professional ice-hockey.

Mark joined the Elite League from Ulster Rugby where he was Sponsorship Manager having previously served as Sponsorship & Partnership Manager for the Odyssey Trust, owners of the Belfast Giants, The SSE Arena and W5.

Martin is the Managing Director and Founder of Nimbus Disability; a Queen’s Award for Innovation winning consultancy service working across a range of industries providing practical and tangible support in meeting and exceeding legal obligations toward disabled people.

Nimbus offers a range of services including The Access Card: the first scheme of its type to offer a universal and consistent way for disabled people to evidence and communicate their access requirements to providers quickly and discreetly.

Martin was named in the New Year’s Honours List 2020 as an MBE for services to Accessibility in the Tourism and Entertainment Sectors.

He boasts a brilliant career in the Sport Industry, particularly in Football. Before Juventus, in the latest stage of this path, he has covered the role of Venue Business Director at AS Roma. Previously, from 2018 and until 2021, he was Corporate Hospitality & Ticketing Manager at AC Milan. His first experience in football was at FC Internazionale as Ticketing Manager, where he joined in 2016. He also had an important experience in basketball at the beginning of his career: from 2010 he worked at Pallacanestro Olimpia EA7 – Emporio Armani Milano where he held roles of increasing responsibility until taking on the position of Manager – Ticketing, Hospitality and Merchandising.

Sarah‘s career has spanned 25 years across the Attraction, Leisure, and Hospitality sectors, from hands-on 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.

As a supplier, Sarah led the strategy and delivery of sales and marketing, development roadmap, and client engagement and retention. Suppliers partnering with ReWork gain a dedicated strategic advisor with firsthand industry expertise and a deep understanding of their unique challenges.

Through ReWork, Sarah ensures that both operators and suppliers make informed, strategic decisions that lead to sustainable growth. Leading to Happier operators, suppliers, and guests/visitors.

Phillipa Hicks is the Co-founder and Head of Product at Seat Unique, the leading provider of premium tickets and experiences. She spearheads all technical aspects, product development, and strategy, with a key focus on managing the product roadmap to align with the company’s vision. Having built a talented technical team, Phillipa’s exceptional leadership style has contributed immensely to Seat Unique’s growth and success. As a trailblazing force in tech and a prominent female leader, she is committed to driving change and paving the way for future generations of female tech leaders.

Tom Dawson is Director of Digital at the Association for Cultural Enterprises. Tom works on digital content, membership, sustainability, mentoring and strategic partnerships. The Association for Cultural Enterprises is the only organisation dedicated to supporting the cultural sector with sustainable income generation, with a membership representing over 1,800 sites.

Matt Rothman is based in the London office and is focused on European venues as part of international business development. He has worked at technology companies providing key consumer services in the US and UK.

Greg Loewen is the CEO of Digonex – the leading provider of automated dynamic pricing solutions in the live entertainment and attractions sectors.

Greg has been CEO since 2014 during which time the company has achieved rapid growth and developed a robust network of ticketing partnerships. Greg is also actively involved in his local arts community, currently serving as the Board Chair of the Indianapolis Symphony.

Prior to leading Digonex, Greg held a variety of leadership roles in the North American media industry. He is a graduate of Queen’s University (Kingston, Canada) and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.

With a career that began as a lighting technician in the West End and in the first years of the Barbican Centre, Jonathan Brown went on to spend several years as a stage manager and production manager taking tours of plays to the Far and Middle East and to theatres around the UK.

He moved into theatre management in 1990 when he was appointed Associate Producer and subsequently General Manager at the Theatre Royal in Windsor.

In 1997 he became a director of Hardsell, a full-service theatre marketing and advertising agency. In addition to working on West End shows, he also acted as a consultant on various projects, including the launch of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR). He subsequently took on the administration of STAR, alongside his work as a producer for small and mid-scale regional touring productions, before becoming Chief Executive.

Jonathan has an extensive knowledge of legislation and regulation affecting ticket sales and has represented STAR and the ticket industry in the press, on radio and television and as a speaker at industry events for many years. His work for STAR includes a continuing dialogue with other industry bodies, government departments, law enforcement and regulatory bodies on ticketing matters.

STAR has always offered a dispute resolution service for its members and their customers. Since 2016, that service has been approved by the Government under the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes Regulations and STAR is accountable for its work to the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. STAR has handled over 8,600 disputes since 2019.

Simon Hennes is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of vivenu, the technology-leading primary ticketing software for ambitious organizers around the world. As CEO, Simon is responsible for the company’s overall strategy and key stakeholder communication in furthering vivenu’s mission to become the backbone of the global ticketing industry.

Simon holds a Master Degree from Bocconi University and a Bachelor in Business Administration from Goethe University. Before founding vivenu, he gained experience with, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and had his own event company.

Francis Casado is one of the founders of Mobile Media Content – 3D Digital Venue and is currently serving as Head of Business Development. Prior to founding MMC- 3D Digital Venue, that revolutionized Interactive Digital Venue Management for Sports and Entertainment Venue Industry, Francis made his career around the beneficial application of 3D Technology and Virtual Reality for various sectors. A true entrepreneur, Francis’s previous time at Barcelona Media was primarily focused as a product manager responsible for developing innovative 3D solutions for use in construction of new urban developments by Barcelona Smart City Council.

An established sports industry CEO for over ten years now, Daniel Gidney launched the first ever cricket bond as part of an innovative £12m fundraising to develop and operate a new 150 bedroom Hilton hotel, which will open summer 2017. Daniel’s time at LCCC has generated record profits and the securing of the largest ever naming rights in First Class Cricket, with Emirates. He also secured ECB International matches, including an Ashes Test and a World Cup semi-final in 2019. Daniel was also the 2011 Midlands Business Person of the Year, and the 2014 Trafford Business Person of the Year.

Ian is the Owner and Founder of TheTicketingBusiness Forum and its news channel TheTicketingBusiness.com – both presented by his Xperiology events and marketing agency. His working life began in sports events management (including Formula 1, horse racing and Wimbledon) before pursuing an award-winning career in B2B magazine publishing. He has co-launched and edited numerous B2B publications and meetings, ranging from energy and industrial processes through to airport design and Intelligent Transportation Systems. He has also founded many of the sports sector’s most respected publications and news sources – including Stadia magazine, TheStadiumBusiness.com and TheStadiumBusiness Summit. In his downtime from family and worklife, he takes his dogs on the Downs, rides his (motor)bikes and treks up the occasional mountain.