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International Convention Centre Wales (ICC Wales) has appointed a new Co-Chair and a new Director to its Board as it seeks to expand its profile in the international business events sector.
Mark Rhydderch-Roberts steps up from the position of Board Director to Co-Chair and Alan Wilkins becomes a new Board Director at the world-class events venue in South Wales.
Mr Rhydderch-Roberts, who spent 27 years as an Investment Banker, holding senior roles with a number of leading global investment banks, is also the Chair of Glamorgan County Cricket Club and led the recent successful sale of 50% of the Club’s holding in the Welsh Fire Hundred franchise to international investors.
A former rugby player for leading clubs including Bath and Pontypridd, Mr Rhydderch-Roberts was recently reappointed to the Welsh Industrial Development Agency Board and served on the Development Bank of Wales Task and Finish Group.
He will assume the position of Co-Chair at ICC Wales alongside existing Chair Christopher Munday who remains in post.
Mr Rhydderch-Roberts said: “I was honoured to be appointed to the ICC Wales Board prior to the opening of this exceptional venue in 2017 and I am delighted to step up my involvement as Co-Chair. These are exciting times for ICC Wales as the venue continues to establish its reputation as a world-class venue for staging the largest national and international business events, and I look forward to playing an even greater part in developing future business and growth.”
Mr Wilkins is another appointment with strong Welsh cricket connections as a former Glamorgan seam bowler and the Club’s current President. Following retirement through injury, he has enjoyed an illustrious career as an international sports broadcaster, starting in cricket but going on to commentate and present on rugby, football, golf, tennis, motorsport and the Olympics for channels including BBC, ITV, Eurosport, ESPN and Fox Sports.
The inaugural golf club captain at the Celtic Manor Resort where ICC Wales is located, Mr Wilkins brings a wealth of local and international contacts to his new role.
He said: “I am delighted to join the ICC Wales Board and look forward to working with the other board members to help the venue realise its ambitious business goals. As a proud Welshman, I know what an asset we have in this exceptional convention centre which attracts prestigious events and visitors from all over the world to Wales, bringing huge benefits to the Welsh economy.”
Welcoming the appointments, Julie Hammond, Group CEO of ICC Wales and The Celtic Collection, said: “Mark and Alan bring a wealth of business expertise and experience and I am sure they will excel in their new roles and be a real asset to ICC Wales as we expand our presence in the global business events market.”
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beam has announced the appointment of Carl Law, Chief Technology Officer at Clarity Business Travel, to its Board of Directors. Carl brings extensive experience in technology leadership, systems integration, and digital transformation to beam, strengthening its commitment to innovation and collaboration.
As part of his new role, Carl will oversee the implementation of a new strategic partnership between beam and Cvent, the industry-leading meetings, events, and hospitality technology provider, which is set to roll out in 2026. This collaboration will help shape beam’s technology agenda, guide digital best practices for its members, and enhance member engagement at events.
Carl said: “I’m honoured to join the beam Board at a time when change in our sector is being driven by new technologies and changing customer expectations. I’m looking forward to working closely with the Board to ensure our members, the people behind our services, are fully equipped to thrive in the digital space.”
Louisa Watson, beam Chair, added: “We are thrilled to welcome Carl to the Board. His expertise in technology leadership is invaluable as we continue to evolve as an association and guide members with best practices and experiences. Working with Cvent marks an exciting new chapter, too, in our mission to support our members through collaborative relationships.”
Through its partnership with Cvent, beam will first implement enhanced event registration technology to better capture and segment attendee data, enabling more personalised experiences for its members. Further initiatives, including onsite check-in and badging solutions as well as Cvent’s event app, are planned for rollout in 2026.
The events director of The Great Yorkshire Events Centre in Harrogate has been elected to the board of the Association of Event Venues (AEV).
Richard Moorhouse, Events Director, has joined the AEV Board for the first time.
The GYEC has long been a member of the AEV, a trade body representing venues both in the UK and internationally.
Richard said: “The Great Yorkshire Events Centre has benefitted hugely from membership of the AEV through the working groups, sharing of best practice, networking and attending the brilliant annual conference. I am honoured to have been elected to the Board and excited to bring my experience, ready to champion all member venues and help shape the future of the industry.”
Richard is Events Director at the GYEC on the Great Yorkshire Showground which runs The Halls and The Pavilions, both owned by registered charity the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.
As well as running events including award dinners, weddings, conferences and trade shows throughout the year, the Showground also hosts events on its 250 acre site including its flagship event the Great Yorkshire Show. It has recently announced being used as a filming location for scenes in Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.
Richard said: “It’s been an exciting year for the showground with a rebrand earlier this year and a raft of new events signed for 2026. Working with directors from other key events venues in the UK will continue to put the GYEC at the forefront of the industry and ensure we continue to fly the flag nationally.”
Following AEV’s AGM last week, Rachel Parker, AEV CEO, said, “I am delighted to welcome Richard to the board this year and am sure he will have plenty to bring to the table. I am looking forward to another productive year, starting with our annual conference being held on Friday 14 November at Excel London.”
Following the annual general meeting (AGM) of the Association of Event Venues (AEV) held at The NEC Birmingham on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, the AEV has announced alterations to the board.
AEV chair, Ian Taylor, managing director, NEC and vice chair, Kerry Villa, chief operating officer, ACC Liverpool remain in situ.
Taylor commented, “I am pleased to report that the Association is in excellent shape. Membership, engagement, interaction and financial standing are all strong.”
Treasurer Jeremy Rees, chief executive officer, Excel London; Max Bull, executive director of venue sales, Business Design Centre; Alison Griffin, managing director, Telford International Centre and Dan Thurlow, director of exhibition sales, Scottish Event Campus were all re-elected to the board. Joining the board for the first time is Richard Moorhouse, events director, The Great Yorkshire Events Centre.
Taylor added, “We continue advocating for the industry and ensuring we have the finance and resources to support and serve our members in accordance with our strategy. Our membership has increased by five this year, now standing at 53 members and ten academic associate members. We currently offer 22 working groups hosting 73 meetings over the past year resulting in 1,208 member interactions. We are extremely grateful to all our members for their contributions.”
Rachel Parker, AEV director, welcomed the new board members, “I am delighted to welcome the re- elected members back to the board and to Richard who joins the board this year. I am looking forward to another productive year, starting with our annual conference being held on Friday 14 November at Excel London.”
Two years after its trade shows were acquired by new owners, the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) has appointed a new executive board.
The execs come from a range of top media and technology companies, spanning the worlds of linear TV and streaming. The board will guide NATPE’s long-term strategy as it looks to continue growing its two main events, NATPE Global in Miami and NATPE Budapest.
Joining the board are Brad Beale, Head of Worldwide Content Licensing & Distribution, Amazon MGM Studios; Kevin Beggs, Chair and Chief Creative Officer, Lionsgate Television Group; Michael Bonner, President, Global TV Distribution, NBCUniversal; Val Boreland, President, Entertainment, Versant; Flory Bramnick, EVP, Distribution, Sony Pictures Television; Brandon Brito, Senior Programming Executive, Apple TV+; Dan Cohen, Former Chief Content Licensing Officer, Paramount Global Content Distribution; Lori Conkling, Vice President, Licensing, Netflix; David Decker, President, Content Sales, Warner Bros. Discovery; Elaine Frontain-Bryant, EVP, Head of Programming, A&E and Lifetime; and Rebecca Glashow, Chief Executive Officer, BBC Global Media & Streaming, BBC Studios
Canadian media and events firm Brunico, whose brands include Realscreen, acquired NATPE out of bankruptcy in 2023. After a return to Miami in 2024, it was combined with Realscreen’s programming-focused conference in 2025, with that dual approach set again for February 2 to 6, 2026.
The executive board will be distinct from NATPE’s annual content advisory boards, officials said, and will focus on broader issues like global market navigation, strategic expansion, and industry connectivity.
“This board embodies the innovative, cross-platform spirit that defines today’s content landscape,” said Claire Macdonald, SVP and Executive Director, NATPE. “Their collective insight will be critical as NATPE continues evolving into a truly global hub for content commerce and creative collaboration.”
The Reach Events Scholarship Initiative today unveils ‘Reach 2.0’ – a legacy-driven restructure that formalises governance, strengthens delivery, and sets a clear path to grow scholarships from three to five per year.
The Reach (Race Ethnicity And Cultural Heritage) Events Scholarship Initiative was launched in 2022 to provide a fund and help support Black, Asian and unrepresented minority ethnic students to study on events management degree programmes and enter the industry. The initiative works to provide £5,000 yearly scholarships to support event management degree students at university with their living expenses over three years of study. Students apply directly to the university, who then select the candidates and arrange the funding.
The scholarships are funded by industry donations; organisations pledge to give £5,000 per year for three years. Reach has grown to offer students more than the scholarship – it is also integrating students in the working world by introducing them to employers for work experience, internships, networking and employment opportunities.
Reach 2.0 is a refreshed model, introducing an Advisory Board to steer strategy, operations and decision-making, alongside active working parties across social, PR, coaching & alumni, events and fundraising.
Robert Kenward, co-founder, Reach: “As we enter our fourth year, Reach has grown beyond what one or two people can do. I’m incredibly grateful to the industry friends who helped get us here – Priya Narain, Marty Fullard, Gabby Austen-Browne and Jonathan Sibley are superstars, and now Reach needs to have longevity and legacy so it needs to stand on its own feet with shared ownership. Reach 2.0 puts specialists around the table, organised into working parties that deliver measurable, actionable outcomes and also more visibility for the programme.”
Kenward continues: “We did good work in the past; now we’re set up to do great work for the long term. My focus is securing five donors a year (up from three) so we can fund more scholars, while an engaged Advisory Board leads the programme’s overall strategy and deliverables. I’m an ally, not a person of colour, and as one of our ambassadors so eloquently put it, ‘you can’t be what you can’t see.’ That’s why this next phase is community-led, designed to outlive me and keep championing who gets to thrive in our sector.”
Anupa White, director, Principal Global Events and Advisory Board director: “The Reach Events Scholarship is about more than opening doors – it’s about changing the face of our industry. By providing funding, mentorship, and invaluable connections, we are empowering talented Black, Asian, and minority-ethnic students to step into the events, MICE, and hospitality sectors with confidence. I’m thrilled to welcome such a diverse and talented group to our Advisory Board and ambassador team. Their expertise and passion will be invaluable in driving the Reach Events Scholarship forward.”
Advisory Board
Ambassadors
To date, Reach has partnered with Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Hertfordshire, with the university partner for 2026 to be announced later this year.
Companies that are interested in making a positive and long-term impact to D&I in the industry can contact Robert Kenward ([email protected]) for more information.