Panels

10am

Keeping Up Appearances (in association with LIVE UK)

How can festivals secure the loyalty of their festival-goers in a sector that is awash with a huge variety of events covering all genres of music? The panel will examine the ways organisers are adapting to the potential saturation of the marketplace and key survival tips to make a festival stand out from its competition.

Moderator: John Robb – Louder than war

Panelists:
James Barton – Founder, Creamfields
John Probyn – COO, Live Nation
James Algate – CEO, Angel Music Group
Paul Glossop – Head of Digital, V Festival

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11am

From Online to Onsite– How Social Commerce Can Boost Your Business 

(in association with Music Mind Exchange)

Despite festivals deploying social media to communicate with fans, not many take full advantage of the sales opportunities on offer on sites such as Facebook. Social media commerce experts will present the possibilities and advise how to get even more out of online for a festival.

Moderator: Danny McMillan – Founder, Music Mind Exchange

Panellists:

Cliff Dennett – Commercial Director, Soshi Games
Paul Stacey – MD, Fatsoma
Rob Langley Swain –  Head of Marketing Consultancy, The NEC
Nick Ladd – MD, High Voltage and Wilderness Festival
Mark Ellis – UK MD, Syzygy

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12pm

UK Festival Census Report Steve Wild –  CEO, Virtual Festivals 

 

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12.15pm

OPEN FORUM: How many hats can one person wear?

Wanted: Festival promoter. Must understand ticketing, finance and budgeting, production, marketing, employment law, psychology, sponsorship, concessions income and so much more…

With so many hats to wear and a huge amount to get to grips with, a festival promoter is expected to master a broad skill set, without any formal training. So how do you know what’s best to make your festival an award-winner? This panel of experts from across sectors of the industry will give essential business advice and give top tips for financial and creative success.

This is an open session, and questions from delegates are especially welcome – so do bring your challenges and success stories for discussion.

Moderator: James Drury – MD, Festival Awards Ltd

Panelists:
Alex Brooke – Director, Peppermint Events
Dan Fahey – Editor in Chief, Virtual Festivals
Jim King – Director, Loud Sound (Rock Ness, Bestival, Camp Bestival, LED)
Serge Grimaux – CEO, Intellitix
Suzanne Bull – CEO, Attitude is Everything

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1-2.30pm LUNCH

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2.30pm

Weather – Or Not 

(in association with TPi)
2011’s stage collapse tragedies have reminded everyone that bad weather can be sudden, vicious and lethal. It’s not the first year that the elements have played their part in fatalities; perhaps we need to learn our lessons a little faster. Is it the structures themselves at fault, or perhaps the decision-making process? A panel of organisers, staging companies, enforcers and insurers will debate the issues and uncover answers.

Moderator: Andy Lenthall – Production Services Association

Panelists:
John Probyn – COO, Live Nation
Mark Logan – Director, Showsec
Simon James – Director, Event Safety Shop
Hedwig De Meyer – Founder StageCo
Rudi Enos – Special Structures

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3.30pm

Pedal to the Medal: Will sport beat festivals in the Olympic sponsorship marathon? 

(in association with Field Marketing and Brand Experience Magazine)

How on earth are festivals going to keep share of the commercial market next summer in the Olympic year, when so much attention will be on sport?

This live debate will see two dedicated sports sponsorship specialists go head-to-head with two music afficionadoes to debate the merits of spending on sponsorship in music and/or sports in the Olympic year.

Moderator: Frank Wainwright, Field Marketing & Brand Experience

Panelists:
Jeremy Patterson, MD, Frukt Communications
Gareth Cooper – Snowbombing, Beach Break Live, Lounge on the Farm
Andy Westlake – CEO Fast Track
Karen Earl – Chairman, Synergy

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4.30pm

Keynote Q&A – Melvin Benn (in association with IQ)

One of the greatest festival promoters in the world, the MD of Festival Republic (behind Reading, Leeds, Latitude, The Big Chill, Ireland’s Electric Picnic, Norway’s Hove, Germany’s Berlin Festival and new US venture Orlando Calling), licensee of Glastonbury and Chairman of Wembley Stadium, will share his views on the UK festival industry.

Greg Parmley – Director of Content and Media, ILMC
Melvin Benn – Festival Republic 

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5.30-6.30pm – Networking drinks

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Delegates also get:

• A free copy of the UK Festival Market Report
• Delegate bag