Loud and proud

For how long have you both worked at LS Events and what was your first role at the company?

Dave: I started working at LS Events when the company first began in 2004. There was just myself and Jim King working with a network of freelancers on shows including Creamfields and Bestival, and my role at that time was project and event manager.

Steve: I joined in 2016 as senior projects and event manager working alongside Dave on our music events. We have always enjoyed a great working relationship and proved to be a great partnership from the outset.

What do you feel you have learned whilst you have worked at LS Events and what do you feel you have contributed to the company’s growth?

Dave: It’s been a huge learning curve. In many ways, we have learnt everything through 20 years of operating at the forefront of the live events industry. Our growth from a couple of individuals to a team of 30 is built on a foundation of excellence. Our original way of working has informed our wider approach, contributing to the six core values that are our DNA and helping to differentiate us from our competitors.

Steve: My arrival at LS Events marked a pivotal moment in us widening the scope of the company’s client portfolio, developing the business into new areas of growth including sports, public sector, and ceremonial events, whilst continuing to deliver to our live entertainment clients.

How has the business changed during those years and how have you seen the industry change during this time?

Steve: In the beginning, our business was very much about music events, and we were known for our niche in the festival industry. In recent years we have diversified. Delivering Operation London Bridge in 2022 as the central event management agency was truly a pivotal moment in the story of our business and proved the growth journey we have been on since 2020. COVID changed the face of the industry but through our strong relationships with our clients, stakeholders, and venue owners, we were able to come out of the pandemic even stronger and with even greater depth.

Dave: It’s fair to say the industry has grown up and we’ve grown with it. The introduction and rapid advancement of technology have had a profound impact on the live event industry.

High-definition video screens, sophisticated stage and lighting systems, and advanced special effects have transformed the overall experience for event attendees. We have been instrumental in the introduction and delivery of these technological advancements at our events, priding ourselves on bringing together the best of the best to deliver excellence.

You have both been recently announced as co-CEOs of LS Events. Has co-CEO been something you’ve both been working towards?

Dave: It has been a natural progression with the development of the company and something we have both been working towards for the last two years. It’s a reflection of the roles that we fulfil and the ambitions we share for the future growth of the business, with Jim King maintaining the role of founder/owner. We have really focused on structuring the company to allow us to grow and continue to “deliver excellence”. We have a strong leadership team supported by our newly formed senior management team who are empowered to carry out dayto-day operations. Our senior leadership team, which is formed of myself and Steve alongside Grace Noest and Jen-e Jones, is tasked with identifying and delivering against the strategic capabilities we need to achieve our growth. The co-CEO structure reflects the collaborative approach we have adopted in our wider business practice and one that we feel suits the culture of LS Events.

What are you working on at the moment and when will the industry first be able to see the results of your first key decisions?

Steve: We have another busy year ahead with our focus continuing to be on delivering event excellence for our current clients. Our growth in the sports and public sector continues with a notable highlight being the expansion of our work with the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship into two new countries. Elsewhere on home ground, we will continue to develop our milestone events with AEG Presents which will see us take on their new Summer Series as well as evolving best practices at American Express presents BST Hyde Park and Luno presents All Points East. We’re also working on a number of tenders with our new business working group as well as developing new events for existing clients that are in the pipeline for 2024.

Will your new role mean less operational/ hands-on work on-site at events?

Dave: There won’t be a significant change from the way we’ve been working over the past few years. We both enjoy being operational at events and will continue to be there to support clients and the team. It’s essential that we nurture talent from within the business and grow company-wide skill sets to create an effective, driven, and inclusive culture that can deliver a consistent experience for our clients.

What’s your goal for 2023 and what goals do you have for the next three years? What’s your big focus?

Steve: Everything we do is driven by our purpose to deliver event excellence. Our clients’ passions are our passions, and it is our mission to bring these to life. We’ve identified key areas of focus in our three-year plan which include driving our dedicated creative “agency” services. For years, we have been supporting brands as they activate at live events, and we believe we are in the unique position of being able to offer clients not only first-class creative concepts but ones that actually work operationally and will genuinely resonate with the target audience. We will be focused on expanding our sporting events portfolio not only through our existing partnership with Formula E but also by looking to amplify our previous experience in delivering sports fan events and festivals.

Dave: Another major focus is looking at how LS Events can provide meaningful change and value to all our communities through every project we take on, including mindful sustainable solutions. We are committed to working with not only our clients but the industry itself to ensure everything we do is done with a social conscience and provides tangible benefits to the environment, the diverse communities in which we operate and those that participate. We have recently appointed within the company “industry ambassadors” whose responsibility it is to drive our involvement, influence, and impact within key areas. It’s critical that we have a voice within the industry so that we can not only learn and develop ourselves but so we can affect change for the better.

What’s going to be the “stand out” moment for LS Events this year and what are you looking forward to the most?

Dave and Steve: Continuing to deliver worldclass events is what gets us out of bed in the morning. We’ve got some great events with AEG Presents, Formula E, and the GLA to look forward to this summer. You’ll see us on-site with a smile on our faces doing what we love and watching a finely formed plan come together.