Excel London has appointed James Mark to the role of chief operating officer.
He previously worked at the venue from 2000 to 2016 and played a pivotal role in the delivery of its London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games.
As well as being a key member of Excel’s launch team and delivering more than 3,000 events, Mark has worked across many of the UK’s flagship venues including Earls Court, the London Stadium and the Barbican Centre, as well as senior leadership positions at Therme Group UK. He replaces Roger Hooker, who was appointed to the position in March 2023 and oversaw various operational departments at the venue.
Returning to Excel earlier this year, Mark will now have full oversight of operational departments, as well as being part of Excel’s Executive and Leadership teams, providing strategic level input to the day-to-day and ongoing development of the business.
Continuing to support him on the operations leadership at Excel will be Kerrie Kemp, director of venue operations and Lee Lacey, facilities director.
Speaking about the appointment, Excel’s CEO Jeremy Rees said: “Since rejoining the Excel family earlier this year, James has demonstrated exceptional leadership, strategic insight, and operational expertise, drawing upon his extensive knowledge of the events industry. This breadth of experience gives him a deep understanding of our operational needs, and I’m delighted to have someone of his calibre onboard.”
Rees added: “This key appointment, together with the continual investment in our people, venue and infrastructure, reinforces our commitment to the events industry and our mission to become the best event destination in the world.”
James Mark added: “It’s a real privilege to be rejoining Excel, a venue that holds many great memories for me. In the 25-years since its opening, Excel has gone from strength-to-strength and I’m excited to continue that journey with the team to deliver best-in-class experiences for all our event organisers, exhibitors and visitors.”
Excel will now round out its packed 2025 event calendar with major international shows including the World Travel Market (4-6 November), Gartner’s IOCS 2025 (17-18 November), the London International Horse Show (18-22 December), together with five immersive experiences at Excel’s Immerse LDN. Excel will also play host to this year’s AEV Conference (14 November), just ahead of the venue’s official 25th anniversary celebrations.
Source: www.exhibitionworld.co.uk
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