THE
TEAM

The Event School London bring together talented Industry Facilitators with the expertise and know-how to enhance our participants academic, professional, leadership or career development. Our Course Facilitators are specialists in the event industry and have the up-to-date knowledge to ensure our courses offer relevant, contemporary industry-led training and education.

Programme Leaders

Nicholas Oxborrow

Nicholas Oxborrow has created and managed events worldwide while running his award-winning events agency “Fabulation” in Singapore. His event portfolio includes marketing activations, celebrations, exhibitions, conferences, galas and large outdoor events.

With an educational background in Hospitality Management from Hotel School Switzerland and Boston, Nick has had a 30-year career in hospitality and events management.

His impressive client list includes Silicon Valley giants such as Netflix, Facebook and Microsoft and international luxury brands such as Soho House, Chanel and LVMH.

Siobhan
Craven-Robins

London's Premier Wedding Planner and lead facilitator on our exclusive wedding planning courses, Siobhan is widely acknowledged as having established the UK's first wedding coordination service in 1996.

Siobhan's beautiful weddings have featured in Hello, OK! and many bridal magazines in various countries around the world.

As a Founder & Director of the National Association of Wedding Professionals, and Chairperson Legacy & Representation Working Group for The UK Weddings Taskforce, Siobhan also represents the wedding industry as a key-note speaker at events such as Bridelux Symposiums & WedMeetUpUk.

Sharifa
Wilkinson

Sharifa's love of sports, venues and events began at Syracuse University Upstate New York as a high- performance athlete.

After playing at the highest level in women’s football she transitioned to event organising. Sharifa has worked for the Organising Committee in Venue Management and Games Operations Planning for international multi-sport events; The 2015 Pan/ Parapan Am Games, 2018 Commonwealth Games and 2019 Arafura Games.

Sharifa continues to work in the major sports and event industry with her most recent role as Last Mile Lead at FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, with Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy.

Ben
Parker

As Head of Events for Unlocked, Ben is a self-confessed 'Event Obsessive' and a widely acknowledged Venue Expert. Travelling extensively with his work, Ben will bring an international perspective to his classes along with a passion for the event industry that's second to none!

Ben is widely known in London as the "Venue Expert" and his work provides him with insight into the latest trends an practices in event management and venue management and marketing.

Ben's experience includes: Head of Events, Unlocked, Relationship Manager, HireSpace, Account Manager, HireSpace, Venue Expert, HireSpace

Emma
Murray-Jones

Emma has an international background having lived in the UK, Spain and Hong Kong.

She speaks fluent Spanish and high level Mandarin and she loves translating different cultural needs into an event anywhere in the world.

Emma's impressive career includes Private Dining and Events Co-ordinator and Deputy Events Business Development Manager with The Ritz London, Social Events Executive Planner and Sales Manager, Events Manager for The Royal Versailles Ball at The Palace of Versailles, Winner of the Bridelux 'Planner Rising Star" Award 2022.

Degree educated in the UK, Emma also spent Year Abroad in Beijing at Capital Normal University and a Term Abroad at Granada University.

Rachel
Williams

Rachel has held senior management positions in some of London’s most
prestigious events venues. She spent 15 years with etc.venues Limited where she led the event management and successful delivery of over 10,000 events annually.

Rachel also worked in a senior role at ExCeL London account managing a diverse range of events including corporate learning events for Top UK Banks and Accounting Firms, graduate programmes, AGMs, product launch, themed events, receptions, executive round tables & exhibitions.

MBA Educated, Rachel now works as a Hospitality, Venue & Events Consultant with specialities in CX Strategy and CRM Implementation|Sales, Revenue Management and Service Transformation

Louise
Garlick

Louise has a wealth of industry knowledge leading teams and managing logistics at events around the world. As the Events Director of The Hospitality Group she was involved in major international sports events including World Cups and Olympics, before founding CAPE in 2016.

Louise will now add guest lecturing to her portfolio as she continues to run her own consultancy and manage projects for corporations from grassroots to global scale.

With skills across sports, festivals and major events on an international level, Louise's students will benefit from her expertise in event operations, planning and logistics.

Karen
Bachmann

An experienced Director working with Senior Leadership Teams karen offers expertise in leadership development, organisational development, project management and transformational change management. As a former Director of Online Learning with King's College London, Karen's significant educational leadership and deep understanding of learning methodology ensure her classes are built around the needs of the learners.

Karen has held Senior Management positions in public and private sector, working with both established organisations and with start-ups like ExcEL London and Newham Workplace. Karen now shares her extensive experience developing leaders to meet current and future leadership challenges.

Guest Lecturers

James Mark

A Past Guest Lecturer and International Venue & Major Events Consultant, James Mark delivered specialist training for Event School clients. James has extensive experience from Executive Director at ExceL London to Venue Consultant for the Ashgabat Games, Venue General Manager for the IAAF World Championships at the London Stadium and Independent Advisor for the Pan American Games in Lima.

James led as Guest Lecturer on the Australian Study Tour - International Event Management and the BBC Live Music and Events Team, Event Production MasterClass.

Chris Powell

With over 500 events delivered and 3500 event managers trained, Chris is a highly experienced event management consultant and coach, and over the past 19 years he has helped clients from the world of business, exhibitions, education, sport, the public and charity sector, training, tourism, creative agencies and festivals. His Event Clients include National Outdoor Events Association, the Sharjah Tourism and Development Authority and the Council of Europe.

Chris has been a Guest Lecturer leading on the Certificate in Event Management and the MasterClass in Outdoor Event Management.

Chris Powelll, The Event Expert high res.jpg

Vicki Sutton

A graduate of Sport and Coaching studies in Oxford Brookes, Vicki has worked in the sports industry for 13 years in a variety of roles including Head of Operations, Head of Performance and Business Development Manager. Vicki has presented at UK wide sports coaching summits on three occasions and co-compered the inaugural Hockey Wales Awards ceremony.

Petta Naylor

Petta runs Start2Finish event and conference consultancy as Operations Director with responsibility for overseeing, organising and managing all aspects of events and conferences. Petta also leads on our event and corporate event courses.Petta's wealth of experience and expertise in events includes working on event processes and protocols with the Offices of Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, the Princess Royal and Prince Edward, and events with high-profile individuals such as Steve Redgrave, Beth Tweddle, Kelly Holmes and Victoria Pendleton

Nick Carden

Nick is a freelance Technical Director/Production Manager with 44 years experience working in theatre, opera, musicals, concerts and exhibitions in over 40 countries. Nick

has been a Technical Director/Production Manager/Crew on many touring shows you may recognise including: Aida at The Pyramids, Egypt; A Chorus Line; Crazy for You; 42nd Street; Evita; Jesus Christ Superstar; Beauty and the Beast; Phantom of the Opera; Flashdance; My Fair Lady; Grease; Lindsay Kemp, Shadowland; Ballet Revolucion; Merchants of Bollywood; Tap Dogs; African Footprint; Peter Gabriel; One Night with Tina.