Advisory Board

  • David Cooke

    Spent 36 years in the Royal Navy, mainly in operational appointments culminating in commanding all Fleet operations before retiring as a Rear Admiral in 2009. He is now the Chief Executive of the charity that runs Christ's Hospital School, subsidising over 90% of its 820 pupils.

  • Sir Philip Trousdell

    Philip spent his first career in the Army which he left in 2005 with the rank of Lieutenant General.  After a period at Manchester Business School he became involved in a broad portfolio of businesses concentrating on strategic analysis and leadership.  He is Chairman of Corporate Battlefields.  In the charity sector he project manages the construction of sheltered accommodation for Gurkha Welfare Pensioners in Nepal, bicycles through France to raise money for Help For Heroes and is a trustee of the Royal Irish Regiment Aftercare Service.

  • David Joseph

    David Joseph is the Chairman and CEO of one of the UK's leading music companies, and is responsible for more than one in three albums sold in the UK and is currently enjoying success with a diverse range of artists including Cheryl Cole, Snow Patrol, Lady Gaga and The Black Eyed Peas as well as Duffy and Take That - the two biggest-selling artists of 2008.

  • Sir Peter Norriss

    Air Marshal Sir Peter Norriss was formerly the Deputy Chief of Defence Procurement (Operations) in the Defence Procurement Agency, served on the Air Force Board of the Defence Council and was previously a non-executive director of the DERA Board. He is a graduate of Cambridge University and of Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program. The majority of his career has been spent in the Royal Air Force.

  • Gary Lydiate

    Gary Lydiate is CEO of Kilfrost Group. Prior to that he served 20 years in the Royal Navy and held a senior appointment at BAE Systems.

  • David Webb

    Head of Sponsorship at Royal Bank of Scotland.

     

    David was commissioned from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst into The Queen's Royal Irish Hussars in April 1990. As an officer in an Armoured Regiment, David held a number of leadership positions in Reconnaissance and within a main Battle Tank Sabre Squadron. David Served in Iraq and Bosnia, and was an instructor in Armoured warfare in Suffield Canada. David left the Army in 1998 as a Captain.

     

    Following a short stint in Marketing and Sales at London Irish Rugby Club, David joined Stewart Grand Prix Formula One Team as Executive Assistant to Sir Jackie Stewart O.B.E. After 7 years within the Formula One industry, David left Jaguar Racing as the Head of Marketing, to join The Royal Bank of Scotland. David now heads The Brand and Marketing team for RBS Group.

  • Kevin Godlington

    Kevin Godlington grew up in state care in Lancashire. Aged 16 he joined the army with no qualifications. Kevin left regular and reserve service in 2003 having served on operations all over the world.

    Kevin is now the founder and the CEO of an African development company that specializes in working in former conflict nations.  He leads investment teams in setting up large scale agricultural projects.  Kevin is currently responsable for managing assets of over $100M in four different countries across Africa.

    In 2010 Kevin set up the Godlington Foundation which operates orphanages in Sierra Leone and provides funding for veterans initiatives in the UK.

  • David Wall

    Bio Coming Soon...

  • Nick Allott

    Nicholas Allott is Managing Director of the Cameron Mackintosh Group of Companies, which includes an international theatrical production division and a group of seven West End theatres. Cameron Mackintosh's current productions include Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera. In addition, he is the Chair of the Soho Theatre, a Trustee of the Roundhouse Trust and is the Managing Trustee of the Mackintosh Foundation.

    Nick is now on the boards of the Cultural Olympiad and the Foundation for Sport and the Arts.

  • Andrew Wildblood

    Andrew Wildblood joined IMG in 1989 and in the past 21 years has been associated with many of the company's highest profile clients and developments. He was responsible for developing the company's business in the sport of cricket throughout the 1990's, first signing the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in 1993 and the Pakistan Cricket Board in 1994. These agreements unlocked the enormous value that cricket in the Indian subcontinent now represents. The company's business in India today is founded on the first agreement signed with BCCI in 1993.  Andrew has been involved in many of the subsequent developments that have taken place in the changing sporting and commercial landscape of professional cricket, most notably and recently as the joint architect with Lalit Modi of the extraordinarily successful Indian Premier League (IPL).   Married with two children he lives in London and spends much of his time in India.

  • Nick Blackburn

    Nick Blackburn has had a diverse career; from Manager of pop group Procol Harum to the ticket agency See Tickets. He set up See Tickets in 2002 after spending 12 years at rival group, Ticketmaster. His company employs 400 people and sells tickets to all the major events and shows in the UK.

  • Carl Leighton-Pope

    Carl Leighton-Pope started his music career in 1972 when he opened a recording studio in South Wales and managed a band called Sassafras, signed to Chrysalis Records. Sassafras toured the UK, Europe and the US in the mid seventies. After they broke up in 1977, Carl joined NEMS agency and signed acts including Dire Straits, Simple Minds, Patti Smith, The Motors, UFO and Camel. He formed the Performing Artists Network Agency in 1979 and extended his representation to acts including Journey, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Huey Lewis, SAGA and The Fixx and went on to manage UFO.

    In 1984, Carl signed Bryan Adams for his agency and Matt Bianco for management, taking both acts with him a year later, along with SAGA, when he set up Bonaire Records, publishing and management company with offices in London, Los Angeles and Munich.

    In 1991, he started the Leighton-Pope Organisation enjoying substantial success touring The Chippendales, Bonnie Tyler and Van Morrison around Europe. He is still working with most of his artistes and his most recent client Michael Bublé has been selling out arenas throughout the world.

    From January 1, 2004 he has taken on the role of a consultant to WWE and Harlem Globetrotters for all of their live performances outside North America. This is a huge role encompassing all territories in the world and developing the brand with live events in arenas.

    2006 signings included Keith Urban and Billy Ocean.

    His most recent signing is Hayley Westenra.

    Carl is also a consultant for the Secondary Ticketing company Viagogo.

  • Frank Warren

    Frank Warren is an English boxing manager and promoter, and has managed some of Britain's best boxers of the last twenty five years, including 'Prince' Naseem Hamed, Nigel Benn, Joe Calzaghe and Ricky Hatton. In December 2007, Warren was elected for induction in the International Boxing Hall of Fame, inducted in June 2008. Warren was also the founder and owner of the London Arena.

  • Lucy Ellison

    Lucy Ellison is Director of News PR at Sky where she has been since November 2010. Previous to this she was Head of Communications for AEG Europe, owner and operator of The O2. Here Lucy was part of the team who successfully re-launched the Millennium Dome into the world's most popular music venue. She began her career at the Financial Times.