18 March 2026
Excel London has unveiled four strategic roles within its Operations Leadership Team, designed to further enhance its venue facilities, services and resilience, and place greater emphasis on customer experience.
Led by the venue’s Chief Operating Officer James Mark, the new director roles will oversee four key pillars including venue assets and infrastructure, venue operational efficiency, resilience and security, and delivering outstanding customer experiences.
Driven by record client interest and London’s continued global appeal, the new appointments will also focus on Excel’s newly opened 25,000sqm ICC Expansion, which already boasts a packed calendar of events, including a record 10 major international congresses in 2026.
The first of the four appointments is Kerrie Kemp who becomes Director of Event & Venue Experience, bringing together all customer facing services under a single strategic vision. Championing the ‘voice of the customer’, this role places even greater emphasis on end-to-end experiences across all customer groups and touchpoints.
Meanwhile, Lee Lacey, moves into the role of Director of Facilities & Estates, focusing on the day-to-day maintenance and enhancement of the venue facilities, together with overseeing its long-term development plans and the management of the wider 100-acre estate.
Following 15 years at Excel across roles in Event Management and Live Events & Attractions, Tom Edwards moves to the position of Director of Venue Services, bringing together operational planning, technical event services, site logistics and service partner delivery to ensure seamless coordination throughout.
And finally, Chris Scott OBE, joins the team in the newly created role of Director of Safety, Security & Resilience, where he’ll oversee all aspects of safety, security, safeguarding and crowd management. Chris brings with him extensive experience from the Ministry of Defence across risk management, crisis management and operational readiness.
Commenting on the news, James Mark said: “Over recent years, Excel has invested a record £350 million in its venue and facilities, but central to this is also the investment in its people. As client demand continues to surge – particularly following the opening of our new expansion – we are further enhancing our Operations Team to strengthen our ability to deliver consistent, high-quality experiences across every stage of the customer journey – underpinning our commitment to the events industry.”
He added: “Kerrie, Lee, Tom and Chris each bring with them a wealth of experience and expertise in their respective areas that will prove invaluable on our journey to becoming the best event destination in the world.”
The new appointments come at a pivotal moment for Excel as it embarks on a further multi-million-pound investment programme to enhance its digital infrastructure, wayfinding, food and beverage and the overall visitor experience – strengthening Excel’s partnership with organisers and providing the scale, flexibility and support needed to deliver exceptional events at every stage of growth.
