Olympia Events strengthens leadership ahead of £1.3bn overhaul

Introduction

Table of Contents

Olympia Events, operated by Legends Global, has promoted Stuart Tomlinson to the position of venue services director as the historic London venue moves into a critical phase of its £1.3 billion redevelopment. The appointment forms part of a broader refresh of the senior leadership team designed to support the transformation of Olympia’s heritage halls and the launch of new event spaces and services.

Background and industry context

Olympia London is undergoing one of the most significant venue redevelopments currently underway in the European events market. The multi-year project, valued at £1.3 billion, is reshaping the 14-acre site into a mixed-use destination that combines exhibition and conference facilities with hospitality, entertainment, office, and public spaces.

For organisers and exhibitors, the regeneration is expected to deliver upgraded infrastructure, improved attendee experiences, and expanded capacity for live, hybrid, and digital-led events. At the same time, venue operators are under pressure to modernise legacy buildings with robust connectivity, integrated digital systems, and more flexible, data-driven services.

Against this backdrop, venue leadership roles are evolving beyond traditional operations to encompass technology strategy, guest experience design, and closer collaboration with event technology providers. Tomlinson’s promotion reflects this shift, positioning venue services as a core function in Olympia’s next phase of development.

Key developments and the latest appointment

The promotion of Stuart Tomlinson to venue services director follows a sequence of recent senior appointments at Olympia Events as the organisation prepares for the reopening and reconfiguration of several halls and the introduction of new venues on the site.

In his new role, Tomlinson is expected to oversee the operational delivery of venue services spanning:

Core facilities and building operations across the heritage halls and new spaces
Service delivery for organisers, exhibitors, and partners using the venue
Integration of new infrastructure introduced as part of the regeneration project
Coordination with technology, security, and guest services teams to support events

While specific reporting lines and remit details were not disclosed, the venue services director role typically acts as a bridge between the physical estate, commercial teams, and event technology integrations. At a redeveloping site such as Olympia, this includes aligning new construction with digital requirements such as connectivity, AV infrastructure, wayfinding, access control, and back-of-house systems.

Legends Global, which manages Olympia Events, brings experience from major venues and stadiums worldwide. Its operational model often emphasises data-led decision making, premium guest experiences, and integrated digital platforms. Tomlinson’s appointment aligns with that approach, positioning venue services as a strategic function rather than a purely operational one.

Industry impact

Senior leadership changes at large venues can have a direct impact on how technology is procured, deployed, and supported across the events ecosystem. As Olympia evolves into a multi-purpose destination, the venue services team will be central to:

Defining technical specifications for spaces used by trade shows, conferences, exhibitions, and consumer events
Coordinating with event tech suppliers on connectivity, streaming, and hybrid infrastructure
Standardising services and packages available to organisers, including digital add-ons
Managing the operational side of sustainability and accessibility initiatives built into the new development

For the wider UK and European events market, Olympia’s redevelopment is being watched closely as an indicator of how historic venues can modernise for digitally enabled, hybrid formats while preserving architectural heritage. Leadership appointments during such projects can influence how quickly and effectively new capabilities are brought online.

As more venues invest in long-term upgrades, the role of venue services directors and equivalent positions is expanding to include stakeholder engagement with technology partners, data governance for event operations, and the integration of third-party platforms into venue-managed systems.

Why this matters for event professionals and technology providers

For organisers, exhibitors, and event technology companies planning to work with Olympia in the coming years, the strengthening of the venue’s leadership team is a signal that the organisation is preparing for more complex, technology-reliant events and a broader range of use cases.

Key considerations include:

Operational consistency during redevelopment: A defined venue services function can help maintain reliable operations while construction, refurbishments, and phased openings take place.
Alignment of space and technology: As heritage halls are revitalised and new venues are launched, there is an opportunity to align room design, infrastructure, and services with the practical needs of hybrid and digitally augmented events.
Clear point of contact: A dedicated director-level role for venue services provides organisers and technology vendors with a strategic counterpart for planning complex builds, integrations, and long-term partnerships.
Service innovation: Leadership focused on venue services can accelerate the introduction of new offerings such as standardised streaming packages, enhanced connectivity tiers, digital signage networks, and data insights around visitor flows and utilisation.

Technology suppliers, including AV, networking, registration, and hybrid event platform providers, may find increased opportunities to collaborate as Olympia specifies and refines the service layers that sit on top of its physical spaces. A strengthened leadership structure typically leads to more formalised procurement processes and clearer long-term roadmaps, which can support more strategic integrations rather than ad hoc deployments.

Conclusion

Olympia Events’ promotion of Stuart Tomlinson to venue services director underscores the strategic importance of operational leadership as the venue prepares for a £1.3 billion regeneration and the rollout of new and refurbished event spaces. As one of London’s best-known event destinations modernises its estate, the decisions made by its leadership team will shape the experience for organisers, exhibitors, attendees, and technology partners.

For event professionals, the move signals that Olympia is aligning its internal structure with the demands of a more connected, hybrid-ready events landscape. For technology providers, it highlights a growing emphasis on integrated, venue-led service offerings that blend physical infrastructure with digital capability. As the redevelopment progresses, the effectiveness of this leadership reshaping will be visible in how smoothly new spaces come online and how effectively Olympia supports complex, tech-enabled events in the years ahead.