Olympia Events appoints Karen Cmela as Food and Beverage Director
Olympia Events has appointed hospitality specialist Karen Cmela as Food and Beverage Director, tasking her with leading the next stage of the venue’s in-house F&B operation. The London exhibition and event destination, which is managed by Legends Global, is positioning the role at the centre of its catering and guest experience strategy.
Cmela joins with a track record in large-scale catering and hospitality for sport, entertainment and live events, having held senior leadership roles at major UK venues including Ascot Racecourse and The O2. Her remit at Olympia Events will focus on developing and overseeing food and beverage services across the campus.
Appointment of Food and Beverage Director at London Venue
The creation of the Food and Beverage Director role for Cmela reflects Olympia Events’ emphasis on its in-house operation, rather than a purely outsourced catering model. As part of the arrangement, she will be responsible for shaping food and drink provision for exhibitions, conferences, consumer shows and other live events hosted at the site.
Her appointment comes as venues continue to treat catering as a strategic component of the overall event journey, with organisers and exhibitors expecting more tailored, high-quality offers for delegates and visitors. Olympia Events is aligning this role with those expectations by placing a senior executive in charge of the F&B function.
Professional Background across Hospitality and Live Event Sector
Cmela brings extensive experience across the hospitality, sports and live events sector. At Ascot Racecourse, one of the UK’s most high-profile sporting venues, she was involved in delivering large-scale catering operations for race meetings and premium guest experiences. At The O2, a landmark arena for live entertainment and events, she held senior leadership responsibilities overseeing venue food and beverage services.
That combination of racecourse and arena experience has given Cmela a grounding in different event formats, crowd profiles and service models, from high-volume concourse catering to more exclusive hospitality environments. Olympia Events will be able to draw on that background as it continues to host trade shows, consumer exhibitions and business events with varied requirements.
Role of Legends Global in Venue Management
Olympia Events is managed by Legends Global, which oversees the venue’s commercial and operational strategy. Within that framework, the in-house food and beverage operation is a core part of the venue’s service portfolio for organisers, exhibitors and visitors.
By appointing a director-level leader specifically for F&B, Legends Global and Olympia Events are formalising catering as a key operational pillar. Cmela will be expected to work within the wider venue management structure while focusing on the planning, delivery and evolution of food and drink services on site.
Focus on in-House Food and Beverage Operation
The remit for Cmela centres on leading the next phase of Olympia Events’ in-house food and beverage operation. This indicates a continued commitment to operating catering internally rather than simply contracting third-party providers, giving the venue greater control over quality, consistency and integration with event schedules.
An in-house model typically allows a venue to align menus, service formats and pricing with event organiser needs and visitor expectations. Under Cmela’s leadership, Olympia Events will be able to refine how food and drink is positioned for different event profiles, whether business-to-business trade shows, consumer exhibitions or live experiences with high spectator numbers.
Implications for Event Organiser and Visitor Experience
For event organisers using Olympia Events, the appointment provides a dedicated senior contact focused on food and beverage strategy and delivery. Cmela’s large-venue experience at Ascot Racecourse and The O2 suggests familiarity with the operational challenges of peak-time demand, varied audience demographics and complex event schedules.
Organisers can expect the Food and Beverage Director to be involved in planning bespoke hospitality, attendee catering concepts and service flows appropriate to each event. For visitors, improvements to in-venue catering typically translate into more varied food and drink options, more efficient service and a closer fit between the event profile and the overall guest experience.
Context within UK Venue and Live Event Market
Within the wider UK venue and live event market, food and beverage has become an increasingly important differentiator. Large destinations that host exhibitions, conferences, concerts and sporting events now position catering as a significant part of their value proposition for organisers and tenants.
By naming a Food and Beverage Director with experience across some of the UK’s best-known venues, Olympia Events is aligning itself with that trend. The move underscores the view that food and drink offerings are no longer just ancillary services, but integral components of how events are curated and delivered at major venues.
Future Direction for Olympia Events Catering Strategy
While detailed plans for new menus, concepts or service formats have not been disclosed, the appointment of Cmela sets a clear direction for Olympia Events’ catering strategy. Her background suggests a focus on operational robustness for high-attendance events, alongside the ability to support more specialised hospitality programs where required.
As Food and Beverage Director, Cmela will be positioned to work with internal teams and external event stakeholders to coordinate catering logistics across the Olympia Events campus. This will likely include aligning service points, kitchen operations and front-of-house teams with individual event requirements and overall venue standards.
The combination of Legends Global’s venue management role and Cmela’s operational leadership in F&B provides a structure intended to support Olympia Events’ ambitions as a multi-format destination for exhibitions, business events and live experiences.
