BOND Events, the pioneer of one-to-one meetings forums for the architecture and design sectors, has announced the appointment of Alice Russell as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Luciana Coates as Chief Operating Officer (COO).
This represents the most significant leadership change in the company’s 20-year history and a landmark achievement within the wider business environment. At 38 and 36 years old respectively, Alice and Luciana join a very small group of female executives; fewer than 10% of senior leadership positions in the UK are occupied by women under 40. Within the corporate events industry, this figure drops to just 5%. Their appointments underline BOND’s forward-thinking approach and its commitment to promoting diversity at the highest level.
Alice, who previously served as Executive Vice President (EVP), has been steering BOND’s strategic direction for the past seven years. Having joined BOND in 2017 after senior marketing roles at Marcus Evans and Haymarket Business Media, her expertise in driving sales has proven invaluable to the company.
Speaking on her new position, Alice said: “Our vision is to become the world’s most loved, most profitable one-to-one events company. I’m excited to be leading BOND into its most profitable year ever, taking us closer to that goal. We’re focused on our live events and replicating our North American success with our shows in Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. Our team is stronger than ever, and I’m looking forward to seeing how we can continue to elevate our experiences for our clients.”
Luciana Coates, who became a part of BOND in 2018, has been promoted to the role of COO. Previously Head of Operations at Gartner and IDM, Luciana has elevated BOND’s event delivery to new heights. Her commitment to enhancing efficiency and customer service has established BOND as the gold standard for one-to-one events.
Luciana remarked: “BOND Events has always been about building meaningful, fruitful connections and delivering outstanding ROI. I’m delighted to carry this legacy forward while developing and expanding our talented global team—now across four continents—to drive innovation in both our business and product offerings.”
The leadership transition also sees Rob Norton, the former CEO, stepping into the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO). With prior experience at SPG Media and Datamonitor, Rob’s leadership has been instrumental in positioning BOND Events as a market leader. His financial expertise will continue to play a crucial role in guiding the company’s growth strategy.
Lastly, Oliver Needs, the founder of BOND Events (formerly of Blenheim and Tarsus), will now assume the role of Chairman, continuing to offer visionary leadership while ensuring that BOND remains true to its core values as it enters its third decade.
This leadership shift comes at a pivotal moment as BOND Events celebrates its 20th anniversary. With a collective 87 years of experience in the events industry, this dynamic leadership team is poised to drive record-breaking growth, maintaining BOND’s market-leading position for the foreseeable future.
