The NEC in Birmingham, UK, the self-styled ‘nation’s experience capital’, has announced changes to its leadership team as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
Ian Taylor, currently managing director of Exhibitions, will transition into the role of chief operating officer, while Sarah Harvey, currently chief development officer, will take on the role of deputy CEO and managing director of Exhibitions. The appointments are effective from 1 April.
Under Taylor’s leadership, the Exhibitions team has delivered a series of major achievements, from hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2022 to securing high profile new business such as LAMMA, Plantworx, DreamHack and the Invictus Games 2027.
Since joining in 2025, Harvey has driven growth in new content areas such as Peppa Pig Space Adventure and advancing plans for the development of the NEC Campus. In her new role, she will retain responsibility for group marketing and will bring together the teams responsible for the core Exhibitions platform and key future growth initiatives.
NEC CEO, Paul Reeve, said: “These changes reflect both the strength of the leadership team we have built and our ambition to continue evolving the business for the long term. Ian’s new role will further strengthen our operational foundations, ensuring we continue to deliver at scale and with consistency as we grow.
“Sarah’s expanded responsibilities will accelerate momentum across our exhibitions’ portfolio and the next phase of the NEC Campus, bringing together our core platform and future development plans under clear, unified leadership.”
