The new Managing Director of The National Exhibition Centre (NEC), in Birmingham has been named as London Luton Airport managing director Kathryn James.
On Monday, July 2, Kathryn will step into the role left vacant by Paul Thandi last October, when he became Chief Executive of The NEC Group, the company which manages The NEC along with arenas The NIA and The NEC arena and Birmingham’s International Convention Centre (ICC).
Kathryn first joined London Luton’s parent company TBI, one of the world’s largest airport operating companies, in 1996 from Price Waterhouse. She moved from being an Acquisition Accountant in 1996 to Managing Director of London Luton - the fifth largest UK airport - in just nine years, where she has been responsible for an operation handling nearly 10 million passengers every year.
Kathryn occupied a number of key roles during the development of TBI as an international airports business and has been directly responsible for finance, commercial activities - including retail and car parking - and Human Resources.
In her new role at The NEC, Kathryn will be responsible for increasing revenue and profitability through the identification of market opportunities, developing the existing business and building strong relationships within the industry and with key stakeholders. She will be a member of the Executive Board and lead a number of commercial and operations-focused teams.
Chief Executive, Paul Thandi, said: “I am delighted Kathryn has agreed to join us. She has incredible drive and determination and is excited by the opportunity to develop our reputation as a first choice venue through outstanding customer service and world-class facilities.
“Kathryn will lead The NEC team in repositioning the venue within the UK and across our international markets. She will also bring significant commercial insight and experience which will help to create new revenue streams for the business.
“As the UK’s biggest and Europe’s busiest venue of its kind, The NEC is at the heart of both the Group’s current business success and its future direction too.
“We are investing £40m in both our people and our facilities and in Kathryn I believe I have someone to continue The NEC’s transformation into a venue that can continue to compete successfully on an international scale.”
Notes to Editors:
The NEC Group
The NEC Group manages four world-class venues in and around Birmingham and is one of Europe’s leading venue management companies.
Together The National Exhibition Centre (NEC), International Convention Centre (ICC), National Indoor Arena (NIA) and the NEC Arena host more than 1,700 business, consumer, music and sporting events every year, attracting 4.5 million visitors and generating £1.3 billion in visitor and business expenditure for the UK economy.
Kathryn James
The TBI is one of the UK's leading airport operators. It owns and/or operates London Luton, Belfast International and Cardiff International Airports. The Group also owns and/or operates a number of overseas airports and airport-related businesses.
Kathryn’s roles at TBI have included included acting as Finance Director of Orlando Sanford Airport, Florida; Stockholm Skavsta Airport, Sweden; Airport Group International, Inc., California; Finance, Commercial and HR Director of London Luton Airport Operations Limited and Managing Director.
Kathryn also has experience in political lobbying, community consultation and extensive public speaking and media work.
She has performed a number of roles external to the airport within the wider community and region, being a Governor at the University of Bedfordshire, a Governor of Barnfield College, which is establishing its 6th Centre of Vocational Excellence at the airport, a member of the CBI East of England Board, a Director of the Luton and Bedford Chamber of Business and leads the airports charity liaison efforts.
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