UK Regional Council

Daniel Lee

Managing Director
Hewshott UK

Having spent over 20 years in AV so far (in every role the industry has to offer!) Dan is now Managing Director of Hewshott. Dan believes an inspired and motivated team is directly linked to positive client experiences, seeding a culture where finding the right work-life balance is welcomed and encouraged. He is passionate about the AV industry and what comes next, or more importantly, who and where from!?

Jane Hammersley

Queen of Collaboration
Blue Touch Paper

Jane Hammersley, affectionately known as the "Queen of Collaboration," co-founded Blue Touch Paper with Jon Sidwick. She is passionate about leveraging technology to drive positive change and has established herself as a respected AV|IT|UC industry figure. As far back as 2007, Jane’s book, "Brilliant Meetings" advocated for improved meetings and collaboration - now called Hybrid work!. At Blue Touch Paper, she collaborates with vendors and distributors to tackle global complex GTM and channel challenges.

Jenny Hicks

Head of Market Intelligence
Midwich

Jenny has 17 years of experience in the AV industry, encompassing sales, technical, and leadership roles. She is part of the Group Commercial Management Team at Midwich Group PLC, a leading £1.3bn specialist AV distributor operating in 28 countries. Jenny oversees market intelligence and technology strategy across the Group and its venture capital fund. She is a regular speaker at industry events and covers market trends, sustainability, and emerging technologies. Jenny also serves on Avixa’s Sustainability Advisory Board.

Owen Ellis

CEO
AV User Group

Owen has worked in the AV industry since 1984 with various roles at system integrators and then for 18 years as an end user at Morgan Stanley. Owen became a member of and now runs the AV User Group, then launched the AV Consultancy Group. While running these, he has extended the group's internationally opening in multiple new locations from their London roots. His personal interests include drawing, cooking, walking & gardening.

Stephen Patterson

CEO
Pufferfish Displays

With over 25 years of experience in the technology industry, Stephen's career is a testament to his passion and expertise. He began his journey in the realm of audio semiconductors then live production, where he honed his technical and commercial skills. Transitioning to the sales side of the industry, Stephen brought his unique insights to the manufacturer's perspective.

In 2010, Stephen joined Biamp, where he has since held a variety of international roles in distribution management and business development. For the past six years, he has been at the helm of the commercial team in Europe, driving growth and innovation. Stephen's enthusiasm for audio goes beyond technology; he believes in its profound ability to foster human connections. However, his true passion lies in building, mentoring, and developing the teams around him.

A dedicated advocate for the third sector, Stephen has served in various non-executive roles over the last 15 years. His commitment to promoting equality, support, and development in these areas underscores his belief in making a positive impact both within and beyond the industry.

Denise Hughes

Founder/Managing Director
WoopJobs

Denise founded WoopJobs! in 2008 with a vision to address the growing need for specialist recruitment in the evolving audiovisual (AV) industry. Over the last 16 years WoopJobs! has blossomed into a thriving business with a respected name in the AV industry. Denise’s commitment to building the company around a people-driven approach has been instrumental in connecting top talent with leading companies across the AV sector. Denise is the author of ‘Your Dream Job in Audiovisual’ published in 2024 - a guide to the AV industry, the first of its kind in the sector.

Katy Thorpe

Global People Director
Kinly

Katy is currently the Global People Director at Kinly with over 20 years of experience in people-centric roles, in retail, environmental services & technology. Over the last 5 years Katy has fostered her passion for diversity, equity & inclusion working in a predominantly male -orientated environment. She is always a cheerleader for women in the workplace particularly having had a very poor pre and post maternity experience, vowing never to see this happen to others. There has been a strong focus at Kinly on creating policies which enhance employment engagement and support employees through life changing events such as parental leaves, fertility & loss. In 2024, Kinly was shortlisted as one of 3 businesses at the AV Awards for their inaugural DEI initiatives award. It is important to Katy & Kinly that all those working within technology work towards growing an industry that attracts diverse talent, creates safe spaces & celebrates inclusion. Outside of work, Katy runs around after a very active 8 yr old and hopes she can keep up the pretence of being knowledgeable about football.

Sanjit Hurst

Director of Global Procurement
Diversified

Having worked in the industry now for 10 years I have seen many changes and recently a shift towards digitalisation, cloud-based solutions, increased integration of AI, and immersive technologies, resulting in more personalised and interactive user experiences. For me this diverse, exciting and unique industry is all about the people and having endless opportunities collaborating with great minds and meeting amazing people from all walks of life.

Ben Holmes

Director of Display Marketing 
Samsung Electronics

Ben is an experienced tech industry individual, developed in both B2C and B2B. He has held leaderships positions across Product, Sales and Marketing and for the last 3 years has been the Marketing Director for Europe at Samsung Electronics. He’s passionate about creating high performing teams and creating a supportive environment that drives personal growth.

Rob Sherry

Regional Director, Northern & Eastern Europe & Managing Director, UK & Ireland
Q-SYS

With over a decade in the AV industry, Rob has built his career on connecting people and technology. Starting out in live sound and technical consulting, he joined Q-SYS in 2020 and has helped shape the UK business from its early days into a thriving, innovative team. Today, he leads Northern & Eastern Europe and the UK & Ireland with a focus on growth, inclusion, and collaboration.

 Rob is passionate about creating opportunities for others and shaping an inclusive industry where talent can thrive, something he champions through initiatives like the global partnership between Q-SYS and Rise AV, which aims to amplify diversity and inclusion across the sector.