Management Team

We have a number of dedicated and experienced staff in our team with almost 200 years of collective events experience. Please see below for a list of our management team

Terry Bates- Facilities Manager

Terry started his role at the Ricoh Arena in April 2005. He has 18 years’ previous experience as the Building Manager at Coventry Sports Trust. In addition he is a qualified Plumber and has served time with Coventry City Council and has achieved the Chartered Institute of Building Certificate & Diploma in site management amongst many other qualifications.

Terry's responsibilties include ensuring the Ricoh Arena is a safe and well maintained stadium and is compliant with all statutory requirements.

He is also directly involved with the recent building developments and improvements which include the additional 41 bedrooms.

Jackie Budd- Financial Controller for IEC Experience Ltd

Jackie has worked in the Leisure and Hospitality industry for the last 15 years

Her experience includes 12 years at Silverstone Circuit working for Sodexho Compass and Aspire Hospitality Ltd in the roll of Location Accountant. This role covered the normal trading of the site plus the catering accounts for the British Grand Prix.

For the last 3 years Jackie has worked as the Financial Controller at Ricoh Arena and during this time also studied part time at Open University. In addition Jackie worked at various other sites within the Compass and Sodexho business for the larger events.

Karl Chester- Traffic and Transport Manager

Karl joined the team in 2011 and is responsible for all the Traffic and Transport around the Ricoh Arena on behalf of CAPuk. He was seconded to LOCOG as there Traffic Manager for the City of Coventry Stadium for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Karl is responsible for planning the traffic flows and parking for all major events, concerts and sporting fixtures.

Alan Diaz- Logistics and Retail Manager

Alan started working at the Ricoh Arena in 2005 as a Cellar Porter stocking fridges and working on the bar. By the end of 2006 a job opportunity opened up for Alan to progress to a Logistics Supervisor looking after a number of staff, setting up the stadium for the conferences, exhibitions and events.

Alan’s match day experience initially began as a Supervisor overseeing the retail operations and has now progressed to Logistics and Retail Manager running events such as Coventry City match days, concerts and large dinners in hospitality.

Justine Hewitt

Major Events and Project Manager

Caroline Lissaman- Head of Sales and Planning

Caroline has had an extensive career in the Events and Hospitality Industry spanning over the last 13 years, previously working at Stoneleigh Park within the Membership and Events Team, Britannia Hotels as an Events Co-Ordinator and for Coventry City Football Club as Matchday Operations Manager.

Her role at CCFC involved the sales and planning of C&B events and Matchday Hospitality Sales at Highfield Road moving into the role of operationally co-ordinating the Hospitality Sales for football at the Ricoh Arena.

In 2009 Caroline began working for the Exhibition, Conference and Banqueting team at the Ricoh Arena and recently becoming Head of Sales and Planning managing the day to day operations of the Sales and Planning teams and the sale of hospitality for all major concerts and sporting events held at the venue.

Stephen McCabe

A member of the team since prior to opening in 2005, Stephen's career has progressed from an apprentice through to Management accountant. Stephen has recently become a qualified Accountant gaining membership to the ‘Association of Chartered Certified Accountants’. Responsibilities include the preparation of the financial statements for ACL and managing the day to day transactions of the company.

Chris Morrall- Head Chef

Chris started his career in 1985, working in fine dining restaurants and country house hotels in and around the Midlands. His first experience of stadia catering was at Aston Villa Football club, where he spent several years as a match day Head Chef. Chris joined Compass at Leicester City Football Club in 2008 as Sous Chef and within 12 months was promoted to Head Chef. He joined the team at the Ricoh in preparation for the Olympics as Executive Chef in June 2012

Jayne Nightingale- National Business Development Manager

Jayne has an extensive career in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry including lecturing in travel and tourism, working as part of the Virgin Atlantic Account Management Team and managing events on behalf of the Directorate of Standard Chartered Bank. Before joining The Ricoh, Jayne spent 4 ½ years within the Groups, Meetings and Events division at HRG and account managed their FMCG, financial services, pharma and energy industry clients.

Jayne’s objectives at the Ricoh Arena include ensuring sales opportunities for business events at The Ricoh are maximised, increasing venues sales in both existing and new market opportunities whilst delivering successful exhibitions, conferences, training, product launches and banqueting.

Mark O'Shea- Head of Operations

Mark brings a versatile array of Hotel background experience to his job as Head of Operations at the Ricoh. His knowledge ranges from being Deputy Manager at the 4* Imperial Hotel in Blackpool and heading up the HQ hotel of all 3 major political parties when in town and also the HQ to the PDC for the darts. In addition, Mark has previously worked at Hellaby Hall as Deputy General Manager, a hotel for many football teams when staying over before a big match in the Yorkshire area.

Mark is passionate about football and supports Lincoln City and still captains his local village team, of which he has played for since the age of 9.

Chris Owen- Senior Event Manager

Chris has worked at the Ricoh Arena since it opened in 2005 after completing a HND in Travel and Tourism. As a Duty Manager Chris was part of the Logistics Team that managed the day to day operation of the Exhibition, Conference and Banqueting business that came into the venue. In 2006 Chris moved into the events team as an Exhibition Co-ordinator working with Exhibition organisers planning events held within the 6000sqm of the Jaguar Exhibition Hall.

Chris has been an influential part of the team helping to develop the venue and turning it into a 1st class exhibition space, Chris has worked with a number clients helping them to increasing the footprint of their exhibitions and is constantly bring new events to the venue.

In 2011 Chris was nominated at the Exhibition News Awards and received a special commendation for Best Venue Events Manager and now the Senior Events Manager for Ricoh Arena.

Vaughan Pollard- Safety and Security Manager

Vaughan joined the team in October 2008 following his retirement from a successful career in the West Midlands Fire Service having served for 31 years. He has always been in a safety role throughout his working life, including a short spell as a construction safety advisor before taking up his full time role with the Ricoh Arena. In addition to his role for ACL he is also the Deputy Safety Officer for Coventry City Football Club, having been involved with the stewarding operation in various capacities at Highfield Road and then at the Ricoh Arena since 1999.

Vaughan has many Health and Safety qualifications including NEBOSH general and construction certificates, NVQ level 4 in Spectator Safety Management and is IOSH accredited to deliver Managing Safely and Working Safely courses.

A keen sportsman in his younger days, he has played Rugby Union at county level and more recently coached and refereed at his local Rugby club for a number of years.

Alan Pickering- Energy and Waste/Cleaning Manager

Alan joined the stadium on 20th Aug 2005 when it first opened for business, having worked for Serco leisure as a Technical manager, Coventry sports trust, and running his own business. He started as an electrical mechanical engineer and having worked in the leisure industry for over 26 years and therefore brings a vast amount of knowledge and range of skills to the Ricoh.

By 2007 Alan had joined the management team as Deputy Facilities/ Energy manager where he has managed to achieve the carbon trust standard and an energy award for reduction in energy in 2010 and finalists for an energy award in 2011

In 2012 he had taken on the role as waste/cleaning manager to the stadium

Alan is a qualified Electrician and has a City & guilds Electrical/Mechanical, City & Guilds 2391 testing and inspection.

Matt Roddy- Hotel Manager

Matt Roddy has worked in the hotel industry for over 27 years with Hilton, Thistle, IHG and Best Western therefore has gained a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Matt’s Main responsibility is running the De Vere at the Ricoh Arena 121 Bedroom Hotel, Reception, Reservations and Nights Team

Jenny Shortt- Marketing and Partnership Manager

Jenny joined the Ricoh Arena team in April 2010 and since then has gained a range of marketing knowledge and implemented this for a number of concerts such as Kings of Leon, Coldplay and Florence and the Machine, and sporting events such as the London 2012 Olympic Football. Her marketing responsibilities cover 3 sectors of the Ricoh Arena- business, entertainment and sport therefore developing and managing a number of marketing strategies is key to her role whilst reporting into the Marketing Director. Jenny is also responsible for the day to day Account Management of our key partners -RICOH, E.ON, Jaguar, Lloydspharmacy, Carlsberg and Britvic.