Manchester-headquartered creative events agency Make Events is entering 2026 with continued momentum, welcoming a series of new hires to strengthen specialist capability across the business while also expanding its presence in London.
Simon Bottomley joins Make Events as head of business development, bringing over 20 years’ experience across sales and growth roles. Most recently sales director at Inspirational Venues & Events, he brings a strong commercial focus and deep understanding of venues, clients and long-term partnerships. In the newly created role, he will drive new business growth and help expand opportunities across conferences, incentives, experiential and brand-led events.
Bottmoley said: “Make Events has a brilliant reputation for creative excellence and strong client relationships. The culture, ambition and focus on quality really stood out. I’m excited to bring fresh energy and experience to the business at such a pivotal moment in its growth.”
READ MORE: Leeds indie backs nationwide campaign to train for trades
January has also seen the team welcome Maiya Dambawinna as event producer, alongside Rebecca Denton and Isobel Meldrum as event production executives. These appointments bolster delivery capability across the agency and support its continued growth across both Manchester and London.
Strengthening the agency’s service offering further, the team also welcomed Jo Millie into a newly created role at the end of 2025. Building on the agency’s existing expertise, Millie’s appointment has enabled the launch of a dedicated venue finding service, enhancing support for clients from initial brief through to event delivery.
The growth follows a standout year for the agency, with Make Events working on a number of high-profile projects and new client wins. Highlights from 2025 included the Nobu Manchester groundbreaking event, alongside new client relationships with Shoosmiths and Bausch + Lomb Surgical, strengthening the agency’s portfolio across corporate, brand and experiential events.
The new hires build on a strong year of investment throughout 2025, following the appointment of Adele Woods as new managing director in June. Since then, Make Events has also welcomed new talent across production, creative and brand roles, including Cameron Pilling as marketing manager, Chris Moore as senior designer, and Grace Cooper and Katie Sciculana into the event production team.
A number of the recent appointments are based in London, following the opening of office space in the capital in 2025 and the acquisition of The PA Club in August. Together, these developments mark a deliberate and measured expansion beyond Manchester, strengthening Make Events’ presence in London and supporting the continued growth of the wider group.
MD Woods said: “Our growth is about making sure we continue to deliver brilliant work for our clients, while creating opportunities for our team to develop, progress and do their best work. Bringing in new skills and experience allows us to expand what we offer, without losing focus on the relationships and standards that Make Events is known for.
“With dedicated venue finding, an expanding London team and continued investment across the agency, we’re well placed to build on the momentum of 2025 and deliver even more creative, impactful events in the year ahead.”
The agency continues to recruit into 2026, with further roles planned across finance, events leadership and production as Make Events enters its next phase of growth.
