Nicky Wake, the co-founder of Don’t Panic Projects, has joined Prolific North as the company’s new managing director, taking over from Prolific North co-founder Nick Jaspan.
Wake founded the events management company Don’t Panic 14 years ago with her husband Andy.
The company has grown consistently over the years and now generates sales in excess of £2m spread across fees from management of third party events through to several of its own awards spanning the UK, Europe, US and the Middle East. Don’t Panic has managed all of Prolific North’s live events since its launch in 2013 and both companies work together on a JV basis on two further awards and three expos.
Don’t Panic’s operations director Nancy Dykins has taken over the day to day management of Don’t Panic with Wake stepping up to assume a CEO role. Dykins is being supported by the existing management team at Don’t Panic comprising Michelle Graham (head of finance), Joe Charlton (head of events) and Chloe Chadwick (creative director) who have been successfully running the business for the last two years.
Wake said: “After 14 years building Don’t Panic into one of the North’s leading independent events companies and one unusually with significant national and international activities, an opportunity arose in discussions with the team at Prolific North with whom we have worked very closely for several years.