Jonathan Read is the Joint CEO of Tobacco Dock and Board Member for EVCOM responsible for Venue Search – and is this month’s subject of ‘Spotlight on the Board’
What inspired you to join the EVCOM board, and what unique perspective do you bring to the table?
I have loved the live events industry from the moment I first started working in it and some 25 years+ on I wanted to contribute to supporting the next generation striving to make a difference. My career has encompassed creative producing, brand strategy and latterly as a venue operator. I have worked for agencies and directly for organisations and brands and this gives me different lenses through which to view the world of human connection, a need that is accelerating in the era of Ai generated content/slop.
I have been fortunate to deliver events and projects in over 30 countries across the world and meeting people, developing an understanding of cultural differences and commonalities and building lasting relationships has been a real highlight.
Looking ahead, what do you see as the biggest opportunity or challenge for the creative communications and events industry?
There has always been the challenge in the creative communications and events industries of balancing the use of technology against detracting from the experience. This is, perhaps, even more prevalent today and I believe that audiences will become even more selective of which experiences are worthy of their time and money both as consumers and business event attendees. I see opportunities to use technology to make experiences more personalised and valuable but hope that the fundamentals of designing events and experiences for human connection and interaction is not lost. I applaud artists that tell audiences to “put their phones away and experience the moment”. Real life is always better than recorded life.
Tell us about a project or moment in your career that shaped your approach to leadership.
The live industry is built on resilience and real-time problem solving. Numerous occasions have taught me the value of creating clarity, building confidence and removing friction to ensure teams can do their best work.
What do you think the industry needs more of – and less of – right now?
I think agencies need to be laser-focused on defining and communicating what makes them different. There has been a flurry of M&A activity over the last few months – the big are getting bigger and for boutique agencies to survive they have to be crystal-clear on what sets them apart. I would also like agencies to be creatively braver and for brands and corporate clients to embrace this. There are too many events and indeed corporate films that are generic and I would love to see more that authentically bring the brand to life. In terms of what’s on my “less of” list – I would love there to be less time and resource wasted on protracted, often grossly unfair pitch/RFP processes. For commissioners and buyers please let’s have some honesty and clarity – a clear brief, a budget, what you are really looking for and if this is a genuine opportunity for change or simply a benchmarking exercise against the incumbent. Pitches become increasingly expensive and sophisticated and I hear horror stories all the time of briefs changing mid-process, the real decision-makers not being in the room, distracted clients catching up on emails during presentations and other disrespectful behaviour. And inviting 10 agencies to pitch whose pitch costs collectively exceed the budget for the event or film is just plain wrong. Creative talent in our industry can achieve extraordinary outcomes and changes in behaviour. Embrace this and be fair and respectful when you are looking for an agency to make a difference for your organisation or brand.
When you’re not working, what sparks your creativity or helps you unwind?
I may not look like a typical yogi, but I have been practising yoga for over 7 years and really benefit from feeling more grounded, clearer in thought and hopefully a little bit fitter. Deia in Mallorca is a special place for me and we try and go at least twice a year. I don’t know whether it is because it is a place where I genuinely relax, that it still has an extraordinary number of writers and artists based in the village or the ley lines but it is certainly the destination where I do some of my best creative thinking.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in this industry?
Be curious! I think for many in the industry it took them a while to find their groove and where they really excel. So I would say try as much as you can – production running, logistics, be a grip on a shoot, work on a registration desk, sit in on edits, join client briefing meetings. Absorb it all and eventually you will find the area that you love and are brilliant at. Also attend as many industry events as you can – connections are still the gold in this business and you never know where the next opportunity may come from. And ask questions – there are very few dumb questions and this industry is very generous with its time and knowledge sharing.
Is there one single thing from your outside work life that makes you better at work?
My young adult children provide an invaluable perspective on the ambitions, challenges, disappointments, motivations and thoughts of twenty-somethings starting their careers in what are really challenging times for this generation. My son graduated last summer with a decent degree from a good university and faces a world where there are 4000+ applicants for 8 graduate entry jobs. This situation reinforces how valuable mentoring and advising the next generation is. We can all do our bit to help.
What’s one thing about you that people might be surprised to learn?
I’m not sure if it is a surprise when you see the size of my tummy but I am a foodie. I have always loved to cook but I had the pleasure of producing the Glenfiddich Food & Drink Awards for a number of years and meeting some of my foodie heroes – writers, TV/radio producers and chefs such as Sheila Dillon, Patricia Llewellyn, Andrew Jefford, Nigella Lawson, and Gordon Ramsay rekindled this passion. It also was the catalyst for seeking out and attracting gastronomic events at Tobacco Dock where we hosted Taste – Festive Edition for a number of years, the first Noma residency outside of Copenhagen, Meatopia (our annual real fire cooking festival, now in its 13th year) and the Waitrose Food & Drink Festival.