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Directors

IAEH is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee governed by the following directors.

The IAEH board is open and any member willing to act to be a director can be appointed. Directors are appointed by vote in general meeting or by other directors through ordinary resolution.

Directors’ proceedings are regulated by the IAEH’s governing document.

 

 

Esther Britten

Head of Major Events - UK Sport

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Esther leads the Major Events Team at UK Sport, an arm’s length government body in the UK. Her team works with partners across the UK to strategically identify and invest in major sporting events. A key part of this role is to identify and programme out all the major and mega sporting events the UK looks to host on a rolling 5-10 year programme.
Esther has a passion for sport at all levels and a former hockey player and umpire Esther has been involved with a huge range of sports events across the globe formally working for England Netball and London 2012 Organising Committee.

Esther was appointed to serve as IAEH director in June 2021. Esther is a member of the Executive Committee of the IAEH.

Paul Bush

Director of Events - EventScotland

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Paul leads VisitScotland’s Events Directorate which includes Industry Development, Business Events and EventScotland. The directorate takes a strategic role in the Scottish events industry and is responsible for attracting, bidding for and securing major sporting, cultural and business events worldwide. Over the past decade, Scotland has brought some of the biggest event properties to the country, including The Ryder Cup and Commonwealth Games in 2014, many European and World Championships and the MTV Music Awards.

Paul was appointed Chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland in May 2015 and previous roles include Chef De Mission for The Scottish Commonwealth Games. He was awarded an OBE for Services to Commonwealth Sport.

Paul was reappointed to serve as IAEH director in May 2019.

Terry Hasseltine

President - Sport & Entertainment Corporation of Maryland

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Terry has over 30 years of sports events and tourism experience, ranging from collegiate athletics, to municipal sports commissions to creating two state-wide sports commissions (Kentucky and Maryland). He served in the NASC, now Sports ETA, as chairman where he helped increase membership and revenues and fostered the development of the Hall of Fame. In Maryland, he serves as Vice President, Maryland Stadium Authority; Executive Director, Maryland Sports Commission; and President, Sport & Entertainment Corporation of Maryland. He has been instrumental is creating significant funding legislation over the past few years of youth and amateur Sports, as well as major events.

Terry was appointed to serve as IAEH director in May 2023.

Peter Hunt

Events and Experiences Director - Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ)

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Peter is Vice-Chair of the IAEH. As Events and Experiences Director at Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ), Peter leads a team that works collaboratively with government, industry and destination partners to identify, attract, develop and promote high value events in Queensland that attract visitors, contribute to the economy, raise the State's profile and foster community pride. Peter's time at TEQ has also seen him lead leveraging activity to optimise the tourism value of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games and contribute to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Value Proposition Assessment as part of the Queensland Government's 2032 Taskforce. Prior to his time at TEQ, Peter led the lifestyle events portfolio at Destination New South Wales and has rights holder experience having led the delivery of surfing events for domestic sports federation Surfing New South Wales for 6 years.

Peter was appointed to serve as IAEH director in June 2021. Peter is a member of the Executive Committee of the IAEH.

Maggie Hsiu-Ling Hsu

Director, International and Cross-Strait Sports Division - Sports Administration, Ministry of Education, Taiwan

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Maggie is the Director at the Sports Administration, Taiwan, as well as a current Committee Member of International Children's Games (ICG) and Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee (CTOC). Her job is to bring major sporting events to Taiwan, including 2025 World Master Games in Taipei City and New Taipei City, 2026 ICG Hualien County, UCI Tour de Taiwan, WBSC Premier 12, amongst others.

Maggie was appointed to serve as IAEH director in May 2023.

Robert Kawamoto

Assistant Director, Major Events and Sport - Ottawa Tourism

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Robert is a seasoned veteran in the major event and sport bidding/hosting industry for over 20 years based in Canada, with exposure of working with major international, national, provincial and independent events rights holders. He has served on the board of Sport Tourism Canada (formerly Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance) for over 10 years, including board and executive committee roles.

Robert was appointed to serve as an IAEH Director in June 2022.

Lars Lundov

CEO - Sport Event Denmark

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Lars is Vice-Chair of the IAEH. Lars has been the head of Sport Event Denmark from the outset. With enthusiasm and commitment, Lars Lundov has led the way for his team of employees throughout the years. Lars' main focus is on international relations within the international sports world / Olympic Movement and bidding for major international sports events. Through his wide, global network and because of the remarkable Danish results on the market for sports events, Lars is requested as a speaker at international conferences/congresses.

Lars was reappointed to serve as IAEH director in June 2021. Lars is a member of the Executive Committee of the IAEH.

Andrew (“Drew”) Naika

Senior Advisor - New Zealand Major Events

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Andrew has worked and volunteered in the events industry in New Zealand for over two decades primarily in the arts and culture space. In his early career he participated in the EFA Atelier for Young Festival Managers and he has a CFEE accreditation with the IFEA. He has extensive event delivery experience including; WOMAD; World of WearableArt; Cricket World Cups; Lord of the Rings premier. For the last seven years, he has been involved in major event prospecting; for local government as a small host city (Wellington), and currently working for New Zealand Government as a host nation investment partner.

Andrew was appointed to serve as an IAEH director in June 2022.

Perttu Pesä

COO - Visit Tampere Ltd.

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Perttu is Chair of the IAEH. Perttu started his work in the event sector at the end of last century. He produced music festivals, TV-productions and theatre plays, and was also the festival director of Scandinavia’s largest comedy festival. In 2009−2012 he was the Deputy Mayor of Tampere, Finland and in charge of economic development, sports and culture. In 2012 the city decided to open Tampere Major Event Office and Perttu went from politics to life as a civil servant as the director of the new department. In 2017 Tampere Major Event Office joined forces with Tampere Convention Bureau and Visit Tampere, and now Perttu is the COO of Visit Tampere Ltd… Still developing event business.

Perttu was reappointed to serve as IAEH director in July 2020. Perttu is a member of the Executive Committee of the IAEH.

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