Industry News13-11-26
Red Bull Technology Campus, the Commonwealth Games and the Queen's Funeral Arrive on the IBTM World Main Stage
12th November 2026, IBTM, Barcelona: The teams behind the Scottish Event Campus, Red Bull Technology Campus (Formula 1), the Commonwealth Games and one of the most-watched events in history, the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, will take to the Main Stage at IBTM World 2026 next week.‘Behind the Scenes at the World's Biggest Events’ runs on Day One of IBTM World and will reveal what really happens when the world is watching and failure is not an option. The session, taking place Tuesday 17 November 26, 11:30–12:10 on the Main Stage, will bring together Owen Carless, Head of Mechanical Analysis & Reliability, Red Bull Ford Powertrains, Lieutenant Colonel James Shaw LVO, Jade Gallagher of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, and is chaired by Colin Hartley, Director of Operations at the SEC (Scottish Event Campus).The session will bring to life analogies and shared experiences that business event teams can learn from some of the most high-profile and glamorous events on the planet. The speakers will share stories and experiences that help events become more operationally effective, from shorter lead times and crisis incidents to resilience planning. Behind every amazing event, there is a team of event professionals making everything work in the background; this is their session.Owen Carless will bring the perspective of elite motorsport, where reliability is measured in thousandths of a second and a single failure ends a race weekend. Owen works within the Red Bull Technology Campus, home to MK-7, the organisation’s events space, showcasing the cars used throughout Oracle Red Bull’s Racing history.Meanwhile James Shaw, Director of JS2 Global, is a former Army officer and Head of National Military Ceremonial Operations. He led the military ceremonial operations for the State Funeral and was appointed Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) by His Majesty The King in 2024 for his work supporting the Coronation of King Charles III.Jade Gallagher, Chief Operating Officer of Glasgow 2026, led the operations of this summer's Commonwealth Games, delivered in Glasgow on a condensed timeline, across four venues in an eight-mile corridor, with more than 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories. Few event professionals have more recent experience of rebuilding a global event at speed.Chaired by Colin Hartley, Director of Operations at Glasgow's SEC campus, a venue business that itself delivers conferences, exhibitions and live entertainment at scale, in the city that has just hosted those Commonwealth Games, the discussion will translate those experiences into practical lessons any event organiser can use.Event professionals can register for IBTM World and plan their Day One around the session at ibtmworld.com. Early arrival at the Main Stage is recommended, sessions with this line-up fill fast
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