As part of its £1.3 billion overhaul, Olympia Events appoints Thalia Day as sustainability lead and Carly Gibbs as head of guest experience, reinforcing its commitment to eco-friendly operations and exceptional visitor services ahead of a 2025 relaunch.
Olympia Events, overseen by Legends and ASM Global, has made key senior appointments as part of the extensive £1.3 billion redevelopment of Olympia London, which is set to transform the venue into one of the capital’s premier cultural destinations by the second half of 2025. Thalia Day and Carly Gibbs have been brought on board as sustainability lead and head of guest experience respectively, roles designed to underpin the venue’s evolution with a strong focus on environmental responsibility and world-class visitor engagement.
Thalia Day’s appointment signals Olympia’s commitment to sustainability, as she is tasked with spearheading a comprehensive strategy to promote environmental best practices, reduce waste, and foster innovation. Her role involves close collaboration with both internal teams and external partners to embed sustainability deeply into operations, enhancing Olympia’s credentials in this increasingly vital area. Carly Gibbs, meanwhile, will focus on crafting and executing a seamless guest experience programme that aligns with the wider destination’s goals, ensuring visitors enjoy a smooth and enriching customer journey. She will also support the team in navigating the transition into a bustling cultural hub by facilitating training and cooperation across the estate’s varied events and stakeholders.
Andy O’Sullivan, CEO of Olympia Events, highlighted the significance of these appointments, stating they inject “real substance” into the venue’s ambition to lead the industry in responsible, future-focused event delivery, while also raising the standard of guest experiences. These leadership hires complement recent senior-level appointments in business development, sales, and food and beverage, collectively reinforcing the team driving Olympia’s transformation.
The redevelopment itself promises to be a landmark project for London and the UK, with projections suggesting it will inject over £600 million into the British economy annually. The extensive programme includes a 4,000-capacity music venue operated by AEG Presents and a 1,575-seat theatre run by Trafalgar Entertainment. Additionally, two international hotel brands—citizenM and Hyatt Regency—alongside a boutique fitness venue by 1Rebel and 550,000 square feet of premium office space, will form part of the new destination. This diverse mix is expected to draw around 3.5 million visitors annually to the event spaces, hotels, and cultural venues, boosting total footfall to approximately 10 million once local residents and workers are included.
The first new building to open under the redevelopment is the West Hall, redesigned by the architectural firm SPPARC. This building includes two floors of flexible exhibition space with a striking glazed façade. Adjacent to it is the 4,400-capacity music venue, scheduled to open in 2024. The design ensures that the music venue and exhibition spaces operate independently, with acoustic insulation to guarantee events can run simultaneously without interference.
Looking ahead, the redevelopment timeline includes the opening of a new conference facility in early Q2 2026, alongside a phased launch of hotels, restaurants, and other amenities starting from the latter half of the next year. The new energy centre, designed to power the entire estate including venues, hotels, and office spaces, underscores the commitment to sustainability, with office buildings targeting BREEAM Excellent standards to maximise energy efficiency and minimise waste.
In parallel with these developments, the project is attracting a vibrant hospitality scene. The Incipio Group has signed four new restaurants—Arbour, Wolves of Tokyo, Lillie’s, and Juno—to join the evolving Olympia destination. These eateries will occupy a combined 39,000 square feet, contributing to a dynamic mix of over 30 restaurants, bars, and eateries planned across the 14-acre site.
Collectively, these strategic appointments and infrastructure developments position Olympia as a forward-thinking, multifaceted venue aimed at delivering exceptional events and visitor experiences while championing sustainability and economic growth within London’s cultural landscape.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.conference-news.co.uk/news/olympia-events-announces-new-appointments-amid-1-3bn-redevelopment/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.conference-news.co.uk/news/olympia-events-announces-new-appointments-amid-1-3bn-redevelopment/ – Olympia Events, managed by Legends and ASM Global, has appointed Thalia Day as sustainability lead and Carly Gibbs as head of guest experience. These roles aim to drive the venue’s evolution as it prepares to become part of London’s newest cultural destination, opening in the latter half of 2025. Day will lead a holistic sustainability strategy, collaborating with partners to implement environmental best practices, reduce waste, and strengthen Olympia’s sustainability credentials. Gibbs will create and implement the venue’s guest experience programme, ensuring a seamless customer journey in harmony with the wider destination. Additionally, Gibbs will support the team in transitioning into London’s newest cultural destination, delivering a diverse range of large-scale events in partnership with tenants and stakeholders across the estate. CEO Andy O’Sullivan highlighted the importance of these appointments in reimagining Olympia as a destination defined by excellence, purpose, and empathy for both people and planet.
- https://events.olympia.london/news/olympias-ps13bn-redevelopment-set-inject-over-ps600-uk-economy – Olympia London’s £1.3 billion redevelopment is projected to inject over £600 million into the UK economy annually. The transformation includes a new 4,000-capacity music venue operated by AEG Presents, a 1,575-seat theatre led by Trafalgar Entertainment, two international hotel brands—citizenM and Hyatt Regency—a boutique fitness venue by 1Rebel, and 550,000 sq ft of premium office spaces. The development is expected to attract 3.5 million annual visitors to its event spaces, hotels, and performance venues, with total annual footfall reaching approximately 10 million when including local residents and workers. The project aims to bolster the UK’s economy by enhancing its cultural and creative industries.
- https://dailyarchnews.com/news/first-new-building-opens-at-1-3bn-olympia-redevelopment/ – The first new building in Olympia London’s £1.3 billion redevelopment, West Hall, designed by SPPARC, has opened. The renovated West Hall features two new floors of large-scale, flexible exhibition space with a full-height glazed facade. An adjoining 4,400-capacity music venue, managed by AEG Presents, is under construction and set to open in 2024. The exhibition space and music venue are designed to function independently, sharing only a service lift, with acoustic insulation to allow the music auditorium freedom from the constraints of neighbouring exhibition timelines.
- https://the-exposure.com/future-olympia-the-path-to-a-new-era/ – Nick Graham, head of sales at Olympia Events, provided updates on the redevelopment timeline, stating that the conference facility is on track to open in early Q2 2026, with the rest of the site, including hotels and restaurants, having a phased opening starting from the second half of next year. The development includes a new energy centre designed to power the entire estate, including venues, hotels, restaurants, and office space. The office spaces are being built to achieve a BREEAM Excellent standard, ensuring energy efficiency and minimising waste and disruption.
- https://palife.co.uk/news/venues/olympias-redevelopment-boosts-growth/ – Olympia London’s £1.3 billion redevelopment is set to inject over £600 million into the UK economy, according to economic consultancy Volterra. The transformation includes a new 4,000-capacity music venue operated by AEG Presents, a 1,575-seat theatre led by Trafalgar Entertainment, two international hotel brands—citizenM and Hyatt Regency—a boutique fitness venue by 1Rebel, and 550,000 sq ft of premium office spaces. The development is expected to attract 3.5 million annual visitors to its event spaces, hotels, and performance venues, with total annual footfall reaching approximately 10 million when including local residents and workers.
- https://www.estatesgazette.co.uk/news/incipio-secures-four-new-restaurants-to-join-1-3bn-kensington-olympia-revamp/ – Events operator Incipio Group has signed four new restaurants—Arbour, Wolves of Tokyo, Lillie’s, and Juno—to join the £1.3 billion Olympia redevelopment. The restaurants will occupy a combined 39,000 sq ft across the development. The 14-acre redevelopment, expected to open later this year, will offer a mix of entertainment, hospitality, and cultural spaces, including a 1,575-seat theatre, a 4,000-capacity music venue, over 30 restaurants, bars, and eateries, two new hotels, and a boutique gym operated by 1Rebel.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative was published on 21 July 2025, making it current. The content is original and not recycled from other sources. The announcement of Thalia Day and Carly Gibbs as sustainability lead and head of guest experience, respectively, is a new development. The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. The narrative includes updated data on the £1.3 billion redevelopment of Olympia London, which is set to transform the venue into a premier cultural destination by the second half of 2025. This update justifies a higher freshness score but should still be flagged.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
The direct quotes from Andy O’Sullivan, CEO of Olympia Events, are unique to this report and have not been found in earlier material. No identical quotes appear in earlier sources, indicating original content.
Source reliability
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative originates from Conference News, a reputable UK-based publication covering the events industry. This adds credibility to the report. The press release is attributed to Olympia Events, managed by Legends and ASM Global, which are established entities in the events industry.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about the £1.3 billion redevelopment of Olympia London are consistent with previous reports, such as those from Estates Gazette and The Standard, which mention similar developments and appointments. The narrative lacks specific factual anchors like names, institutions, and dates, which could reduce the score and flag it as potentially synthetic. The language and tone are consistent with typical corporate communications, and the structure is focused on the announcement without excessive or off-topic detail.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is current, original, and sourced from a reputable publication. The claims are plausible and consistent with other reports. The lack of specific factual anchors is noted but does not significantly impact the overall assessment.
