11 November 2026, Villa Park, Birmingham
From match day, to every day: a new era for venues
Venues for IMPACT is the summit for changemakers shaping the future of the venue ecosystem. Where industry leaders meet bold ideas, Impact explores how live venues can be drivers of change anchored in local communities to promote growth, prosperity, resilience and cohesion.
In November 2026, business and sports leaders, innovators and changemakers will convene at Villa Park for a full-day takeover, co-hosted by The Conduit, Aston Villa, and Levy. We will explore the next generation of stadium-led social impact and chart how these spaces can help shape a more equitable and sustainable future for communities.
Tickets from £1000 - with further discounts available
From match day, to every day: a new era for venues
With inequality widening, climate challenges accelerating, and public expectations rising, the role of major venues as anchor institutions has never been more critical. They are uniquely positioned to drive bold, community-centred change – moving from places of spectacle, to engines of resilience, inclusion, and long-term prosperity.
In November 2026, business and sports leaders, innovators and changemakers will convene at Villa Park for a two-day takeover, co-hosted by The Conduit, Aston Villa, and Levy. We will explore the next generation of stadium-led social impact and chart how these spaces can help shape a more equitable and sustainable future for communities.
Speakers
-

Laura
Cordingley -

Sara
Tomkins -
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Guy
Rippon -

Rodrigo
Garcia Gonzalez -

David
Fein -

Archie
Kalyana -

Clive
Chijioke Nwonka -

Katie
Cross -
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Paul
van Zyl
-

Laura
Cordingley -

Sara
Tomkins -
.png?width=200&height=200&name=Guy%20Rippon%20(2).png)
Guy
Rippon -

Rodrigo
Garcia Gonzalez -

David
Fein -

Archie
Kalyana -

Clive
Chijioke Nwonka -

Katie
Cross -
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Paul
van Zyl
Who Attends
A curated group of decision-makers shaping the future of venues:
- Club owners, CEOs and stadium operators
- Leagues and governing bodies
- City leaders and infrastructure developers
- Foundations and social impact organisations
- Investors, technology partners and operators
Who Attends
Club owners, CEOs and stadium operators
Leagues and governing bodies
City leaders and infrastructure developers
Foundations and social impact organisations
Investors, technology partners and operators
Why Attend
See what’s already making a difference
Learn about the initiatives already making an impact with venues operating beyond matchday - commercially and socially.
Meet the people making it happen
Network with the owners, operators and partners actively redesigning venue ecosystems.
Build partnerships that move
Unlock connections with organisations delivering infrastructure, technology and community programmes.
Create a clear path forward
Discover how you can get involved to shape a more equitable and sustainable future for communities across the UK and beyond.
Why Attend
See what’s already making a difference
Learn about the initiatives already making an impact with venues operating beyond matchday - commercially and socially.
Meet the people making it happen
Network with the owners, operators and partners actively redesigning venue ecosystems.
Build partnerships that move
Unlock connections with organisations delivering infrastructure, technology and community programmes.
Create a clear path forward
Discover how you can get involved to shape a more equitable and sustainable future for communities across the UK and beyond.
Arrivals and Registration
Opening Remarks
Paul van Zyl
CEO and Co-Founder, The Conduit
David Fein LVO
Vice Chair, The Earthshot Prize
Archie Kalyana
Broadcaster and Filmmaker
Ownership with Purpose
Keynote: Levelling up through Sport
Playing Like a Girl - and Bossing It
Laura Cordingley
CEO, Chelsea Football Club Foundation
Networking Break
Home Turf
Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez
Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Notpla
Sara Tomkins
Sustainability and Community Director, Co-op Live
The Heat is On: Outplaying the Climate Crisis
Katie Cross
Founder and CEO, Pledgeball
Lunch
Workshops
Networking Break
Keynote Speech
Tackling the NEETs Crisis
A Lighthouse - not a Spaceship
Clive Chijioke Nwonka
Associate Professor of Film, Culture and Society, UCL
Guy Rippon
Social Impact & Community Director, Aston Villa
Closing Remarks
Networking Reception
Laura is CEO of Chelsea Football Club Foundation responsible for strategy, income generation, senior stakeholder management and governance. Her role forms part of the Business Management Committee of senior leaders across the Club. Laura is also a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Surrey County Cricket Club where in addition to being responsible for governance, oversight and the success of Surrey she fulfils the DEI Board lead and sits on the nominations committee.
Laura has over 20 years’ experience in the sports industry, predominantly in the purpose & sport-for-good space, including working for the Mayor of London, leading the national cricket charity Chance to Shine. Outside of her career, Laura was in the inaugural Loughborough Lightning netball team and played netball at international level. She has two small children and loves to travel.
Laura is CEO of Chelsea Football Club Foundation responsible for strategy, income generation, senior stakeholder management and governance. Her role forms part of the Business Management Committee of senior leaders across the Club. Laura is also a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Surrey County Cricket Club where in addition to being responsible for governance, oversight and the success of Surrey she fulfils the DEI Board lead and sits on the nominations committee.
Laura has over 20 years’ experience in the sports industry, predominantly in the purpose & sport-for-good space, including working for the Mayor of London, leading the national cricket charity Chance to Shine. Outside of her career, Laura was in the inaugural Loughborough Lightning netball team and played netball at international level. She has two small children and loves to travel.
Paul served as the Executive Secretary of South Africa’s post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Paul also co-founded the International Centre for Transitional Justice, an organization that works in over 40 countries that have endured massive human rights violations under repression conflict. Paul is also a co-founder and CEO of Maiyet, an ethical luxury fashion brand that cultivates traditional design and culture by partnering with global artisans. Most recently, Paul co-founded The Conduit, which serves as a home for those committed to improving the world by harnessing the power of creativity and entrepreneurship. The Conduit serves as a home for a diverse community of people passionate about social change.
Paul served as the Executive Secretary of South Africa’s post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Paul also co-founded the International Centre for Transitional Justice, an organization that works in over 40 countries that have endured massive human rights violations under repression conflict. Paul is also a co-founder and CEO of Maiyet, an ethical luxury fashion brand that cultivates traditional design and culture by partnering with global artisans. Most recently, Paul co-founded The Conduit, which serves as a home for those committed to improving the world by harnessing the power of creativity and entrepreneurship. The Conduit serves as a home for a diverse community of people passionate about social change.
David Fein LVO has senior-level government, in-house, private practice, and not-for-profit experience, and a track record of forming and supporting public-private and private-private partnerships to support conservation and sustainability and to fight financial crime. He is Vice Chair of The Earthshot Prize, the most prestigious global environment prize in history, designed to incentivise change and help repair our planet over the next ten years, and Co-Chair of United for Wildlife, a global network of public, private and not-for-profit sector partners working together to reveal, disrupt and prevent illegal wildlife trafficking. He is a co-founder and senior advisor of Sentala, a non-profit conservation initiative that creates bespoke technology to empower rangers and protect the world’s most threatened wildlife and wild places. David is a Board Trustee of The American Friends of The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales. David served as Group General Counsel at Standard Chartered Bank; United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut under President Obama; Associate White House Counsel under President Clinton; and an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. David was a Visiting Lecturer in Law at Yale Law School for ten years.
David Fein LVO has senior-level government, in-house, private practice, and not-for-profit experience, and a track record of forming and supporting public-private and private-private partnerships to support conservation and sustainability and to fight financial crime. He is Vice Chair of The Earthshot Prize, the most prestigious global environment prize in history, designed to incentivise change and help repair our planet over the next ten years, and Co-Chair of United for Wildlife, a global network of public, private and not-for-profit sector partners working together to reveal, disrupt and prevent illegal wildlife trafficking. He is a co-founder and senior advisor of Sentala, a non-profit conservation initiative that creates bespoke technology to empower rangers and protect the world’s most threatened wildlife and wild places. David is a Board Trustee of The American Friends of The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales. David served as Group General Counsel at Standard Chartered Bank; United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut under President Obama; Associate White House Counsel under President Clinton; and an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. David was a Visiting Lecturer in Law at Yale Law School for ten years.
Archie Kalyana is an accomplished sports leader with three decades of global production experience whose work explores the intersection of sport, identity and social change. Raised in a sporting family, her love of sport began early. Her father attended a sports college in Nairobi, where sport was central to daily life, and she grew up supporting Aston Villa at a time when few young British Asian girls saw themselves represented in football culture. Over the past three decades, Archie has combined her passion for sport with a career in storytelling. An expert in global content development, Archie has produced and directed content in productions spanning coverage of major international events including the Winter Olympics and UEFA European Championships to unique sporting documentaries exploring stories unfolding behind the field of play in India and the UK. Career highlights include: successfully pitching a 54-part international series for CBBC; serving as Associate Creative Producer for President Obama’s State Banquet in India; Series Producing and Directing a 3-part cricket documentary for BBC World News and iPlayer. In addition, she is a Board Member at Street Child United and the FA South Asian Advisory Board, a Jury member at the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year Awards, a Special Advisor to the MCC Foundation and has been the recipient of the Asian Woman of Achievement Award in sport. She is currently developing a slate of India focussed documentaries with BBC Studios.
Archie Kalyana is an accomplished sports leader with three decades of global production experience whose work explores the intersection of sport, identity and social change. Raised in a sporting family, her love of sport began early. Her father attended a sports college in Nairobi, where sport was central to daily life, and she grew up supporting Aston Villa at a time when few young British Asian girls saw themselves represented in football culture. Over the past three decades, Archie has combined her passion for sport with a career in storytelling. An expert in global content development, Archie has produced and directed content in productions spanning coverage of major international events including the Winter Olympics and UEFA European Championships to unique sporting documentaries exploring stories unfolding behind the field of play in India and the UK. Career highlights include: successfully pitching a 54-part international series for CBBC; serving as Associate Creative Producer for President Obama’s State Banquet in India; Series Producing and Directing a 3-part cricket documentary for BBC World News and iPlayer. In addition, she is a Board Member at Street Child United and the FA South Asian Advisory Board, a Jury member at the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year Awards, a Special Advisor to the MCC Foundation and has been the recipient of the Asian Woman of Achievement Award in sport. She is currently developing a slate of India focussed documentaries with BBC Studios.
Dr Clive Chijioke Nwonka is Associate Professor of Film, Culture and Society at University College London. Nwonka’s scholarship broadly centres on race and the humanities, with a particular focused on the study of Black film, culture and identity. He is the co-editor of the book Black Film/British Cinema II (2021), the author of the book Black Boys: The Social Aesthetics of British Urban Film (2023), and the co-editor of the book Black Arsenal: Club, Culture and Identity (2024).
Dr Clive Chijioke Nwonka is Associate Professor of Film, Culture and Society at University College London. Nwonka’s scholarship broadly centres on race and the humanities, with a particular focused on the study of Black film, culture and identity. He is the co-editor of the book Black Film/British Cinema II (2021), the author of the book Black Boys: The Social Aesthetics of British Urban Film (2023), and the co-editor of the book Black Arsenal: Club, Culture and Identity (2024).
Katie Cross is Founder and CEO of BBC Award-winning charity Pledgeball. Experts in fan engagement on climate, Pledgeball spearheads initiatives that mobilise sporting communities, from grassroots to professional levels, to create meaningful impact for climate and nature.
Katie Cross is Founder and CEO of BBC Award-winning charity Pledgeball. Experts in fan engagement on climate, Pledgeball spearheads initiatives that mobilise sporting communities, from grassroots to professional levels, to create meaningful impact for climate and nature.
Aston Villa's Social Impact and Community Director Guy Rippon has over 25 years of experience in the sports, community, and 'sport for good' field. Early in his career held various sports and leisure leadership roles in local government before taking up regional manager positions with The Football Foundation and The Football League Trust.
In 2011 Guy moved into the work of football club Foundations, initially as Director at Coventry City, before joining Aston Villa as Head of Foundation in 2016 where he has overseen a sustained period of growth and impact of the club's community work.
Guy completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Aston University in 2024 and in early 2026 was appointed Social Impact and Community Director at Aston Villa FC. This newly created role sees Guy continue to oversee the clubs Foundation whilst shaping and leading the club's wider ESG agenda and strategy.
Aston Villa's Social Impact and Community Director Guy Rippon has over 25 years of experience in the sports, community, and 'sport for good' field. Early in his career held various sports and leisure leadership roles in local government before taking up regional manager positions with The Football Foundation and The Football League Trust.
In 2011 Guy moved into the work of football club Foundations, initially as Director at Coventry City, before joining Aston Villa as Head of Foundation in 2016 where he has overseen a sustained period of growth and impact of the club's community work.
Guy completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Aston University in 2024 and in early 2026 was appointed Social Impact and Community Director at Aston Villa FC. This newly created role sees Guy continue to oversee the clubs Foundation whilst shaping and leading the club's wider ESG agenda and strategy.
Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez is a Designer, Architect, and Inventor. He is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Notpla, a company with the goal of making packaging disappear. Their first product Ooho is an edible package made of seaweed that can contain water or any other liquid and had been used in several sports events like the London Marathon or Roland-Garros.
Notpla won Prince William’s £1,000,000 Earthshot Prize. On top of that Notpla won the Grand Prix in Design at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity; the World Technology Award by Fortune and TIME, the WIRED start-up of the year and the GreenTech Award.
Rodrigo received his architectural from the ETSAM, Technical University of Madrid, previously he studied at Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology University (India) and Industrial Design at Pontificia Universidad Católica (Chile). He did postgraduate studies at Umeå Institute of Design, Imperial College of London and Royal College of Art.
His works have been shown in different artistic centers such as the Cite de l'Architecture of Paris and the Venice Biennale of Architecture.
As a senior lecturer, he has collaborated with different universities and institutions such as Cornell University, CEPT, Imperial College, Royal College of Art. Currently, he is a visiting lecturer of Design at Kingston University and Central Saint Martins.
Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez is a Designer, Architect, and Inventor. He is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Notpla, a company with the goal of making packaging disappear. Their first product Ooho is an edible package made of seaweed that can contain water or any other liquid and had been used in several sports events like the London Marathon or Roland-Garros.
Notpla won Prince William’s £1,000,000 Earthshot Prize. On top of that Notpla won the Grand Prix in Design at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity; the World Technology Award by Fortune and TIME, the WIRED start-up of the year and the GreenTech Award.
Rodrigo received his architectural from the ETSAM, Technical University of Madrid, previously he studied at Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology University (India) and Industrial Design at Pontificia Universidad Católica (Chile). He did postgraduate studies at Umeå Institute of Design, Imperial College of London and Royal College of Art.
His works have been shown in different artistic centers such as the Cite de l'Architecture of Paris and the Venice Biennale of Architecture.
As a senior lecturer, he has collaborated with different universities and institutions such as Cornell University, CEPT, Imperial College, Royal College of Art. Currently, he is a visiting lecturer of Design at Kingston University and Central Saint Martins.
Sara has been at Co-op Live since 2020, prior to that she has over two decades experience working in the charity sector, public sector at Manchester City Council and in the private sector for marketing agencies and retailers including Marketing Manchester and Marks & Spencer.
Sara helped shape the start of Co-op Live’s journey from building to the venue’s opening and up to today – two years open and over 3m fans through the door. Her focus as Sustainability and Community Director is on three key areas:
Planet friendly vibes – ensuring Co-op Live’s sustainable ambitions and goals are met.
Being a good neighbour – championing community engagement to maximise social value via talent and grass route pathways and local economic impact.
Gig that Give Back – supporting the charity strategy, donating a £1m per year to the Co-op Foundation and £200,000 to local resident and community groups as well as food and clothing donations.
Co-op Live is proud to have achieved the Billie Eilish award for most sustainable venue on her tour in 2025 and Highly Commended by A Greener Future.
Sara has been at Co-op Live since 2020, prior to that she has over two decades experience working in the charity sector, public sector at Manchester City Council and in the private sector for marketing agencies and retailers including Marketing Manchester and Marks & Spencer.
Sara helped shape the start of Co-op Live’s journey from building to the venue’s opening and up to today – two years open and over 3m fans through the door. Her focus as Sustainability and Community Director is on three key areas:
Planet friendly vibes – ensuring Co-op Live’s sustainable ambitions and goals are met.
Being a good neighbour – championing community engagement to maximise social value via talent and grass route pathways and local economic impact.
Gig that Give Back – supporting the charity strategy, donating a £1m per year to the Co-op Foundation and £200,000 to local resident and community groups as well as food and clothing donations.
Co-op Live is proud to have achieved the Billie Eilish award for most sustainable venue on her tour in 2025 and Highly Commended by A Greener Future.
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Tickets from £1000 - with further discounts available
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FAQs
How do I get to Venues for IMPACT?
From Birmingham New Street, there is a regular train to Witton (5 min walk from Villa Park). There is also parking available on-site.
What accommodation is available nearby?
Discounted rooms are available at the Royal Leonardo Hotel Birmingham using code THECON101126.
A valid credit or debit card is required at the time of booking to secure the reservation, payment is then due upon your arrival to the hotel.
Is lunch provided?
A light breakfast, lunch and snacks at break times will be provided throughout the day - with cocktails and canapés available after the summit ends.