Partners

About Us

If you are excited about the potential opportunities your event business may have in the next few years but are unsure how to go about taking advantage of them, then it might be time to talk to Kershaw Partners. We’re the leading event industry advisors, with huge expertise and more than 250 years of combined experience in developing and scaling event businesses. We have all founded and run event businesses over the past 30 years, so we have a solid understanding of this industry and we have seen the difference between success and failure.

The Kershaw Partners Leadership Team

Mike Kershaw

With over 35 years in the UK events sector, Mike is one of the country’s leading business advisors. He began his career co-founding and chairing The Concerto Group which was an integrated events powerhouse spanning catering, event planning, live entertainment, venue finding, technical production, and staffing. He also served as President of the International Live Events Association. After growing Concerto to a multi-million-pound enterprise, he now advises event business owners on scaling, structure, and strategic exits. His strengths include crafting “run-on-rails” systems, sales and marketing plans, senior team building, and M&A guidance. A seasoned operator and connector, Mike combines big-picture vision with hands-on planning to help clients build lasting, scalable businesses.

Richard Dean

Richard was International VP of Marketing for global sports marketing business IMG, with responsibility for organising PGAET Golf, ATP Tennis, and FEI Equestrian events across Europe, as well as arts-based events such as concerts, festivals, and made-for-TV productions. He then spent 20 years building and managing strategic consultancy and ROI specialist Sponsorship Science, working as a retained agency for the marketing departments of global sports and arts sponsoring corporations. Richard has managed, bought, and sold businesses in the entertainment, travel, research, property, & estate agency industries. His expertise lies in strategic planning, structuring for business growth, marketing, and exit strategy.

David Watt

David has spent over 30 years in the events and entertainment industry. In that time, David has earned a reputation as a leading advisor to event business owners. He built and sold two successful ventures: Creative Breaks and the award-winning Pubs on Wheels. He also led event and hospitality programmes for the Ryder Cups in 2006 and 2010 and served as Marketing and Comms Director at Spotless International. Today, David helps event businesses build scalable sales pipelines, sharpen their marketing positioning, and generate new business through LinkedIn and social strategies. His expertise combines strategic insight with hands-on industry experience to drive sustainable growth. Clients consistently value his direct approach and ability to unlock momentum quickly.