First Event has announced the appointment of Samantha Ambler as people director, Dan Walker as director of experiences and Claire Knox as director of marketing and communications, strengthening its leadership team as it continues to grow and evolve its offering.

Ambler brings extensive HR and business leadership experience across sectors including banking, energy and technology. As a board member, she will lead the development of First Event’s people strategy, with a focus on attracting and nurturing talent, enhancing employee engagement and fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration as the company continues to evolve its proposition and team.

Overseeing First Event’s creative, AV & digital departments, Walker joins the board with responsibility to drive innovation in the experiences they agency creates for its client partners. He joins from Emota (formerly Ashfield Event Experiences), where he was director and head of meetings & events.

“I’m excited to immerse myself in First Event’s already tangible passion for brand experiences. The culture here feels truly centred around innovation and harnessing cutting-edge technology to bring an extra dimension to client experiences. I can’t wait to start working with such a strong team of industry talent,” said Walker.

Claire Knox, formerly marketing director at integrated agency Jaywing, brings 25 years of experience in marketing and communications to enhance First Events’ proposition and marketing services.

Along with setting the direction for how the brand engages with clients, partners and industry talent, she will focus on strengthening First Events positioning as a full-service event agency offering end-to-end services across strategy, design, creative, technology and logistics.

Adele Woods, COO at First Event, said: “First Event has and always will be, a progressive and forward-thinking business at the forefront of the events industry, built around our brilliant people and great culture. We have a clear vision and ambition for this business and are delighted to be consolidating our strong leadership and foundations as we embark on this exciting next phase of growth.”