Shore Events has announced that Jody Jones has been promoted from events director to managing director, a role she steps into immediately, prior to taking a maternity break in September. Chris Lind moves into the role of founder and CEO following the appointment.
We caught up with Jody and Chris to discuss their evolving roles, long-term vision, and what’s next for the fast-growing agency.
Can you tell us more about the leadership changes and what theis means for the business?
Chris: Jody’s been my right-hand woman since the post-Covid rebuild and we wouldn’t be where we are now without her. Jody’s growth into the MD role was a natural evolution and would have happened regardless of her taking time out for maternity. My new role will be much less operational. I’ll focus on growth, being the face of the business, and driving new opportunities.
Jody: I joined Shore five and a half years ago as a project manager. Since then, I have been in a variety of different roles and had the opportunity to grow alongside the agency and build my current team from the ground up. Everyone in my team, I’ve interviewed and developed. Now I’ll be more focused on process, finance, and business planning—less so the staffing and logistics side, which I’ve been handling already.
What are your immediate priorities in the new role?
Jody: One of our priorities has been to get the right people in before I go on maternity so there is time for a proper handover. Our new head of events starts in July, and she’s already well known in the industry, which will help continuity massively.
One of her first jobs will be structuring that project team to make sure we’re ready to grow and take on new business. We’ve also just hired a senior designer to launch our in-house design studio. That’ll reduce our reliance on external creatives and give us more control.
What’s the longer-term growth strategy for the agency?
Jody: For the first time, we’re able to actively go after new business, rather than growing reactively with existing clients. We’ve introduced an account management function to support that. And we’re moving into a new office space later this year to support the growing team—we’ll be 22 strong by the end of this next hiring phase.
Chris: We’re lucky to work across a broad range of sectors—from automotive to healthcare to tech and cosmetics. It’s never been about focusing on just one. Now, we’re at a stage where we can approach other major players in those sectors more confidently.
Having a creative studio in-house will help massively. It means we can create pitch assets and outreach pieces without outsourcing, so it’s easier to be proactive.
What do you see as the biggest industry-wide challenges and opportunities?
Jody: Recruitment is a big one. It’s been tough finding strong all-rounders as more people specialise in specific sectors. And the desire for rapid progression is much stronger than it used to be. We’re mindful of balancing that ambition with ensuring people are ready for the next step.
I’m focused on building clear pathways and supporting growth without overwhelming teams. Work-life balance is more important than ever. It’s a different generation and a different mindset, and we’re working to meet that.
Chris: I think as leaders we also have a responsibility to create workplaces that truly support people, especially working parents. We’re putting more into that than ever: from people and culture roles to in-house coaching and wellbeing support.
And finally, Jody, as a female MD stepping up while simultaneously starting a family—how do you hope to inspire other women in the industry?
Jody: I’ve been lucky to be mentored by some amazing women in this industry, and I want to pay that forward. This is a tough industry to be pregnant in, let alone raise a young family, but it shouldn’t be a barrier to leadership. I hope I can show that it’s not only possible, but it can be done well—with the right support. People like Lily at Strive and Laura at Yellow Fish are doing it, and we need to see more of that.
Chris: And that’s why we’re doing this. We’re a female-majority industry—so we need leadership structures that support women and parents. Promoting Jody while she’s pregnant wasn’t even a question. It’s the best move for the business.