Southampton: Ageas Bowl appoints business development managers

With the aim of strengthening business links, the Ageas Bowl has created two new business development roles and appointed two new members of staff to help maintain and build the venue’s connections within the local business community. 

Hannah Strong and Simon Fox have been recruited with the aim of proactively engaging with other businesses in Southampton, Eastleigh and the surrounding area. In the long-term, that patch will spread to Portsmouth, Bournemouth, Winchester and the remaining county.

Strong comes to the Ageas Bowl having founded and run her own business, H S Weddings and Events Specialists, as well as being the business development manager at Willow Beauty Products. Her interests include sports acrobatic gymnastics – a discipline in which she has competed at both the British and national championships at the highest level. She has also spent time working with orphans and families living in abject poverty in Kenya.

She said: “The Ageas Bowl is such a versatile venue already and it will only become even more impressive once the new 4-star Hilton Hotel is built. But I also know that Eastleigh has a thriving and vibrant business community so I’m really looking forward to getting to meet other businesses in the area, share best practice and work alongside other local companies to make sure we really put Eastleigh on the map.”

Fox’s experience includes roles as hospitality operations manager and conference and events manager at the Bournemouth International Centre and Premier Inn, Bournemouth Central, respectively.

He said; “Coming from Bournemouth, I knew that the Ageas Bowl had a reputation for excellence already reaching right along the south coast, so that’s something I’m really keen to maintain and enhance. Now that I’m here I can see why it is held in such high regard. It is a breathtaking venue in beautiful surroundings with so much more potential and with a fantastic staff.”

The Ageas Bowl currently has 15 dedicated function suites to suit any style of event from a small private gathering to a conference or exhibition for thousands of people.

When constructed, the 175-bedroom Hilton Hotel at the northern end of the ground will also include the largest conference centre between Bournemouth and Brighton, holding up to 750 people at any one time.