MAD//Fest Poaches London Brunch Festival Founder
7 February 2020
How do you like your eggs in the morning? Poached to perfection + washed down with a glass of fizz over brunch is the best way for Ian Carpenter, MAD//Fest London’s new Head of Business Development, who has joined the business on a full-time basis after founding London Brunch Festival in 2018.
Ian will be responsible for driving new commercial sponsorship deals for MAD//Fest London + MAD//Picnic. He will work with MAD//Fest Co-founders Ian Houghton + Dan Brain to grow the business in the UK + worldwide.
“I’m super excited to be joining the Mad//Fest team! Dan + Ian have created something very special. They’ve shaken up the traditional trade show model + created not one but two unmissable events. I can’t wait to get stuck in and help grow the MAD//Fest brand ,” said Ian Carpenter.
Ian successfully launched London’s only festival dedicated to all things brunch at The Old Truman Brewery back in 2018.
In 2019, London Brunch Festival attracted 4,000 attendees for two days of food, drink, shopping, entertainment, talks and workshops. The event featured 90 exhibitors + was covered by media titles including Cosmopolitan, Evening Standard, Lonely Planet, BBC Radio + Metro.
“We hit it off with Ian immediately + we’re thrilled that he’s decided to join the MAD//Fest team. Our growth plans are significant over the coming 2 years, both in the UK and internationally. Ian will play a crucial role in realising these goals,” says Ian Houghton, MAD//Fest London’s Co-founder + Commercial Director.
“Ian has achieved incredible things at London Brunch Festival. He financed it, launched it, marketed it, sold it + delivered it, largely by himself.
“MAD//Fest is a small but fast growing business + this kind of entrepreneurial spirit was exactly what we were looking for…I can also confirm that being called Ian isn’t a prerequisite to joining the MAD//Fest commercial team!”, added Ian Houghton.
“Ian Carpenter’s experience of creating a fresh, vibrant, different event + taking it to market will be a huge asset as we scale the business,” says Dan Brain, MAD//Fest London’s co-founder + Content Director.
“We’re looking forward to learning from each other + developing creative ideas that cement MAD//Fest + MAD//Picnic reputation as essential, unique + entertaining fixtures in the marketing events calendar.”
Ian starts on 10 Feb. You can contact Ian Carpenter on ian.carpenter@madfestlondon.com