The Innovation Institute for Fan Experience (IIFX) has announced the addition of four industry leaders to join the Institute’s Distinguished Fellows. John Beattie, Brian Herbert, Matt Payne, and Eileen Williams will join the fourteen current Distinguished Fellows. Together they will represent IIFX as the best and brightest in the industry.
John Beattie currently serves as the Stadium and Facilities Director for the Arsenal Football Club and has been with the club for the past 34 years overseeing the changes at Highbury and the building of Emirates Stadium. He is currently the President of The European Safety and Stadium Management Association and is a member of UEFA’s Stadium Construction & Management. John has also provided advisory services for various stadium projects in Qatar, Australia, and India.
Brian Herbert has dedicated over 25 years towards a combined professional background in law enforcement, administration, and security related work. He was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers organization from 2011 to 2020 and has worked for the NBA supporting security initiatives on numerous All-Star games and international association activities. Brian currently serves as the Vice President of Security at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California, home of the Golden State Warriors.
Matt Payne is the Founder of Inner Circle Solutions, LLC. Matt is a global leader who brings 30 years of experience identifying and managing security risks for Fortune 500 companies. Prior to his current role, Matt served as the Director of Global Safety and Security at Epic Games. As an expert in Esports, he designed and implemented a dynamic Esport event security program. Matt’s background includes roles as the Director of Global Security Operations for PayPal and Intuit. He served as a Combat Controller in the United States Air Force, and after retirement, served as a Chief of Police.
Eileen Williams has been working in the event industry for more than 20 years, specializing in safety, security, and service delivery at major sporting events and music festivals. Currently, Eileen serves as the Senior Safety Officer at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Eileen’s portfolio includes key operational roles in stadium event management, mass recruitment, workforce management, training, and development with the extended skills of the design, implementation, and delivery of national and international qualifications. Her experience ranges from the FIFA World Cup, Rugby, & Cricket World Cup events and multiple global tournaments including the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
“The Innovation Institute for Fan Experience is ecstatic to add thought and advanced practitioners of this caliber to the IIFX team. They are true experts in their craft,” said Dr. Lou Marciani, Director and Co-Founder of IIFX and former director of the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4), “We are honored to have such a prestigious group of sports and entertainment industry leaders to represent and consult with IIFX.”