• Award-winning event producer, author, and owner of event company Left Field Productions,
  • Matt James has 27 years’ experience in corporate, charity, brand experience and special events.
  • Winner of 30 event industry awards.
  • Celebrity clients include: Elton John, Sarah Jessica Parker, Stella McCartney, Kevin Spacey, David LaChapelle, John Waters, Elvis Costello and Diana Krall,
  • Corporate and charity clients include: Canon, Barbie, Montblanc, Chopard, Credit Suisse, Christie’s, Fremantle, Wella, Selfridges, and The Red Cross.
  • Matt is often invited to:
  • speak at industry events, including ILEA (International Live Events Association) conferences and lectures, International Confex, and RSVP;
  • judge awards and competitions, including The Eventice, Corporate Event Association Awards, and Incentive Travel & Meetings Association Awards;
  • lecture at university event management degree courses.
  • He is the author of Become an Event Planner: Secrets for Getting Hired from Employers, Recruiters, and Event Professionals.
  • Before founding his own event company, Matt worked for leading Middle East advertising agency Publicis Graphics.
  • Matt began his event-planning career working on fundraising events for AIDS charity London Lighthouse, before joining the corporate events team at the investment bank Credit Suisse.
Matthew James event planner

Left Field Productions is an award winning event management, design and production company with a client portfolio spanning leading brands, charities, and celebrity clients.

Past events include:

  • Elton John’s Annual White Tie & Tiara Ball
  • Stella McCartney’s Wedding
  • Launch of Sarah Jessica Parker’s Work of Art
  • The Art of Barbie for Mattel
  • Canon Designs for Life for Canon UK
  • David LaChapelle‘s first UK exhibition
  • Launch of Montblanc’s first collection of fine jewellery
  • Launch of Superbrands for Selfridges
  • La Trophee Chopard and La Fate Noire for Chopard at the Cannes Film Festival
  • Elvis Costello’s Wedding to Diana Krall

For more information see www.leftfield.productions.

CORPORATE EVENT ASSOCIATION AWARDS

  • Production Company of the Year
  • Victor Ludorum Award for Most Outstanding Entry
  • Best Party for The Launch of Superbrands for Selfridges
  • Best New Event for Christie’s Contemporary Collectors
  • Best Party for Elton John’s Seventh Annual White Tie & Tiara Ball
  • Best Awards Event for Trophee Chopard at the 58th Cannes Film Festival
  • High Commendation, Production Company of the Year
  • High Commendation, Most Effective Use of Budget for The British Red Cross Ball
  • High Commendation, Best Product Launch for The Snowflake Collection for Chopard
Matt James, Left Field Productions ITMA Awards
Matt James & Left Field Productions at The CEA Awards

EVENT AWARDS

  • Best Celebration Event Silver for Campaign Press Awards
  • Best Launch Event Silver for Christie’s Contemporary Collectors
  • Most Improved Experiential Campaign Silver for Campaign Press Awards
  • Best Outdoor Event Silver for Elton John’s Fifth Annual White Tie & Tiara Ball
  • Best Celebration Event Gold for H20: The Element of Life, The Red Cross
  • Most Improved Experiential Campaign Gold for H20: The Element of Life, The Red Cross
  • Best FMCG/Pharmaceutical/Healthcare Event Silver for H20: The Element of Life, The Red Cross
  • The Event Award for Live Event Activity for H20: The Element of Life, The Red Cross
  • Best Travel/Tourism/Leisure Event Gold for La Fete Noire for Chopard at The 58th Cannes Film Festival
Matt James, Left Field Productions Event Awards
Matt James & Left Field Productions at The Event Awards

INCENTIVE TRAVEL & MEETINGS ASSOCIATION AWARDS

  • Best Overseas Event (Short Haul) Gold for Trophee Chopard at the 58th Cannes Film Festival
  • Best Media & Entertainment, Travel & Leisure Event Gold for Campaign Press Awards
  • Best Consumer Durables & Technology Event Gold for Trophee Chopard at the 58th Cannes Film Festival
  • Best UK Event Gold for Elton John’s Seventh Annual White Tie & Tiara Ball
  • Best UK Event Silver for Campaign Press Awards
Matt James, Left Field Productions Event Awards
Matt James & Left Field Productions at The ITMA Awards

EVENTIA AWARDS

  • Eventia International Awards: Most Effective Use of a Small Budget Gold for Love You To Death TV Launch for FremantleMedia Enterprises at MIPTV, Cannes
  • Eventia International Awards: Best Promotional Communication Bronze for Love You To Death TV Launch for FremantleMedia Enterprises at MIPTV, Cannes
  • Eventia UK Awards: Best Celebratory Event for The Secret Garden, The Red Cross
  • Eventia UK Awards: High Commendation, Party of the Year for H20: The Element of Life, The Red Cross
  • Eventia UK Awards: High Commendation, Production Agency of the Year
Matt James, Left Field Productions CEA Awards
Matt James & Left Field Productions at The Eventia Awards

rsvp awards

  • Most Creative Use of Theming & Props for The Secret Garden, The Red Cross
  • High Commendation, Most Creative Event of the Year for H20: The Element of Life, The Red Cross

Matt is often invited to participate in industry events, initiatives, and educational programs including:

  • 2018 Guest Lecturer, University of Brighton Event Management Degree Course
  • 2017 Speaker, Buyers’ Networking Club (BNC) Event Show
  • 2014-2017 Guest Lecturer, Southampton Solent University Event Management Degree Course
  • 2013 Judge, The Eventice (Apprentice-style event industry job competition)
  • 2013 Speaker, International Confex Trade Show
  • 2010 Speaker, Academic Venue Show
  • 2009 Speaker, RSVP Trade Show
  • 2006 Speaker, International Live Events Association (ILEA) Conference
  • 2005 Judge, Incentive Travel & Meetings Association (ITMA) Awards
  • 2005 Speaker, International Confex Trade Show
  • 2004 Guest Lecture, University of West London Event Management Degree Course
  • 2004 Judge, Corporate Event Association (CEA) Awards
  • 2003 Lecture, International Live Events Association (ILEA)
Matt James, Guest Speaker, ISES Conference
Matt James, Guest Speaker at ILEA Conference

Matt has contributed to both consumer magazines, such as Instyle, Esquire, Sainsbury’s Money Matters, and Ocado Life, and trade publications including Conference & Incentive Travel, Event, and his own monthly column, Matt’s Planet, in RSVP Magazine.

Instyle magazine
Esquire magazine
Ocado life magazine
Event Magazine
Conference & Incentive Travel magazine
RSVP magazine
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02 Meet the Professionals

Learn about the employers, recruiters, and event professionals that have contributed career advice to this site.