Meet the team
senior Management
Neil Bryers
General Manager
As General Manager, Neil brings leadership, positivity, stability, guidance and oversees the daily business operations of the team whilst focusing on company growth. With an education and background in IT, he is an integral part of the Senior Management Team at Apex and brings a wealth of commercial experience which includes recruitment, business development, resource & facilities management, HR management and compliance.
Peter Forse
Exhibitions Director
Pete has a background of event production spanning 40 years in places as far flung as Rio and Manila (and quite often the NEC!), bringing his experience to the task of making exhibition visitors stop and take notice.
As a founder and Director of Apex, he is driven by the challenge and vision that we can genuinely make a long-term difference for our clients.
Paul Ashford
Managing Director
Paul is a founder Director and the CEO of Apex, having been in the role for over three decades. Having spent many years in the conference centres and hotels of the UK and Europe living on adrenaline and room service as a hands on event producer for Apex’ major clients, he left the cutting edge to oversee the business, crunch numbers and mentor the very successful team that deliver our exhibition projects today.
Janice Withers
Administration Manager
Janice has worked for Apex for over 30 years gaining her AAT Accounting qualifications along the way. She keeps our accounts department in order as well as looking after the smooth running of the office making sure the tea, coffee and biscuits never run out! In her spare time she volunteers at a local swimming club on a Tuesday night teaching children and adults invaluable life skills learning to swim.
Account Management
Deborah Humphrey
Account Manager
Debs has a wealth of experience in the exhibition industry. Before Apex her last few shows saw her working collaboratively with the RHS, hard landscaping trades and designers managing large Flower Show builds at Chelsea FS, Hampton Court, Tatton and Blenheim. She now manages a multitude of exciting projects in locations throughout the UK and Europe, helping to bring our clients vision to life and create those all important business conversations on and off the stand!
Mark Heapy
Account Director
Mark has a wealth of experience in creating marketing concepts and exhibition stands for over 45 years delivering events and exhibition stands on 5 continents, working for some of the world’s major blue-chip companies. Mark is supported by a specialist team of project managers, designers and technicians, who have worked throughout Europe and beyond.
Darren Gallagher
Account Manager
An experienced Account & Project Manager within Exhibitions – an industry which is full of creative and exciting opportunities to showcase a business, launch new products or services. Darren always aims to work closely with clients to ensure that we maximise the opportunities to represent their business, and engage with new and existing customers at their event.
Over the last 10 years Darren has managed projects for pub companies, fine dining operations and hotels. In his spare time he enjoys hiking, kayaking, cycling, walking the dog, or volunteering as a Motorsport Official in the UK and Internationally and taking on challenges for charity fundraising.
Dan Johnson
Account Manager
With extensive experience as an International Sales Director, in which he travelled, exhibited, presented and offered key-note speeches at various events & exhibitions worldwide; Dan brings a client based viewpoint to his account manager position at Apex.
Dan has used his ability to communicate, negotiate and build relationships with a range of businesses and cultures to meet their demands & hit the mark in major deliveries against tight schedules. Dan has a proven track record that he can deliver effectively under pressure to support his clients in niche industries ensuring your exhibition stand stands out in more ways than just visuals & functionality.
Project Management
Laura Da Meda
Project Co-Ordinator
Laura has a background in modern languages and has over 10 years experience in the exhibition industry with six of those working on a variety of international and UK exhibitions for a large exhibition Organiser based in Holland. Further experiences in the industry include working in administration for a H&S company as well as Project Coordination for a stand building company.
You can be assured that Laura will always be researching the best options for forthcoming projects as well as being a friendly face ensuring excellent relationships with all parties in the project delivery.
Graham Aldington
Project Manager
Graham plans and executes exhibitions across the UK, Europe, and globally. With decades of experience having built an established print finishing company and growing his own business from the ground up; Graham knows how to form & sustain strong client relationships. From small scale exhibitions to large international trade shows, his clients trust that he’ll deliver. Whether it’s on site on the job or not, he’s always hands on to ensure that the project is delivered on time and to the highest standard.
Katie Callear
Marketing & PRoject Manager
With a background of Marketing, Administration and most recently Project Management, Katie has over 20 years experience under her belt in a variety of sectors including light construction, ceramics, height safety and most recently exhibitions.
Working in a very close knit team, you’ll often find her meticulously checking every detail of upcoming events and shows to ensure that nothing gets missed. With a strong passion for Marketing, the Apex brand continues to grow under Katie’s guidance and is always around to offer a helping hand where needed in all areas of the business.
Tim Stock
Project Manager
With over 20 years’ experience in the exhibitions industry, Tim’s knowledge and experience is a great asset to the company. His attention to detail and drive has seen him manage build teams across the UK and Europe, delivering hundreds of successful projects over the years.
His ‘can do’ attitude, willingness to go the extra mile and commitment to customer satisfaction make him an invaluable member of the team. Tim consistently strives for excellence, ensuring that every project is completed on time, within budget, and to the highest standards.
Design
Phil Ridley
Senior Exhibition Designer
Having graduated with a BA (Hons) 3D Design, Phil has 40 years of experience within the industry of exhibition design and build. Accompanied by involvement within the retail display point-of-sale sector, Phil’s work has received a number of international POPAI design awards.
Working as part of a close-knit creative team, Phil oversees and participates in all stages of the design process, from brief taking and concept design through to the development, production, and completion of projects. Responsibilities include helping and enabling Apex to deliver stand-out projects on time, by ensuring excellence in creativity, project management and technical delivery.
Vitalii Pyvovar
Exhibition Designer
With a Master’s degree in Industrial Design, Vitalii brings over 10 years of experience in exhibition stand design, complemented by extensive expertise as a 3D generalist in the game development industry. His work spans international projects, where he skilfully balances creative vision with technical execution, delivering impactful designs that meet global standards.
Vitalii thrives in both independent and collaborative environments, excelling across all stages of the design process—from initial concept development to final implementation. His dedication to innovation, attention to detail, and ability to adapt to diverse project requirements make him a valuable asset in any creative endeavour.
Jessica McNaughton
Graphic Designer
Jess has worked in print and design for over 10 years with a background in ceramics, screen print, management and exhibitions, having graduated with a BA(Hons) in Character Creation & Technical effects in 2012. Jess also has a level 1 certification in Welding and level 2 in Fabrication. She is not your typical Graphic Designer!
Jess is on hand to assist you with all your graphic requirements whether it’s creating print ready files to really make your stand a cut above the rest or just to give advice where needed so you have that peace of mind, your graphics will be exactly how you imagined them to be.
georgina coles
Graphic production manager
Georgina is a passionate graphic designer with over a decade of experience creating engaging brand stories. She began her career in print design before expanding into digital, she has led creative teams and worked on high-impact projects across multiple industries.
A firm believer in collaboration, she blends strategic thinking with design expertise to deliver visually compelling solutions. Georgina is an avid traveller outside of work, always seeking new cultures and cuisines. A true foodie, you’ll often find her seeking out the latest restaurants in Manchester.
Operations
Barry Longden
Operations Manager
Barry’s journey through Apex over his 10 year service has seen him steadily advancing through the ranks starting as Exhibition Technician and now progressing to Operations Manager.
Barry has gained extensive experience and his promotions are a testament to his hard work, commitment and dedication to the company. In his current role, Barry oversees the coordination and execution of many exhibition projects, ensuring everything runs smoothly for our clients. Leading a team of technicians and designers, he has a deep understanding of the technical and logistical aspects of building an exhibition stand which makes Barry a strong, reliable staff member.
Richard Crosbie
Production Manager
Our Production Manager Ricky has been in the exhibition industry for 10 years originally starting out as Exhibition Technician. His role includes liaising with our account managers, various suppliers and warehouse staff to ensure all project deadlines and client expectations are met.
Throughout the last few years, Ricky has excelled in logistics and problem solving travelling all over the UK and Europe constructing different variations of stands for events and exhibitions. He has built a strong repertoire with both clients and exhibition venue staff making him friendly, approachable and always willing to lend a helping hand.
Adam Downings
EXHIBITIONS Warehouse Technician
Having developed his career in a variety of hands-on roles, Adam recently joined Apex and is keen to demonstrate his teamwork and interpersonal skills within the business. Adam has many transferable skills from his work as an On-Call Firefighter and is easily able to display and uphold the professional standards required with our clients. Being completely new to the exhibitions industry he is eager to learn, develop and progress within his role and has a willingness to embrace new opportunities.
Alex Forster
Warehouse Technician
Alex started out with us as an apprentice whilst studying Business Administration at Macclesfield college achieving a level 3 with distinction. His knowledge now extends to a good understanding of all build types within the exhibitions industry supporting the build team.
In the last 15 years Alex has been at the forefront of customer satisfaction working in various places across Europe. Using this knowledge, you will mainly find Alex behind the scenes ensuring that all stands and inventory are correct and in good working order. He strives to ensure that all clients needs are met and project deadlines are met whilst ensuring warehouse efficiency.