Meet the team
A show owned and run by industry people. Each member of the UK Plant Expo 27 team, has their roots in the construction, OEM’s, plant hire and or distributor sectors.
A team that is as passionate as it is experienced, a team that has an unprecedented network of industry contacts, a team that understands the value on offer to exhibitors, a team that will help deliver the Show the Industry Wants…The UK’s largest and most successful live event of 2027.
Brian Coogan: Event Director.
Brian has developed a publishing and event business in Ireland with Machinery Movers Magazine and two leading events CQMS & HIREland, Irelands first show dedicated to the tool and plant hire sector. Brian acquired UKPO magazine in 2014 before launching UK Plant Operator of the Year in 2021.
Jeff Schofield: Event Director.
Jeff has worked exclusively in the plant hire & machinery distributor sector for over 35 years. In 2017 he founded Schofield Marketing, offering services to those same markets. In 2022 he became a Director of UK Plant Operator Magazine and in partnership with Brian launched HIREland in Ireland in 2026.
Louise Carney: Press Officer.
Louise has worked in PR & communications for 30 years, specialising mostly in the construction equipment sector, working with manufacturers, trade associations and exhibition organisers.
Louise brings a breadth of industry knowledge, in addition to an extensive network of industry contacts. All to ensure exhibitors are onboarded seamlessly and looked after thoroughly throughout our partnership.
Ben Wade: Event Champion and Content Creator.
Ben qualified as a plant operator at the tender age of 16 and went on to be one of the youngest finalists at UK Plant Operator of the Year in 2022.
Known on social media as ‘Ben the Operator’ he has progressed from working for contractors in both the construction and forestry sector, to working for the likes of Hyundai as a demonstrator.
In the past year he has started his own contracting business and bought his first machine. Ben is a champion of the event and writes an exclusive column in UK Plant Operators Magazine ‘Wade In.’
Amy Law: Marketing Lead.
Amy gained her degree at De Montford University before accepting a graduate role at Caterpillar. This led to further industry sector roles in marketing with Hewden, Finning and JCB.
An experienced marketeer Amy brings a strong, data driven, highly commercial mind set that has seen her career expand to senior roles in multinational companies. Now the owner of Pheme marketing, Amy creates and oversees our customer contact plan to ensure UK Plant Expo is the right fit for exhibitors.
Kirsty Myatt: Social Media Lead.
Kirsty is a digital marketing specialist. A young, innovative professional, who graduated from Harper Adams, with a strong agricultural background. Kirsty creates market leading campaigns, which ensure the event is seen by our target audience and responded to by our target audience. All with the accompanying data analysis to guide next steps and actions.
Ollie Gunns: Event Champion and Content Creator.
The owner of Gunns Contractors a groundworks and earthmoving business. Ollie focuses on projects under £100k so he can continue to offer his client base the best possible service. An early construction technology adopter Ollie understands plant, plant hire and construction.
A finalist at three successive Plant Operator of the Year events, in addition to making the podium at 2026 JCB operator of the year…Ollie champions UK Plant Expo hosting several of our podcasts. Indeed, you will see Ollie as MC at UK Plant Expo 2027.
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Andrea Schofield: Accounts & Administration.
A Director of Schofield Marketing, Andrea ensures what is intended to happen…happens. From recovering the exhibitor booking forms to invoicing and organising the events finalists, the Plant Operators themselves, Andrea brings the organisation to the organisation.
Working for the likes of Seymour Plant, Hewden, Calor Gas before moving into the education sector Andrea like the rest of the UK Plant Expo team has the industry at her heart.
Andy Murrell: Graphic Designer
The owner of Murrell Design, Andy again, like all his UK Plant Expo colleagues, has plant hire and construction at the centre of his body of work. With a concise CV that includes Hewden and Finning, before venturing to create his own enterprise he now works for the likes of Thwaites Dumpers, Flannery Plant Hire and Komatsu.
In addition to guiding the branding of the business Andy creates all the bespoke artwork that supports the event and its stakeholders as well as designing for print UK Plant Operators Magazine.
Kevin Kelly: Operational Lead
Kevin is an experienced, event, operational lead. A Director of Roan Plant Solutions in Northern Ireland Kevin ensures in the lead up to the show, during the show and in the post show breakdown that everyone is clear of the plan and that the plan is executed safely and legally.
Kevin has an effective calmness and very often gets to the situation before it becomes a problem.
No drama, no fuss, straightforward preparation, planning and execution means exhibitors receive a first-class service that means they want to come back year after year.