Taking Centre Stage
Rob McConnell speaks to Ambition Magazine about his new CEO role.
When Rob McConnell stepped into the CEO role at ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall in early 2025, he brought with him a career in cybersecurity, technology, and business transformation. It might seem an unconventional leap into the events business, until you hear him speak about the venues as “wholesale economic engines”. Six months into the role, he’s on a mission to unlock Northern Ireland’s potential as a world-class international conference and convention destination.
With an early career in PWC as a cybersecurity consultant, Rob was listed as a GCHQ government security advisor, before founding a cyber startup in London. “There’s no greater learning experience than leading a start-up: I was a jack of all trades – from sales, to operations and finance,” he reflects.
Later, he brought a major German FDI into Northern Ireland, eventually integrating it into tech and engineering powerhouse Expleo, growing a Belfast team of 300 people and an Ireland team of nearly 900.
“I’m very much an ‘NI plc’ person,” he says.
I’ve always been proud to shout about Northern Ireland on the world stage and I want to see this place flourish.
McConnell was actively involved in developing the Assured Skills programme and he worked with Invest NI and the MATRIX panel, contributing to engineering and technology innovation strategy.
Rob’s entry into the events sector came through a non-executive director role at ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall two and a half years ago. “I joined the board to broaden my career experience but pretty quickly, it became clear I could help with things like sales leadership and innovation.”
When he applied and was appointed as CEO in February 2025, he hit the ground running. “Through my time on the Board I had a grasp of the unique operating model of the organisation, so I was able to move quickly.”
One of the main challenges is balancing two very different lines of business. “We have two iconic live entertainment venues - the Waterfront Hall and the Ulster Hall - and then we have ICC Belfast, Northern Ireland’s only purpose-built international convention centre,” he says. “The audiences, the stakeholders, and the revenue models are completely different.”
While the entertainment venues have hosted fans of everyone from Led Zeppelin to Snow Patrol to the Ulster Orchestra, the International Convention Centre’s work is largely hidden from local view. “People might know the ‘pointy extension’ on the back of the Waterfront Hall,” Rob says, “but few realise we’re hosting world-class scientific, business and technology events that attract thousands of visitors and bring millions of pounds into the city. They’re a wholesale economic engine for the city and more people need to know just what an economic powerhouse ICC Belfast is.”
“A 2000 person international conference can bring in £2-£2.5million into the city," he adds.
Events like these boost hotels, pubs, restaurants and travel operators and they showcase the region’s capability on a global stage.
“We need real population-wide buy-in, so that everyone can be an ambassador to say, Belfast has a world-class venue, we’re really good at hosting big business events, and the city is a pretty cool place to visit.”
The CEO is at the helm of an organisation punching above its weight and competing against the likes of Dublin, Glasgow, Liverpool, Milan, Paris and Vienna.
We’re consistently winning international awards. Earlier this year ICC Belfast was the only convention venue in the world to win the ultimate Platinum award at the Global Eventex Awards.
Behind the scenes, McConnell isn’t shying away from tackling deeper strategic issues. “One of the biggest commercial challenges in the events space is the long sales cycle,” he says. “We’re talking to event organisers now for conferences in 2028 and as far out as 2032. That means a lot of investment before you see returns.”
In response, he’s revamped the sales strategy, introducing new CRM tools, strengthening data use, and targeting key markets. “We’re focusing on markets like Spain and Belgium, where we know we can compete,” he says.
Rob’s innovation mindset is also behind a new approach to events, flipping from being simply a “receiving house” and moving to curate and create their own events.
And he’s bringing innovations to the entertainment side too. “We’ve recently launched a new VIP experience with perks like early ticket access,” he says. “But we’re also looking at affordability and accessibility - especially at a time when people have less disposable income. And we’re working with the Oh Yeah Music Centre to offer the Waterfront Studio as a venue for grassroots artists. We want to give the next big thing a foot up – we can and we should.”
And the local community is also central to the vision. “We’re doing free community panto performances, supporting suicide prevention, tackling food poverty, and opening our doors to groups who might not otherwise see their place here,” he says.
Operationally, McConnell has also focused on the basics - improving cleanliness, security and general standards. “You can’t attract world-class events if the first impression isn’t up to scratch – we’ve raised the bar significantly,” he says.
Sustainability and safety are also priorities, especially with the upcoming implementation of Martyn’s Law. “We’re committed to leading on event safety – it’s absolutely paramount,” he says.
Looking ahead, McConnell’s five-year business plan is bold but pragmatic. “I hope the team see that I came in as CEO in February and six months later, we’re making changes happen. We’re already seeing an uptick in sales.
We have a fantastic bunch of talented people and they’re all committed to the one thing I get feedback on as CEO: the Belfast Welcome. That makes me extremely proud.
Reflecting as someone whose own life has featured memorable experiences at Belfast’s iconic venues, Rob says, “I’ve seen some amazing gigs at the Waterfront Hall and the Ulster Hall - from The Corrs and the Saw Doctors to Rage Against the Machine (my taste is eclectic).”
One of his most powerful memories was watching Barack and Michelle Obama speak at the Waterfront Hall. “It blew me away,” he says. “That’s the level we want to reach: facilitating life-changing moments.
These venues really mean something to people here. And it means a great deal to me that they are now in our hands.
As Belfast continues to evolve, Rob McConnell is determined that its flagship venues will play a part in driving the region’s future.
