ESITS is delighted to welcome Terry Smith as a new member of the board, bringing with him a lifetime of experience and deep-rooted passion for the events industry.
Terry’s journey in the sector began from the very start, quite literally. As the son of Ron Smith, the original founder of Arena Seating in the late 1960s, Terry grew up immersed in the world of events. The family business remained at the heart of the industry for decades, shaping his early exposure and long-term career.
After working several summers on site as a teenager, Terry officially joined Arena Seating full time in 1984. Starting on the ground, building temporary grandstands, he developed a hands-on understanding of the industry that would underpin his future leadership roles. Over the years, he progressed through key positions including Site Manager, Operations Manager, and Operations Director, before being appointed Managing Director of the UK seating division of Arena Group in December 2018.
Having worked his way up through every level of the business, Terry brings extensive expertise across all aspects of temporary structures. His knowledge spans technical delivery, operations, project management, health and safety, and commercial strategy. He has also played a significant role in advancing industry standards, working closely with the HSE and major event suppliers to strengthen safe working practices and ensure compliance with CDM regulations when they were introduced into the events sector.
In April 2025, Terry transitioned from day-to-day management of UK seating to take on a global business development role within Arena Group. In this position, he is responsible for growing and developing seating divisions across key international regions, including the US, Middle East, Asia, Australia, as well as the UK and Europe.
This new chapter has also enabled Terry to dedicate more time to ESITS, an organisation he has strongly supported since its inception. His wealth of experience, industry insight, and long-standing commitment make him a valuable addition to the board.
We are excited to have Terry join us and look forward to the expertise and perspective he will bring as ESITS continues to grow and support the events industry.
