Jenner Jumps Back To Festivals

Steve Jenner has quit his job at RFID ticketing business Intellitix because of his increased involvement with the UK and European Festival Awards.

Last month Jenner and business partner Chris McCormick, who started the Virtual Festivals site from their bedrooms in 1999, were reportedly maintaining “prominent operational positions” following UK trade magazine operator Mondiale Publishing buying a majority stake in the firm.

Mondiale, the UK’s leading publisher for the production industry and owner of the sector-leading Total Production International, looks to have re-shuffled the top of the festivals and awards company and asked Jenner to return to the hot seat.

James Drury, who two years ago joined the company from Audience magazine, has left his post as managing director of the two festival awards productions and is now head of Scout, a free-issue magazine that previews and reviews entertainment throughout London. Drury remains on the restructured festivals awards board.

In 2010 when other companies were reportedly circling the festivals business, Jenner told Pollstar that selling it would be like “handing over my baby.” But Mondiale – which also stages the Total Production Awards – appears happy to let him hang on to it.

The UK Festival Awards are at London’s Roundhouse Dec. 3. The next European Festival Awards are Jan. 9 in Groningen, The Netherlands, part of the annual Eurosonic-Noorderslag showcase festival and conference.