Head of Sales, MICE & Track at Silverstone Circuits Ltd
Silverstone International Conference and Exhibition Centre is a truly exceptional venue that combines the glamour and heritage of the home of British Motor Racing, with stunning design and a uniquely flexible space with plenty of natural daylight.
Hayley Smith is the Head of Sales, MICE and Track at Silverstone Circuits Ltd , we’ve caught up with Hayley to learn more about her role.
How long have you worked at the venue?
I’m heading into my fifth year this year, time really has flown!
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
I started in December 2019, prior to the infamous Coronavirus – probably the toughest 18 months of my career. Other than that, it would be the usual time vs workload!
What’s been the best advice given to you?
Walk before you can run. My career history has always been with sporting venues, my remit sits with reinforcing the venues secondary revenue stream, as opposed to the F1 as an example. It is always baby steps when you start at a sporting venue to understand logistics and how it operates – so brand awareness is pivotal initially. Now our audience knows we are so much more than F1 and the proof is in the pudding, as we’ve just come out of a record-breaking year for MICE.
What’s the best part of your job? And least favourite?
My favourite is meeting clients and immersing myself into their brief and needs. Least favourite would be like any salesperson, any associated admin!
What’s your favourite dish on the menu at the moment?
It’s got to be the Smoked Haddock Chowder.
What are the catering options for delegates?
We are trend-setters when it comes to food – we can offer anything from a lighter working lunch to food for fork buffets, bowl food, street food and plated menus. We were the UK venue host for the Michelin Chef of the year 2023 – toughest crowd to date but we smashed it!
What are you doing to ensure delegates meet safely?
We have a health and safety manager on-site to ensure both internal and external stakeholders are compliant and safe throughout their whole event, including set-up and de-rig along with live days.
Do you have a favourite meeting room and why?
Hall 3 would be my favourite! It’s our largest hall and a blank canvas, which enables our clients to be super creative. We held some amazing events in there last year. The addition of a link bridge between the hotel and conference centre has really enhanced the customer journey too – from bedroom to meeting in a matter of minutes.
What’s been the most memorable event held at your venue?
Oh, wow! There have been a few recently, however, it’s probably our first ever corporate festival for 900 people. We had a stage and DJ on our paddock, yoga in the garages, and cycling and walking on the Grand Prix Circuit – enhancing the sustainability credentials that we are not just a motorsport circuit!
What can a 24-hr delegate do in their down-time?
A tour of Silverstone heritage at the Museum. Eat, drink, train or swim trackside at Escapade, our new private high-end residences. Or cocktails on the roof terrace at the Hilton Garden Inn on-site.
What do you do in your downtime?
I am a huge foodie! I like to dine out at new and exciting restaurants. Also, in my spare time I enjoy playing netball.
Why should an event organiser pick your venue?
It appeals to all audiences. Our large event spaces are all blank canvases – enabling us to produce large, experiential events and appeal to everyone looking for something dynamic. We are of course the home of British motorsport and therefore if a client does want to immerse themselves with F1, we’re naturally a great fit, with a perfect synergy between high-performance meetings and teamwork led events too.
