In PA Life’s Summer 2025 Issue, we feature Andy OโSullivan, CEO of Olympia Events. We talk about what lies ahead for Olympia, as the historic events venue transforms into an iconic entertainment destination, due to open from this Autumn. ย
Letโs start with what will be the main purpose of the new Olympia?
The new Olympia will reset the standard as Londonโs most exciting destination for culture, live entertainment, innovation, and creativity. Through that, we aim to be the worldโs most dynamic international conference, exhibition, entertainment, and major event destination. Olympia is evolving into a 24/7 destination, which blends business with leisure, bringing people together for extraordinary experiences across multiple disciplines and genres.
Will Olympia still have events and exhibitions as its core offering?
Olympiaโs legacy as a venue for major events will continue, and the transformation is about enhancing our capabilities, rather than replacing them. By evolving into a fully integrated destination, with on-site hotels, dining, live entertainment venues, and more, weโre dramatically improving the experience for organisers, promoters, rights holders, content creators, exhibitors, and guests alike. The result will be a venue which supports more ambitious, immersive, and extended events, with everything visitors want and need on-site. Being a cultural hub doesnโt detract from our core, it strengthens it by making Olympia more dynamic than ever before.
How much is left of the old venue buildings and whatโs new?
In 2026, Olympia turns 140 years old, and preserving and celebrating our rich history has been a critical part of our transformation. Iconic structures like the Grand and National Halls are being carefully restored to retain their architectural splendour while upgrading their functionality to modern standards. Around our historic spaces, weโre constructing new buildings to house the 1,575-capacity theatre, 4,000 capacity live music hall, state of the art International Convention Centre, Members house, offices, hotels, rooftop dining and more. Itโs a careful blend of old and new, preserving character while introducing stunning, world-class architectural design and infrastructure.
Can you tell us a little about the variety of spaces available for corporate hire?
Olympia will offer a remarkably broad range of corporate spaces. From restored heritage halls ideal for large-scale events, to our new International Convention Centre, which opens in early 2026. The venue is genuinely designed to be as flexible as todayโs business needs demand. Plus, with on-site hotels and leisure options, Olympia becomes a seamless environment for multi-day events and immersive brand experiences.
What makes Olympia stand out from other large-scale venues in London?
Itโs the uniqueness. Whether youโre attending an event or hosting an international conference, the destination being built around us, is providing an entire ecosystem rather than a single-purpose site.ย The possibilities of what our venues can now host are endless, and weโre doing all this while honouring a 140-year legacy and creating something truly future-facing.
Read more about Olympia’s ยฃ1.3bn redevelopment and how bring the much welcomed boost to the UK economy.
