About Us

Picture this; two best friends from university, living it up in New York City. It's 2009 and they're blown away by the endless nightlife knowledge of their hotel concierge. The following night, and after a few too many frozen margaritas, a business idea was born. The two friends decided they'd had enough of half-baked websites and the ever-present hassle of planning a decent day and night out back home in London. The UK needed a site to discover and unlock secret, new and unique city experiences, from events to bars and restaurants, but also, a site to help plan and book online, too.

And so... DesignMyNight was born.

The two friends ditched their corporate roles and worked their socks off around the clock to create the first version of DesignMyNight.com. Since then, we've launched in over 20 cities and towns in the UK, Australia and Ireland, have been acquired by powerhouse The Access Group and created our very own bookings and enquiries system, Collins, one of the leading ticketing platforms in the UK, Tonic and voucher software, Soda.

Helping you discover something new, whether that’s near you or beyond? We’ve got you, and so do our team, learn more about us below.

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Louise Agostini (Director of B2C)

South London postcodes run through the blood of our bubbly company head, Louise. Joining the team to keep us all in check, Louise has a passion for all things fashion, knows all things tech leadership, and is never happier than when she's got a microphone or a paintbrush to hand. Lucky enough to take Louise out for dins? You'd be mad not to make a booking at The Crystal Palace Market. 

Alasdair MacKenzie (Ally) (Development Manager)

After leaving university, Ally moved to London to find his calling; after a few jobs at various companies, he discovered the recently founded DesignMyNight, and couldn't say no. He is passionate about building software and these days... is even more passionate about making it on time.

Katie Kirwan (Head of Brand & B2C)

It's Buffy marathons and an unhealthy relationship with Airbnb that make up the bones of our Head of Brand, Katie. When she's not planning her next trip, topping up tattoos or on the hunt for her next taco she's looking after all things growth, brand, SEO, content and website at DesignMyNight following a previous career in music journalism. Wanna chat? Ask her about her cat.

James Hillier (Product Manager)

Gatekeeper to all our products and their roadmaps, James is a pro when it comes to keeping our software on track. And when he isn't clocking up miles spent running across the country, or working his way through a decent bottle of red? He's begging anyone and everyone to fly him to *that* pop-punk festival in Vegas this year. 

Chris Moore (Collins Sales Specialist)

Upon finishing his studies - and after a stint of travelling - Chris worked as a barristers' clerk for a whopping ten years. Luckily for us; Chris saw the boozy light and consequently joined the DMN Collins team in early 2016. He loves festivals, gigs, travelling and a good brunch. But he hates queuing. For anything. So if you're taking him out, for god's sake book ahead.

Sam Robinson (Sales Executive & Account Manager)

Born and bred in the home county haven of Hertfordshire, Sam joined DesignMyNight in 2014 working as part of our loveable Sales Team. He loves London, sport and boozin', and his main passions in life are football and the London nightlife scene. Which seems pretty convenient now we think about it. DMN Football Team anyone? Imagine how happy he'd be.

Leighanne Bent (Senior Marketing and PR Manager)

Leaving Ireland straight after uni, Leighanne moved to London and joined DesignMyNight in 2014. She has a passion for noodles, chicken wings and more specifically, Irish coffees from Swift. To quote her directly: 'if you know, you know'. Focussed on heading up the Marketing & PR Team, you'll find her getting stuck into strategy for everything from social media to marketing campaigns.  

James O'Sullivan (Engineering Manager)

Working as a Software Engineer with our elite crew of tech-savvy superheroes, James moved over to London in Summer 2013, and joined us a year later! A well rounded young man, he's lived all over the shop, in countries including The Netherlands and Germany. His premier passions in life are cricket, rugby, Thai rum and bar crawlin' his merry way around London.

Debbie Richardson (Tonic Customer Success Manager)

With a background in hospitality and PR, Debbie spent two years living in Melbourne before joining DMN as our Ticketing Account Manager. Her perfect day 'starts with a Bloody Mary, and ends with a whisky', and - just as all adventurous women do - she learns all important, but undoubtedly-questionable life lessons from Lena Dunham's 'Girls'. You'll likely find her hustling around a pool table or sinking her teeth into any American BBQ-style meat she can find.

Anisah Audu-Evans (Managing Editor)

Having previously dabbled in PR - working with some of London's best restaurants, bars and big brands - Anisah's love of eating, drinking and writing steered her towards a role as Managing Editor at DesignMyNight. When she's not Instagramming food, you'll find her watching The Office or chilling in a bar... north of the river, of course. 

Kate Thelwell (Tonic Customer Success Executive)

So keen on DesignMyNight that she moved to London for the job (don't worry Kate, we're keen on you too), Kate is something of an adrenaline junkie. Not only has she run three half marathons and snorkeled in a crocodile tank in Australia, she's been around, living and working everywhere from American to Canada. Get in her good books by whipping up a pina colada.

Sam Ekins (Tonic Sales Manager)

Partial to a pint of prosecco (and head over heels for hummus) Sam is an adventurous Glaswegian lass who knows the globe a little better than most, having studied in both France and Spain. While Sam has joined us to further feed the beast that is our Tonic ticketing platform, we know her future goal is not in the tickets, but in the marrying of Gerard Butler.

 

Andy Crofts (UK Sales Manager)

Originally from Melbourne, Andy joined the DesignMyNight team to help with the growth of Tonic after years in the industry (he opened the first Dirty Martini don't you know). And while his love of margaritas knows no bounds, so do his brushes with death, having once almost crashed in an airplane flying over the Amazon. Is Andy a cat? Does he have nine lives? Jury's out for now. 

 

 

Lorna Wilcox (Business Development Manager)

 
An army brat hailing from Leicester, Lorna joined the Collins team to help look after regional sales. She's grown up in both Germany and Canada, and considers herself something of a ski snob. If she's not travelling somewhere cool at least once a year, she's not doing that year right. And while she's not in the London office that much, she's still a solid member of the team. 

Ryan Spencer (Australia Sales Manager)

A whipped up blend of both Austria and Australia, it's not just a dual nationality that Ryan boasts, he also has a twin brother. When Ryan's not Parent Trap-ing the DesignMyNight team, and drumming up new business for our Collins platform in Aus? He's searching for his next destination to explore, thanks to an overwhelming love for sun, sea and sand.

 

 

Sean Anderson (Engineering Team Lead)

A 5-a-side fan and Aberystwyth graduate, Sean doesn't just have the smarts in the CompSci department, he's also here to get DesignMyNight's software options really going places. Sean may also be the culprit when it comes to the office drum and bass playlist, but we wouldn't pick a fight with him about it... not when he has a black belt in karate.

Lisa Moore (Email Marketing Manager)

Competitor for Marmite's #1 fan (wait for her pitch on a bottomless Marmite event, investors welcome), Lisa joined DesignMyNight to look after our email comms. When she's not splitting people in to their according love/hate groups, or deciphering open rates, she's researching big days out, learning Spanish, and bopping away to the best in 00s indie, draught cider in hand.

Lauren Cole (Senior Editor)

Don't let Lauren's love of napping and binge TV fool you, she's well travelled. From skinny dipping in the arctic to trekking in Norway, she's not shy when it comes to trying something new. With a background in arts and events journalism, we snapped her up for the content team, where she's whipping up top news pieces (when she's not donning a bucket hat and busting a few out at a festival.)

Jasmine Lee Kennedy (Senior Editor)

Boasting our beloved Brixton as her birthplace, with a pretty good knowledge of its bars and South London pubs to boot, we knew Jasmine (and her NCTJ in journalism) were too good to miss. When she's not talking to a professional about her addiction to chips, Italian food and chicken wings (we second that), she's addicted to her half staffy, half labrador rescue pup. 

 

Caitlin Hutton (Tonic Sales Executive)

When our sales executive isn't limbering up to let the UK know all about our ticketing software, she can be found down the gym or at an ice rink (having skated since she was 10 years old). Espresso martini lovers have a pal in Caitlin who is mad for 'em, and F.R.I.E.N.D.S fans can rest assured that when there's an episode marathon on, she's there. 

Tom Saunders (DBP Manager)

Joining DesignMyNight as our first ever DBP Account Executive (you want your restaurant/bar to be on our site? He's your guy), Tom fits in perfectly with the DesignMyNight content team thanks to his love of dogs and travel. While Tom may have climbed to the top of an active volcano once, there's just one thing that holds him back in life... his fear of sponges. That's no soak.

 

Lucy Jefferies (Social Media Manager)

A Lady and don't you forget it (no really, she owns a square foot of land in Scotland) Lucy is on the DesignMyNight team to keep our social media in tip-top shape. If she's not on Tik Tok or giving her full attention to a new season of Ru Paul's Drag Race, ask her about that one time with MOB Kitchen... she'd be happy to share.

Nicoleta Faina (Frontend Developer)

One of DesignMyNight's most creative team members, Nico is an enthusiastic force and joins us to work on all things Frontend Development at DesignMyNight. A graduate in interactive design from UAL with a keen interest in all things sci-fi, immersive futuristic experiences and meditation, Nicoleta hails from Moldova, but has studies that have taken her across the globe from Romania to Germany. With her art background and love of coding? We know she's going to fit right in

Tia LaForce (Website Customer Support Team Leader)

Born in Hackney ('aka, the greatest borough of all time'), Tia is here at DesignMyNight looking after all things Website Customer Support, ensuring our users get the care and attention they deserve when booking or buying online. If you're not serving up a mojito for Tia, you better have Love Island on the telly, or better yet, be joining her in an old school Beyonce marathon.

Josie May (Marketing & PR Executive)

The front runner for Louis Theroux's number one fan (currently keeping him framed on her wall), Josie is our marketing and PR whizz, generating stories and releases that news providers can't miss. When she's not on that data and details, she's knee-deep in tiramisu. And while Suffolk may always be called home, the city now has her heart.

Dustin Smith (Software Engineer)

Code-obsessed Dustin is here to help us with all things engineering at DesignMyNight. Well travelled (like, really), Dustin's lived in 4 countries, worked in over 9 global locations and has big plans to hike the Inca Trail and climb to at least the base camp of Everest. Still not impressed? He's also a semi-professional dragon boat racer, and has attempted multiple Guinness World Records. Keep us on our toes? You bet he will.

Olympia Shodipo (Web Support Executive)

Customer-driven and a whizz when it comes to our Web Support inbox, Olympia is excellent at supporting the people that love, and use DesignMyNight regularly with their day-to-day queries. What she also loves? It might not be chocolate, but it is the movie Dumb & Dumber, of which she's watched more than 30 times... and yep, she just so happens to know the script word for word too. 

Irisa Thanasi (Tonic Sales Executive)

Here to show event organisers the power of our ticketing software (when she's not hiking mountains that is), Irisa grew up in Zante with the sunshine on her side. Well versed in Law terminology thanks to her studies, she's also partial to an episode of 'Suits'. But the best fact you need to know about Irisa? Her name means 'rainbow', and we think that's pretty neat. 

Rosina Basile (Social Media Executive)

A foodie with a penchant for red wine, we knew we had the right person when we were looking for someone to further expand and grow our social media team. A lover of travelling with Italy in her blood, Rosina is cool with keeping things at home too, known also for her obsession with aerial fitness, and most importantly, Grey's Anatomy.

Izzah Kazi (Editorial Assistant)

When Izzah told us she could open beer bottles with her teeth, it wasn't the only reason we welcomed her to the DesignMyNight team, but it helped.  Studying across the world from London to Florence, Izzah is bringing her editorial expertise to the team, helping us craft great hospitality ideas for our audience. When she's not downing an iced caramel latte or asking DJs to put Dua Lipa on rotation, she's napping, because it's a sport, okay. 

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