eoaLive! October 2026

Plenary + Keynote

Welcome and sector update from eoa Chief Executive James de le Vingne and our event sponsor. Plus a look into ‘the UK's most fiercely independent, seriously silly, and radically sustainable festival’ - Shambala (the UK's first festival to become employee owned).

Saving the Soul of the Business: Shambala Festival’s EO Revolution

Shambala is ‘the UK's most fiercely independent, seriously silly, and radically sustainable festival’. This year, Kambe Events Ltd, the business behind the brand, also became the UK’s first festival to become employee owned.

In this inspiring keynote session, Dan Raffety, a founder of Shambala, will share the story behind how they founded and built the festival and exploring how EO became the natural next step for a values-led organisation committed to protecting its independence.

Delivered in a lively chat show format hosted by EOT expert Christian Wilson, the session will dig into the human story behind the transition from codifying values and protecting the soul of the business to strengthening Britain’s creative sectors and what it’s like to be the ‘first mover’.

Whatever line of work you’re coming from, you’ll discover insights, principles, and takeaways that apply to any business asking how it can stay true to what matters most while building for the future.

Who Should Attend

  • Founders, owners, and leadership teams considering succession or exploring how to keep their businesses purpose-led into the future
  • Employee owners and EO leaders looking to understand how employee ownership can protect independence, strengthen culture, and embed values for the long term
  • Businesses looking for inspiration on how EO can support community, sustainability, and ethical stewardship
  • Employee owners interested in hearing how to build a business from scratch and lessons in leadership

What You’ll Learn

  • How EO can help preserve independence, protect culture, and keep founding principles alive as a business evolves
  • What other businesses can learn from Shambala’s transition, whether they work in festivals, the wider creative economy or a completely different sector
  • How an EOT can support long-term stewardship, shared success and a stronger sense of community within a business
  • How a creative vision can grow into a successful business
When
08/10/2026 11:00 - 12:15
GMT Daylight Time

Speakers

Expr1
Dan Raffety

Dan Raffety

Kambe Events Ltd

SPEAKER

Dan has been Kambe’s principal music booker since the organisation’s earliest days and currently sits on its Board of Directors. He previously served as Managing Director of Kambe Events for six years, until 2022. Over the course of his career, Dan has booked and produced more than 2,500 acts. His experience includes programming and producing Shambala Festival’s four in-house stages, overseeing the music programme at Starry Skies, delivering promotions across Birmingham and Bristol, and leading all musical programming for Reggae City. Dan has built extensive relationships with artists, musicians and agents, alongside a deep understanding of what is required to deliver live events to an exceptional standard. His meticulous approach to planning helps ensure that productions run smoothly, efficiently and with minimal fuss. Dan has also served on the Board of Bristol’s Big Green Week and regularly shares his expertise through panel discussions and guest lectures.
James De Le Vingne

James De Le Vingne

EOA

SPEAKER

James is Chief Executive of the eoa. Previously James was Head of Development at Co-operatives UK and has a background in international and local economic development. James is a Director of the Ownership at Work thinktank, a board member of Scotland for Employee Ownership, an Executive Fellow of the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers University and RSA Fellow. “Fundamentally, I believe EO demonstrates that businesses can succeed and thrive by embracing a model that prioritises shared success and inclusive growth. It’s a way of doing business that ensures all stakeholders - employees, communities, and investors - benefit from the value created. EO is rooted in the belief that empowering individuals as co-owners fosters innovation, fairness, and resilience, proving there’s a better way to power our economy and build a more equitable future, and this is a future I’m proud to help build.”
Christian Wilson

Christian Wilson

EOT Expert (Christian WIlson Consulting Ltd)

SPEAKER

Christian is a solicitor and business adviser specialising in Employee Ownership Trusts. A committed advocate for employee ownership, he works closely with business owners to create EOT structures that succeed in practice, not just on paper. His approach goes beyond preparing legal documents. Christian helps clients build robust trusts, establish effective governance and support the people responsible for making employee ownership work. Drawing on experience across company, corporate, commercial and trust law, as well as his work as an external trustee and adviser to established EOTs, he can identify challenges early, explain complex options clearly and keep the process calm, compliant and effective. Through EOT Expert, Christian supports clients across the UK, giving owners lasting confidence in their transition to employee ownership. He lives in West Cornwall, near the Cornish coast, with his wife, Tess, her award-winning dancing ponies, a guitar and a surfboard that he admits is slightly neglected.