IWD 2025 - an interview with: Rebecca Kane Burton

Tell us a little about your career journey leading to where you are now.

My career has taken me into a lot of incredible organisations – all of which have been connected by my passion for venues. I love working in places that bring people together to create, celebrate and be inspired.

I began in venue management at English Heritage, overseeing iconic sites like Kenwood House, before moving to Alexandra Palace in 2008 to help modernise its business model. In 2012, I joined The O2 during London’s Olympic fever, leading initiatives like Up at The O2 and AXS. Leading the team at The O2 was an unforgettable experience that really helped to expand my network in the live entertainment and hospitality worlds.

From there, I became CEO at LW Theatres and later Sodexo Live!, deepening my expertise in venue operations and catering. Last year, I joined OVG, first as Interim GM at Co-op Live during its opening – a career highlight – before stepping into my current role as EVP for Venue Management at OVG International.

I’m now focused on building OVG’s venue services business in the UK and Europe – we’ve got a phenomenal opportunity to emulate our model in venues all over Europe.

What does the International Women’s Day slogan “accelerate action” mean for you?

For me, accelerating action has to be about doing. The live entertainment and hospitality industries must continue to make real progress on female representation, and ‘accelerate action’ embodies that sentiment.

‘Accelerate action’ is a mantra that describes how OVG works every day. We work with exciting partners, clients, and customers to deliver new and innovative entertainment formats.

How important is it for women to lift each other up and what does that mean to you?

It couldn’t be more important for women to lift each other up, and the live entertainment industry needs that support more than ever. I’ve worked with brilliant women throughout my career and being able to learn from them has been a critical part of my career to date, but it can’t all be on women to lift other women up. Men have got to take a role too, and I’ve been grateful for advice from many supportive male colleagues over the years.

I really believe that confidence breeds confidence, success breeds success, and it is the responsibility of everyone – women and men – to help support the next generation of female talent across the whole industry. 

How important is diversity across senior leadership teams?

The best teams I’ve worked with have always been those that bring together a diverse mix of talents, backgrounds, and perspectives. Variety of thought and experience is a huge creative advantage when you’re trying to drive change – it challenges assumptions, sparks innovation, and leads to better decision-making.

It’s crucial to avoid echo chambers, where the same viewpoints are reinforced without fresh input. That’s why diversity needs to be a priority at all levels, especially in leadership. A truly inclusive team fosters richer discussions, more dynamic problem-solving, and ultimately, stronger results for any organisation.

Senior leadership: 26%, C-suite: 19%, 1 in 4: Chief-level. These are the percentages and numbers of female leaders in our industry. What do these numbers represent to you?

These numbers show that we still have progress to make, and that glass ceilings remain there to be smashed down. I feel fortunate at the moment to work for a company like OVG with strong female representation; Francesca Bodie is our COO, and Jessica Koravos is OVG International President. I’d love to see more companies in the industry adopt a similar approach.

As a successful leader, how do you think (business) leaders can accelerate action toward closing the gender gap and ensuring equal opportunities in the workplace?

Knowing your team and understanding their strengths is an important part of how we can make more progress on female representation in the industry. As a leader, it’s about having the tricky conversations, spending the extra time that’s needed with team members, and making bold decisions to help drive tangible change. 

We need to create environments where those conversations can happen, and where young females in the industry feel empowered to ask questions to make change more likely.

Can you share your top tips for entrepreneurial/managerial/leadership success?

There’s no one-size-fits-all formula for leadership success, but understanding your team and how they work is essential. Everyone has different ways of thinking, communicating, and problem-solving, and great leaders recognise and harness those differences.

By playing to each individual’s strengths and creating an environment where diverse skills complement each other, you build a high-performing, motivated team. Leadership isn’t about dictating – it’s about listening, adapting, and empowering people to do their best work. 

Teams crave ambition too, and decisiveness – when appropriate – from a leader.

What’s the most important piece of advice you’d give to a woman thinking of starting a career at leadership level?

‘Go for it’ – it’s simple but probably the single most important piece of advice I’ve ever received. It is what I still tell young women in my team today.

Be yourself and back yourself; avoid negotiating with yourself; and speak to people – when entering leadership level, leverage your experience and be prepared to keep learning.

Have there been any role models through your life (work or professional) who have helped shape you as a leader?

There have been loads, but a couple in particular come to mind.

Ronan Dunne, former CEO of Telefónica UK. I found Ronan to be a hugely inspiring leader when I met him during my time with The O2. Two things particularly stuck out to me from meeting Ronan – first, the way the customer was central to everything he did – which I’ve always tried to translate into what we do in the live entertainment sector. The second is that retention is key, and fundamental to businesses in our sector. 

Jessica Koravos, President of OVG International. She is a real force to be reckoned with in our industry, and someone I have always looked to as a role model. As a leader, Jess juggles the seemingly impossible whilst also possessing unique wit, intelligence and decision-making skills.