Global Leadership
Out leadership team of seasoned hospitality-focuses experts define industry standards around the world.
Ben Erwin
Ben Erwin was named CEO of Encore in August 2020. This leadership role follows him becoming President in October 2018. He is responsible for driving the strategic direction of the Company and overseeing the execution of its business plan.
Erwin was hired as Encore’s Chief Financial Officer in February 2015 and was responsible for global accounting, treasury, financial planning and analysis, tax and product management. He has a proven track record of developing global corporate strategies, leading finance organizations, and building high-performance teams.
Prior to joining Encore, Erwin served as Chief Financial Officer for TestAmerica Laboratories, where he led all accounting, finance, treasury, information technology and legal functions. Prior to 2011, he served as SVP Corporate Development for Cornell Companies, where he managed corporate strategy, financial planning and analysis, public market capital transactions, and investor relations. He has also held various positions at Enron Corporation and Trilogy Software.
Erwin earned his bachelor’s degrees in economics and political science from Wake Forest University. He is an active member of MPI and is a board member for both PCMA and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA).
Outside of work, he dedicates his energy to charter schools in underserved parts of the United States. He enjoys running, traveling, and following the Boston Red Sox. He lives in Chicago’s North Shore area with his wife and two daughters.
Becky Sheehan
Becky Sheehan joined Encore as Chief Financial Officer in January 2020. Sheehan is responsible for all global financial aspects of Encore. She oversees all aspects of financial operations, including planning, investor relations, accounting and controls, treasury and tax strategy.
Before joining Encore, Sheehan spent the last three years as Chief Financial Officer at Cars.com. Prior to that, she spent 10 years with FTD Companies, Inc., as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. FTD grew from $400M to $1.2B in her time with the company. She also spent four years with Deloitte & Touche and five years with Arthur Andersen as an Audit Partner.
Sheehan earned her bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Illinois State University and is a Certified Public Accountant. In her personal time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, particularly in Hilton Head, S.C.
Charlie Young
Charlie Young joined Encore in June 2016 as its Chief Human Resources Officer. He is responsible for all areas of Human Resources, including recruiting, compensation, benefits, payroll, learning, talent, organizational development, and HR operations.
Young brings a wealth of operational and HR experience to the Encore family. He has more than 20 years of progressive human resources experience, and for the eight years prior to joining Encore, served as CHRO for hhgregg. Prior to hhgregg, he held various operational and leadership roles in his 21 years at Sears, working as a District Manager and Store General Manager before entering the HR discipline as a Senior Labor Relations Manager. He served as Vice President of HR for Sears Retail, and ultimately became the number two HR leader serving in the capacity of Vice President of HR Retail Store Operations and Supply Chain.
Young was born in Philadelphia and earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration with a specialty in accounting from Gettysburg College.
Outside the office, he has volunteered time with the Salvation Army, the United Way, and supported a team outing to benefit Feed My Starving Children. In his spare time, he enjoys exercising, traveling, renovating his home, and attending the athletic events of his kids, Charlie and Gracie. A car enthusiast, he also enjoys reading about the latest automotive innovations and has attended the Indianapolis 500 more than 15 times.
REGIONAL LEADERSHIP
We are proud to have some of the best people in the business who bring energy, enthusiasm and a bucket load of knowledge to bring your event to life. With so many talented specialists in the business our people are our most valued asset.
Scott Nodsle
Scott Nodsle is Managing Director, International Operations, with oversight of EMEA and APAC. He is responsible for supporting the Encore teams, partners and customers with a focus on driving the business forward, growing its customer base, and ensuring the company builds a global network of support to deliver world-class service.
He has been with Encore since 2000, starting in a technical role supporting the U.S. and Caribbean, plus holding various roles across the world; Managing Director - APAC, Group Operations Director – EMEA, Divisional Vice President of Southern US, and Sales and Operations roles across the US.
Scott values his team members above all else and enabling them to elevate their careers. He is proud to work with such a talented group of people across the business who work tirelessly with our partners to deliver outstanding experiences and events.
Scott earned his Master of Business Administration and Management, and his Bachelor of Applied Arts and Science in Business Management and Entrepreneurship, both from Texas A&M University. He currently resides in Sydney with his lovely wife and two amazing boys.
Danny Lee
Danny is responsible for the Northeast Asia region and currently leads two teams delivering event production services at the Grand Hyatt Seoul and Grand Hyatt Incheon in South Korea. He collaborates closely with our partner hotels to ensure we provide world-class service to our clients and their guests while also supporting our hotel partners by exceeding their expectations.
After attending Les Roches School of Hotel Management in Switzerland, Danny spent 25 years in hotel management before joining Encore and focusing his career on events in hotels. He has worked in various countries, including Canada, England, Switzerland, and South Korea, with numerous 5-star luxury hotel brands. This experience has equipped him with a strong understanding and ability to work with international clients.
Katherine Pfahl
As the Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships across the Asia Pacific region, it is my responsibility to focus on growing the number of Venues we work with across the Asia Pacific region ensuring we continue to build our network of valued customers.
Joining the business in 2021, from NewsCorp where I was most recently Commercial Director, Travel; overseeing the success and commercial growth of brands Escape.com.au, Travel & Leisure and news.com.au/travel I have held leadership positions with The Washington Commanders, 7West Media & Network TEN.
With a strong track record of fostering authentic partnerships which drive commercial growth across diverse sectors, I advocate for customer centricity and digital transformation as the strategic levers for delivering business results.
I take great pride in shaping a collaborative culture, one which elevates our team members to achieve their own career aspirations. Our team work tirelessly with our partners to deliver outstanding experiences and events and their success is our success.
Katherine holds a Bachelor of Communication from Sydney University. Her love of the event industry started with her first love of performance theatre, where she completed a Bachelor of Music at The Australian Institute of Music.
Michael Magafa
As Commercial Director, my job is to ensure all our clients have an exceptional experience when using our services to coordinate an event.
My main goal is to use creativity to give life to our client’s ideas and turn them into reality. Through collaboration, I strive to break the boundaries, turning every customer’s imagination into a unique experience that delivers beyond their expectations.
After 18 years in the company, I have learnt to believe in the power of teamwork. The ideas created by one mind are incomparable to those created by multiple. I aspire to cultivate customer-centric teams of individuals who are constantly in search of what can be improved upon.
My favourite aspect of my role is the opportunity to collaborate with an array of intellectual, creative talents every day. I am dedicated to delivering the world’s best services, and I am a firm believer that this can only be done alongside the world’s best team.
Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New South Wales, Sydney.
Jennifer Purcell
As the HR Director of Encore Event Technologies across the Asia Pacific region, I am responsible for all people related initiatives across the group.
HR’s focus is on partnering with our people and our leaders to ensure that we offer a rewarding career journey for our team members that is aligned to achieving our business objectives. Our aim is to provide a workplace that is safe, healthy, and engaging. We develop Encore’s workforce through Recruitment, Training, Performance Development, Succession Planning, Remuneration & Benefits, safety and much more.
My career in HR started in Talent Acquisition both in Recruitment Agencies and internal roles with companies in the media and finance sectors. A passion for people, the ability to guide them on their career journey and the opportunity to influence a business on attracting and retaining a diverse group of people to achieve one goal is what brings me the most satisfaction in my role.
I joined Encore in January 2020, right before the pandemic hit. Starting a role with a world wide pandemic was challenging, but I am proud of how the business navigated and adapted throughout this difficult time. I value working with talented people across the group and strive to partner with them and improve their working experience.
I am currently completing my Master of Business Administration at Macquarie Graduate School of Management
Malcolm Craig
My role as Chief Financial Officer for Encore Event Technologies sees me responsible for the financial management of the organisation, providing informed insights and guidance on all budgetary decisions affecting the business.
As part of the executive management team I am responsible for planning, implementation, managing and running of all finance activities, including planning, budgeting, forecasting and negotiations.
I work with a close-knit team of passionate professionals. I enjoy supporting them, watching them evolve and grow in their roles to reach their full potential. I encourage each team member to run their own race but remain available to provide guidance and support where necessary.
I have prior experience in the media and entertainment industry, working for television and radio.
Malcolm holds a Bachelor of Business/Commerce from University of NSW and completed an Associate Degree from Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
Tim Keeling
My role as General Manager of New Zealand, Asia & the Pacific sees me responsible for the day-to-day delivery of our events across these regions.
My role is to support and enable our venue-based sales and delivery teams to perform at their best, delivering everything from a production-heavy gala awards night to the daily, small meeting setups; it’s our people that make each of our events great.
My background in marketing and tourism has taught me the importance of placing our customer at the centre of all management decisions, and the strength of an engaged and motivated team.
I joined the team in 2017 and have found inspiration in the global network of great people and exciting, creative ideas that Encore encourages.
My favourite aspect of events is the AV – I believe this can be the difference between a good event and a sensational one!
Tim holds a Bachelor of Tourism from the University of Otago.
Ben Goldsworthy
As the newly appointed Regional Director of Encore Event Technology for South-East Asia, I am excited to lead our team towards achieving exceptional service standards. In this leadership role, my primary responsibility is to oversee and guide the Encore team to deliver world-class service to all our venue and production partners across the region.
My focus is on expanding our capabilities and ensuring consistent service excellence throughout all aspects of our business. This involves implementing innovative strategies, enhancing operational efficiencies, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. By leveraging my extensive experience and expertise, I aim to elevate Encore Event Technology's reputation as a premier provider of event solutions in South-East Asia.
With a strong commitment to excellence, I am dedicated to driving our team to exceed expectations and deliver outstanding results, solidifying Encore's position as a leader in the industry.