The Room That Doesn't Exist Yet
OX1: Manchester
There is no shortage of events in this industry. What there is a shortage of is events built for the people actually doing the work.
So many conferences, roundtables, and events you've been invited to this year was built around agencies, platforms, or vendors. The brand-side operator - the person running ops, owning the tech stack, holding the P&L together - is either an afterthought.
OX1 Manchester on 16th April is being built for a different kind of room.
What it actually is
Operator Experience is an invite-only community where brand-side leaders learn and build AI-era capabilities together. No agencies pitching. No platforms grandstanding. A closed network of people in the same seat, dealing with the same pressures, trying to figure out the same things.
OX1 is the first event. It runs from 12:30 at Hallé St Peters in Manchester, and the afternoon is structured around one practical challenge: what if your brand committed to automating 30% of all operational tasks by 2030?
Working in small squads, attendees will map end-to-end processes, identify automation opportunities, and leave with a concrete initiative - not a slide deck, not a framework to file away. Something you can actually take back on Monday.
The speakers worth knowing about
Chris Perrins is one of the confirmed speakers for the AI Fundamentals session. His take is worth paying attention to. The argument isn't that AI is coming - it's that it's already there, whether your business has formalised it or not. Data loss tools at Gymshark showed AI being used across the business long before any policy existed to govern it.
His framework is pragmatic rather than theoretical. Prioritise confidence over governance. Separate experimentation from production (vibe coding is not production-ready, and the "next Excel problem" - important tools nobody properly owns - is a real risk). And create a structure where ideas can spread safely, through champions in each function rather than controllers at the top.
The goal, as he puts it, is confident and responsible use, not perfect governance. That's a more honest framing than most AI content you'll read this year.
He's joined by Luke Hodgson and Lauren Muir as hosts, with the full agenda shaped by community members who've sat in the same roles as the people in the room.
Tables are filling. The event is running six ten-person tables and is already operating a waiting list for the afternoon session. Fashion photographer Nathan McDowell will be there to capture the day, so attendees leave with professional shots as well as a concrete plan.
After the workshop, the evening continues at The Castle on Oldham Street. A proper pub. A proper crowd. Strictly brand-side. No pitching.
That last detail matters more than it sounds. The conversations that happen when nobody in the room has a commercial agenda are a different category of conversation entirely.
Who's behind it
OX1 is free to attend for brand-side leaders. That's made possible by partners who've committed to a no-promotion, no-posturing environment. Headline sponsor Dema, event sponsors Loop, Torque, and Emfas, and community partners including Vervaunt, High Cohesion, Whanau, Centra, Resourced, and Commerce Thinking.
OX2 is already confirmed for July. This is not a one-off.
If you're the right person
Directors, heads of function, and senior leaders working brand-side in operations, finance, ecommerce, merchandising, buying, or product data at a fast-growing fashion, apparel, or consumer brand.
Places are limited and curated deliberately. If you want one, move quickly.