The New Bosses 2025: James Blackall, The O2

The 18th edition of IQ Magazine’s New Bosses in association with Futures Forum was revealed in IQ 137, recognising 20 of the most promising 30-and-unders in the international live music business.

 To get to know this year’s class a little better, IQ conducted interviews with each one of 2025’s New Bosses, discovering their greatest inspirations and pinpointing the reasons for their success.

James joined The O2 in 2023 as production supervisor when he was just 18 years old. He has quickly risen through the ranks to become deputy production manager thanks to his operational excellence, technical expertise, and relentless commitment to delivering a best-in-class experience for the hundreds of artists and performers who come to the venue each year.

In the past 12 months alone, James has…

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