E141 – Richard Godsell: Director of FM – The O2 Arena & AEG Europe

Another great episode of the Wear Many Hats podcast.This time, we sit down with Richard Godsell, Director of FM at The O2 Arena and AEG Europe, to explore his unique and inspiring journey from engineering apprentice and international DJ to leading facilities at one of the world’s most iconic entertainment venues.Richard shares how his early career in heavy industrial engineering and power generation shaped his technical foundation, before moving through hospitals, retail, energy centres, airports, and major infrastructure projects. He reflects on leading teams at Stansted Airport during COVID, managing complex, high-pressure environments, and what it takes to deliver world-class operations in venues hosting 20,000+ people a night.We also discuss leadership, resilience, progression, and how varied career experiences can build the skillset required to run one of Europe’s busiest arenas.A practical and inspiring conversation for anyone working in facilities management, live events, engineering, or large-scale venue operations.