Paul Reed will step down as CEO of the Association of Independent Festivals in November, making him the third U.K. trade body boss to recently announce an exit.

Reed has spent nine years at AIF, during which time the org’s membership has grown more than 137%. The body now reps just under half of all U.K. festivals that are 5k+ capacity.

“With the first full festival season since the pandemic drawing to a close, it feels like the right time for me to seek new challenges, and an opportune time for AIF to appoint new leadership," Reed said. "Despite the challenges independent festivals continue to face, doing this job has been an enormous privilege and hugely enjoyable.”

There's lots of shuffling going on at the helm of British trade bodies this month. Earlier in August, Geoff Taylor announced that he’s exiting as Chief Exec of the BPI in 2023, while Paul Pacifico, CEO of the Association of Independent Music, will leave at the end of this year (rumours suggest Pacifico is set to replace Taylor).

Paul Reed will step down as CEO of the Association of Independent Festivals in November, making him the third U.K. trade body boss to recently announce an exit.

Reed has spent nine years at AIF, during which time the org’s membership has grown more than 137%. The body now reps just under half of all U.K. festivals that are 5k+ capacity.

“With the first full festival season since the pandemic drawing to a close, it feels like the right time for me to seek new challenges, and an opportune time for AIF to appoint new leadership," Reed said. "Despite the challenges independent festivals continue to face, doing this job has been an enormous privilege and hugely enjoyable.”

There's lots of shuffling going on at the helm of British trade bodies this month. Earlier in August, Geoff Taylor announced that he’s exiting as Chief Exec of the BPI in 2023, while Paul Pacifico, CEO of the Association of Independent Music, will leave at the end of this year (rumours suggest Pacifico is set to replace Taylor).