Serial entrepreneur, broadcaster and former Manchester United star Gary Neville is one of the latest headline speakers to confirm for MAD//UpNorth festival.
New for 2025, MAD//UpNorth will be hosted across 26 to 27 February in Manchester and has been created as a flagship festival for the North’s marketing industry, with around 4,000+ brands, agencies, publishers and content creators expected to attend.
Gary Neville will be joining a star-studded line-up that includes comedian Lucy Beaumont, Ogilvy vice-chair Rory Sutherland, plus AO World’s founder and CEO, John Roberts.
Expect to hear from Neville at MAD//UpNorth’s ‘What Sets Us Apart’ theme in an opening keynote on 27 February. He brings a wealth of expertise, having built an empire of businesses including Hotel Football, Stock Exchange Hotel, Relentless Developments, Salford City FC, education disruptor UA92 and production company Buzz 16. He manages this portfolio alongside his role as a Sky Sports football pundit.
“Gary gave an inspiring headliner at MAD//Fest London in 2023 and was the person who first encouraged us to seriously consider launching a festival in Manchester for the Northern industry,” said Luke Wilcox, MAD//Fest’s content director.
“It feels only right to have Gary on his home turf sharing his views on our festival theme. We can’t wait to spark discussion on how the North can leverage its cultural identity, unique specialisms and track-record for innovation in a global economy.”
Click here for more information and secure your tickets to MAD//UpNorth.
