Felicity Shankar: why every major event wants a hospitality house

What exactly is a hospitality house, and why has it become a fixture at the world's biggest sporting events? This week on Leaders Worth Knowing, James Emmett sits down with Felicity Shankar, CEO of The iLUKA Collective, one of the sports industry's leading experiential agencies. Fresh from delivering FIFA House in New York during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Felicity explores how hospitality houses have evolved from an Olympic concept into a powerful platform for brands, rights holders and event organisers. From the ingredients that make a hospitality house memorable to lessons learned from projects including Maison Deloitte at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at the craft of creating experiences that leave a lasting impact. This episode follows our recent conversation with Lyvera CEO Charlie Buck. Earlier this year, iLUKA joined the Lyvera sports hospitality group following its acquisition by Levy. ----- You'll be able to continue the conversation at Leaders Week London on 7-8 October, where Felicity's colleagues from Lyvera will be joining industry leaders from across the global sports business. To see the agenda, visit https://bit.ly/3QJra1u