It was great to have Kirt as a critical part of the GL Events UK overlay delivery team for the UCI World Cycling Championships in Glasgow. Kirt was a true professional and the commitment he gave to the project and colleagues was admirable, and most appreciated by us here at GL as well as the client . I hope to work with him again in the near future.

I would recommend Richard Kirtley to anyone looking for a world class Event Director. He designed and built numerous events whilst working with me. He has an eye for detail and paperwork that gives any event owner the ability to focus on other key aspects of an event whilst the operations continue to run smoothly due to this level of preparation.

If you want to be able to trust your operational output wholly to someone else, then I would recommend you work with Kirt.

I first met Richard (Kirt) when he organised a world record breaking game of Twenty20 cricket on Everest. It struck me then just how good his leadership and management skills were.

So, when I had the right role at Captive Minds, I didn’t hesitate to approach him. Kirt led on a series of challenging, complex events with large budgets. One in particular involved replicating Sir Edmund Hillary’s 1958 expedition on behalf of Massey Ferguson - this required a modern tractor to drive across Antarctica. No small feat, and the project’s success was largely due to just how smoothly things ran thanks to Kirt’s work.

I honestly can’t recommend Kirt enough. He’s one of the best in the industry - someone you can trust at every level and also a top person to work with too.

Kirt is a very effective and experienced leader and one I have no hesitation in recommending. In particular Kirt is:

- extremely organised and thorough in terms of organisation and briefing

- receptive to ideas and continually seeking to improve operations

- positive and calm influence during challenging incidents

- experienced in a range of operational roles and disciplines

I’ve worked with Richard for over 15 years and he’s one of the best in the business.

We’ve worked together on sports events, product launches, brand tours, Antarctic expeditions and we’ve even trekked to Everest base camp together to set a Guinness World Record.

Richard’s attention to detail, his global experience and his communication skills puts him in a class of his own. There is no safer pair of hands in out there.

I had the privilege of working under the leadership and guidance of Richard Kirtley during a critical transitional period in my career as I left HM Armed Forces. His exceptional leadership shone especially bright during the challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic and an intense period of growth for the company (GPS Ltd). Richard’s mentorship provided me with the tools and platform needed to navigate these complex times. His unique ability to inspire while also offering hands-off guidance and support has been invaluable to my professional development. I really hope our professional paths cross again in the future.

Although I have reported from war zones around the world, including Iraq and Afghanistan, the logistical challenge of joining and reporting The Everest Test (Cricket on Everest) expedition was far more challenging. We were in the hands of Richard Kirtley and planned to broadcast daily reports and live links from the remote Himalayas with some of the latest broadcast technology. We achieved everything and more. Much of this was due to the relentless efforts of the expedition leader, Richard Kirtley.

In a zone where food, power, accommodation and even flights in and out are uncertain, Richard never failed to deliver. ITV news has had some disastrous trips to Everest, but this one was an unmitigated success. Richard’s careful management was always two steps ahead on logistics and team management. Unlike previous trips we did not lose a single broadcast.

It is a pleasure to wholeheartedly recommend his talents. I wish we could have hired him for Iraq or Afghanistan!

I have worked with Richard (Kirt) on various projects over recent years and have always found him to be good company. He can always be relied upon to get things done and approaches any task with a positive analytical mindset which ensures a good understanding of requirements and deliverables. He is conscientious and cares deeply about the quality of work he is delivering as well as the welfare of those working with him.

I had the pleasure of working with Kirt throughout my time at Sportgate International. He’s a consummate professional, who is top of his game when it comes to event direction and project management.

Every problem that we faced, either on events or in the planning of an event, was met with extreme professionalism and consideration for attendees of the event, sponsors, and colleagues alike. I can’t recommend him highly enough.