At just 36 years old, Max Fellows is already a prominent figure in the global events industry, having been featured on BBC News, TED, Sky News, Financial Times, FT Live, and Forbes. Shaped by adversity in his youth, Max brings nearly two decades of experience in founding, scaling, and growing event and creative businesses. Throughout his career, he has delivered world-class live communication programmes for some of the world’s most renowned brands. As a TED Talk presenter and founder of several high-impact ventures, Max continues to revolutionise what it means to scale within the sector while delivering against his mission to support, educate and empower others. He leads the specialist growth and M&A consultancy, allpoints, co-founded ELEVATE, the world’s largest free mentoring and training provider for the creative industries, and Global Event Suppliers.com, a platform connecting top suppliers worldwide.
Adversity Fueling A Passion for Mentorship and Success
Max’s journey to success is rooted in overcoming a turbulent childhood marked by significant adversity and illness. He faced the trauma of losing loved ones early in life, surviving a significant brain tumour, his parent’s divorce, and the emotional toll of navigating his youth through neglect and intervention from social services. Struggling with undiagnosed ADHD and severe dyslexia, Max found school an overwhelming challenge, compounded by bullying due to his weight and the financial struggles his family endured. Moving out at 17 and hold down three jobs just to survive, he learned resilience and self-sufficiency at an early age. These formative experiences, marked by hardship and a constant need to prove himself, have shaped Max into the tenacious and driven leader he is today. These struggles have instilled in him a deep commitment to supporting others through mentorship, ensuring they have the guidance he often lacked. Today, Max channels his passion and drive into scaling and selling businesses and empowering the next generation of leaders.
Founder & Innovator: A Vision for Agency Growth & M&A
Max is the driving force behind allpoints, the industry’s fastest-growing agency growth consultancy and M&A advisory. With a wealth of expertise and a global network, he has built a reputation as a key player worldwide, having collaborated with industry giants including Publicis, Sky, Amplify, EMC3, Samsung, Nteractive, Diageo, Bearded Kitten, Ubisoft, Meta, and LinkedIn.
In the wake of unprecedented changes to the event industry, Max has focused on helping event and creative businesses thrive in a new era of live, digital, and hybrid communication. His insights have been instrumental in helping shape and navigate the evolving M&A market, positioning his clients for success in a rapidly changing world.
The Head of Communications and Creative Studios at Sky said of Max’s agency, “The allpoints team are absolute pros, they provide brilliant expertise and solutions that in turn build confidence and with their proven capabilities, helping deliver growth, new agency rostering, enhanced relationships in addition to engagement strategies and commercial success for us as a team and business.”
Sought-After Speaker & Industry Thought Leader: Actionable Takeaways
Max has become a highly sought-after speaker and presenter with extensive experience and an expert in strategy, business growth, industry overview, mentorship, high performance, creative production, and culture. His engaging talks at international industry events are known for offering actionable takeaways and forward-thinking strategies. Audiences worldwide look to Max for his insights and predictions on the future of the creative industry.
Max has delivered many notable talks and keynotes across various prestigious platforms. At Micebook 2024, he discussed “Agency M&A”, while at the 27names Global Conference 2024—Europe’s largest gathering of leading agencies—he explored “The Power of Your People”. During IBTM 2024, Max presented on “The Influence and Power of Mentoring”, and at the 2023 Association of Event Organisers (AEO) Conference, he spoke on “Commercial Business Growth and Personal Brand for Leaders”.
Max has also delivered a TED Talk in March 2021, he presented “What Impact Can Your Network Really Have on Your Net Worth?” exploring the tangible benefits of building a strong network and addressing the stigma around networking.
ELEVATE: A Game-Changer for Mentorship & Talent Development
Featured in the Financial Times, Forbes, and the Amazon bestseller “A Complete Guide to Effective Mentoring”, Max Fellow’s ELEVATE programme has provided free mentorship to over 2,000 event professionals over the past decade. Founded by Max and Melissa Noakes, Head of Sponsorship and Events at Santander, ELEVATE is now a global initiative with participants from 8 countries participating in its last season. The programme reinvests all proceeds into supporting and nurturing emerging talent, without drawing a single penny for profit.
“ELEVATE was founded on the principle that everyone deserves access to the guidance and opportunities they need, regardless of background. Our mission is to remove barriers in the events industry and create pathways for untapped talent to grow. Over the past 10 years, we’ve dedicated every resource to empowering the next generation. The remarkable mentors who have joined us exemplify the power of community and the value of paying it forward.” Says Max.
ELEVATE strives to provide access and opportunities to individuals at all levels, to amplify this it has created NewGen, a special initiative for those ages 18-22 who have come out of the care or judicial system or left school early, offering them a chance to pursue new career pathways within the creative industry. Max is driven by the desire to make the industry more inclusive, helping individuals from all walks of life thrive.
Building Communities & Empowering Top Creative Leaders
Max, the visionary behind the exclusive allpoints leaders communities which includes hundreds of top-tier agency CEOs and global brand leaders, including Unit9, Netflix, Havas Play, Collider, Google, Amplify, SAP, Momentum Worldwide, and Identity. These private groups (which include a WhatsApp community) foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing among some of the most influential and successful minds in events, PR, brand and marketing, providing a space for genuine connection and growth. Launched in 2022, Max hosts intimate, invite-only dinners with no more than 30 members at each meet-up at prestigious venues like The Shard and Nobu, offering a confidential environment for open conversations about industry challenges and trends, free from outside scrutiny.
Max describes the group’s purpose, “The allpoints Leaders communities were created to give leaders a space where they can be open, candid, and honest about the challenges and triumphs they face. Our members don’t just come for the dinners, they come to connect, share insights, get advice, have fun, and be part of something significant.”
Membership, by referral only, is based on trust and maintained through personal connections. Beyond professional development, deep friendships and business collaborations have flourished. With no social media, photos, or phones allowed, the events offer a rare chance for leaders to relax and engage in authentic conversations.
“The allpoint leaders community is incredible. I really enjoy the conversation, content, and dinners as it’s a chance to connect with your peers and like-minded, brilliant people in a relaxed environment – not an awards bash, industry panel, or conference – which is rare! The dinners provide a unique opportunity to talk about the shared challenges of CEO life, both personal and professional, in an inevitably fantastic venue. Max effortlessly facilitates fantastic evenings delivering exponential value and enjoyment – on multiple levels.” States Rosie Holden, President of Havas Play UK.
Champion for Knowledge Sharing & Supporting Others
A firm believer in supporting and developing new talent, Max’s career story reflects his passion for creating opportunities. After leaving school to pursue college-level sports studies, Max relentlessly sought interviews, targeting influential industry leaders. His experience overcoming barriers in his career fuels his commitment to giving back, especially to those who might not otherwise have access to opportunity.
Whether through initiatives like his “Five in Five” concept, a series of informative videos with industry leaders sharing some of their most valued professional lessons, or through his widely recognised podcast, ‘Just One Thing’, Max provides actionable insights and future predictions that are shaping the future of live communications. Prestigious guests have included Head of Global Events from Google Deepmind, Charlotte Sayner, and Jonathan Emmis, CEO and founder of global agency, Amplify.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Max became a go-to resource for industry peers, offering advice, insights, and a central platform for exchanging ideas. Max stands out as a trusted advisor whose reach and experience few can match.
“I have long been a firm believer in the power of sharing and our duty to others. Be it through global keynotes, commercial consultative practices, or through peer to peer support and mentoring relationships. Having experienced some of the most turbulent times (globally) since the pandemic, now especially as an industry, the various platforms and businesses that I have created have all aimed to add value to the end user. That value could be categorised in many ways from financial, education, through to network and everything in between.” Explains Max.
With a background shaped by ADHD and learning on the job rather than further education or a university degree, Max’s unique approach to problem-solving and business growth sets him apart. His philosophy? Always say yes to helping others. He believes in bringing joy to the work, maintaining an element of fun, and ensuring that every challenge is met with energy and optimism.
- Max Ted Talk Youtube Video – https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=u3f2ml6FF_A – What Impact Can Your Network Really Have on Your Net-Worth?
Max Fellows is not just changing the face of M&A and agency growth—he’s empowering a new generation of creative leaders to do the same.
- Website: Elevateme.co
- Website: Fromallpoints.co.uk
- LinkedIn: Max-fellows
