James McGlinn

With over 25 years of entrepreneurial experience, co-founding Eventfinda almost 20 years 

ago, James has dedicated much of his career to revolutionising the event and ticketing 

industry and fostering business networks across the Asia Pacific region. 

Over more than a decade as CEO of Eventfinda, serving as its CTO for the first seven years, 

James spearheaded the development of its world-class integrated event marketing, 

syndication, and ticketing platform. Under his leadership, Eventfinda has become New 

Zealand’s leading source for event information, boasting partnerships with major media 

outlets and expanding our presence globally. 

His journey in entrepreneurship began with the founding of Entertainz in 1997, one of New 

Zealand’s pioneering web-hosting firms. Through hands-on experience, James honed skills 

in operations, sales, and customer service, eventually overseeing the successful acquisition 

of the company by Dante Group. James also began Nerds Inc. in 2005, a web development 

firm catering to prominent clients such as Lion Nathan and Warner Bros. 

Over the years, James played pivotal roles in various organisations, including serving as 

President of the New Zealand chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), where he led 

a community of business owners towards mutual growth and success. His involvement in 

governance roles within EO and the Young Manager Advisory Board reflects his commitment 

to fostering leadership and development opportunities.