Giles Cooper, OBE - biography

Giles Cooper OBE is one of the UK's most prominent and well-known concert promoters and show producers. He has worked with artists as diverse as Mariah Carey, Michael Bublé, Stereophonics, Noel Gallagher, Robbie Williams, The Who, Tom Jones, The Jacksons, Hozier, Kris Kristofferson and Pet Shop Boys.

He is the elected Chairman of the Royal Variety Charity and in June 2025 was awarded the honorary title of Life-President. He has acted as the Executive Producer of the annual Royal Variety Performance since 2010.

He began his career in entertainment in the late 1980’s working on the weekly music papers Melody Maker and the NME.

In 1992, he joined the 'live music' advertising agency, Sold Out, where he marketed numerous tours for bands including U2, Oasis and the Rolling Stones, as well as music festivals such as Glastonbury, V-Festival and Reading. 

In 1998, he founded the arts & entertainment marketing agency, Media Junction, later developing it into the Soho Media Group of media and entertainment companies. Some of the group's most notabe projects included, Sir Paul McCartney's world tours (2010, 2013-15, 2017); Sir Elton John's world tours (2009-10, 2015, 2019); Take That's record breaking UK stadium tours (2009, 2011); launch of London's Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and launch of London's O2 Arena.

Cooper is today CEO of Giles Cooper Entertainment, t/a GCE Live, and with almost 40 years in the industry has produced numerous theatre tours, resulting in over 600 regional theatre performances and countless performances on London's West-End.

GCE Live is also well-known for promoting outdoor music festivals, under the brand name HeritageLive Festivals. Sited in the grounds of iconic stately homes, such as the Audley End Estate in Essex, the Englefield Estate in Berkshire and the Royal Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, festival capacities range from 10,000 to 30,000 per night.

In 2006, Giles Cooper was elected a fellow of the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of the Arts).

In 2007, Giles volunteered his services to the Entertainment Artistes' Benevolent Fund (the former name of the Royal Variety Charity) and after spending just shy of 3 years as a Member of the Executive Committee, was voted Chairman of the charity in November 2010 (re-elected in 2016 and 2020 by unanimous vote). The Royal Variety Charity assists and supports those who work in entertainment that are in need of mental health support, financial assistance, or elderly care. Published annual accounts on the Charity Commission website reveal that in the first ten year's of Cooper's Chairmanship (2010-2020) in excess of £16M had been raised from fundraising and appeals. This marked a threefold increase on the previous ten year period.

Under Giles Cooper's helm the Royal Variety Performance has experienced a dramatic resurgience in popularity, whilst returning record profits for the charity. In 2024, the show reached 152 million global television viewers, officially making it the most successful and longest running entertainment show in the world.

In 2012, Giles Cooper was invited to work as a permanent consultant to an All-Party Parliamentary Committee for the promotion of UK comedy and regularly visited the House of Commons  to give advice and opinions on the industry. He served until June 2014.

In 2014, Giles Cooper was awarded Freedom of the City of London.

In 2015, he successfully gained approval from the Cabinet Office and Buckingham Palace that the name of the Entertainment Artistes' Benevolent Fund be changed to the Royal Variety Charity.

In 2020, Giles Cooper spearheaded and oversaw a multi-million pound modernisation and refurbishment programme of Brinsworth House, the Royal Variety's care home for elderly entertainers. In 2023, the Executive Committee of the Royal Variety Charity voted unanimously to name the new wing, 'The Giles Cooper Wing', in recognition of his vision and work on the project.

Giles Cooper was awarded the OBE for "services to entertainment and to charity" in HM The King's Birthday Honours 2024.

In June 2025, Giles Cooper was awarded Life-Presidency of the Royal Variety, by former Life-President, Laurie Mansfield.