Joe Blackman

Blackman was raised with two siblings in Llantwit Major, near Cardiff, Wales by his single mother, who was an events manager at St Donat's Art Centre.[1][2] He began working on events run by his mother, before starting his first business while in university.[1][3][4]

In 2005 when he was 20 years old, Blackman founded Green Ant Events, an event-planning company.[1][3][5] Venture Wales, a business-support project of the Welsh government, supported Blackman's efforts with business advice.[5] The company organised an event in Qatar at the 15th Asian Games for the International Olympics Committee.[1][6][4] In 2008 during a recession he changed its focus to luxury events for wealthy clients.[3] In 2010 he moved the business to Notting Hill in London to be closer to his target market.[1][7] In 2013 the name of the company was changed to Collection 26.[8] It threw parties for celebrities including 50 Cent, The Killers, and Premier League footballers.[9] The company was sold in 2017,[10] and the assets were returned to its investors by January 2018.[8]

Blackman started working on a BA degree in Stage Management at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in 2003 and 2004 but left to start freelancing.[1] He qualified in health and safety management by NEBOSH.[11] and then earned a Master's degree in Business Administration from the University of South Wales with funding from the Welsh government.[1][2]

Blackman became a magistrate in Cardiff in 2008.[4][6] At the age of 23, he was the youngest magistrate on the Cardiff bench, and one of the youngest in the UK.[6]