NQ Turns 5: A Look Into Their Milestone Anniversary
Michael Adex, Founder and CEO of NQ
NQ (Northern Quarterz) 5th Anniversary celebration was held Sunday 23rd July 2023 from 6pm at Manchester Hall. The historical, award-winning event space was designed in 1929 and has one of the largest rooftop spaces in Manchester, a very apt choice for a milestone evening.
Founder and CEO Michael Adex is featured on this years Forbes 30 under 30 Europe list and won entrepreneur and trailblazer of the year awards at Music Business Worldwide (MBW). Multi-talented and accomplished, he has extended his expertise into developing a full-service entertainment business, offering talent management, music publishing, record label and brand partnerships. NQ provides accessibility to professional services which are scarce outside the capital. With ventures like these, it delivers much needed services in Northern regions whilst maintaining and building essential links, keeping its finger on the pulse of excellence. The new headquarters NQ House is a 5,000 square foot studio space on the outskirts of Manchester City centre, with office spaces and state-of-the-art creative facilities: a hub for the output of great projects.
Celebrating the anniversary incorporated both elements of achievements to date, seen in banners of the company’s timeline, but also a room full of scope for the future. The hums of networking conversations gave an atmosphere of togetherness: warm smiles, handshakes, hugs and laughter. In true Mancunian summer spirit, rain limited use of the outdoor space (barring the usual brave souls who are climatized to Manny weather) but it far from dampened the essence of the night, and the room was filled. Black, red and white branding commanded attention amongst a setting of chique décor where attendees were greeted with product and information tables, complimentary drinks, food and cupcakes on entry, then a photo backdrop, 360 station and DJ booth further inside.
The NQ team. Credit: Kelvin Jones. L-R: Hari Sangar, Latisha Pemberton, Shan Gibson, Dave O’Sullivan, Adex, Sully Sangare
A heartfelt and motivational speech was made by founder Michael Adex, followed by COO and General Manager Louis Brown, then Latisha Monique, a dynamic Operations Manager originally from Birmingham who introduced three young individuals who have been supported by NQ Legacy. This is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting and connecting young people within the creative arts, namely music, film and TV. Artists Treks, J3nior and Freequency3 gave accounts of their experience and journeys, echoing just how impactful the NQ team have been to their development and future prospects. To continue providing service to the youth, a crowdfunding campaign to get people involved in contributing was advocated. To donate directly to the business initiative, the Just Giving link is as follows: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/nqlegacy
Some accomplishments of NQ over its five years include curating a match day playlist for Manchester United, helping launch a free travel initiative in Manchester called ‘Our Pass’ for 16–18 year olds and producing TV Show ‘Driven’ for Birmingham artist Mist on BBC. The diverse portfolio is testament to the existing traction and influence of the brand and is growing exponentially. It is of major significance to have a lucrative hub outside of London for creatives produced through Black British ingenuity: a representation of our voices, culture and impact.