Team
Our Director Team
Many of our team have backgrounds in the performing arts, which is a valuable asset, giving us a profound appreciation of what is required to create an emotive visitor experience.
Joining a decade ago as Business Development Director before becoming MD in 2025, Sam leads strategic growth at The Story Engineers. Partnering with clients across architecture, experience design, and global brands, he collaborates with in-house teams during early concepting phases. He ensures the studio’s technology elevates world-class storytelling across global projects, seamlessly bridging client ambitions with technical execution.
Sam Woodhouse
Managing Director
Joining a decade ago as Business Development Director before becoming MD in 2025, Sam leads strategic growth at The Story Engineers. Partnering with clients across architecture, experience design, and global brands, he collaborates with in-house teams during early concepting phases. He ensures the studio’s technology elevates world-class storytelling across global projects, seamlessly bridging client ambitions with technical execution.
John Grigg is responsible for everything from how the company runs to how the work gets delivered. With fifteen years spanning production leadership on both sides of the Atlantic – brand experiences for Samsung, Google, Honda and Molson Coors, The Formula 1 Exhibition, and a stint as CEO of an adventure travel company – he brings a broad toolkit to the job. When he’s not helping the team engineer stories, he’s most likely driving his Indian rickshaw or motorcycle around the South Coast.
John Grigg
Operations Director
John Grigg is responsible for everything from how the company runs to how the work gets delivered. With fifteen years spanning production leadership on both sides of the Atlantic – brand experiences for Samsung, Google, Honda and Molson Coors, The Formula 1 Exhibition, and a stint as CEO of an adventure travel company – he brings a broad toolkit to the job. When he’s not helping the team engineer stories, he’s most likely driving his Indian rickshaw or motorcycle around the South Coast.
Co-founding the business in 1998 as Sysco Productions, Hugo has steered its commercial evolution into what is now The Story Engineers. Across three decades of directing project strategy for global tours, landmark museums, and stadium developments, he navigates complex stakeholder environments to transform creative visions into stable execution. He believes supply chain intelligence and visitor logistics are brief-stage priorities that must dictate design from day one.
Hugo Roche
Commercial Director
Co-founding the business in 1998 as Sysco Productions, Hugo has steered its commercial evolution into what is now The Story Engineers. Across three decades of directing project strategy for global tours, landmark museums, and stadium developments, he navigates complex stakeholder environments to transform creative visions into stable execution. He believes supply chain intelligence and visitor logistics are brief-stage priorities that must dictate design from day one.
Before joining the team, Mark worked for 20 plus years in Stage, Production & Event management roles in a diverse range of significant arts and commercial projects. A passionate cyclist & yacht master, Mark favours the road less travelled. Co-founding the business in 1998 as Sysco Productions, Mark ensures the engineering behind The Story Engineers serves a singular purpose: keeping every technical decision accountable to the human story. Across three decades of delivering world expos and major sports installations, he treats physical and operational constraints as fundamental design parameters required to close the gap between creative ambition and audience experience.
Mark Burgin
Chairman
Before joining the team, Mark worked for 20 plus years in Stage, Production & Event management roles in a diverse range of significant arts and commercial projects. A passionate cyclist & yacht master, Mark favours the road less travelled. Co-founding the business in 1998 as Sysco Productions, Mark ensures the engineering behind The Story Engineers serves a singular purpose: keeping every technical decision accountable to the human story. Across three decades of delivering world expos and major sports installations, he treats physical and operational constraints as fundamental design parameters required to close the gap between creative ambition and audience experience.