Solomon N'Jie

Solomon (Sol) N’Jie emerged from a tough 16‑year childhood in assessment centres, foster homes and the National Children’s Home in North Norfolk to find his way forward through the RAF at 17. Despite failing his tertiary school exams, he left the forces with an HNC in Electrical & Electronic Engineering, representative honours in rugby and athletics, and early experiences of life overseas.

He went on to maintain BBC mainframe computers while playing rugby for Wasps 1st XV, later thriving in IT sales at Digital Equipment Corporation before becoming European Group Manager at Microsoft, where he built and led the first multi‑million‑dollar partner program across 15 countries.

After leaving IT, Sol developed a major career in Crowd Safety Management, delivering planning and operational services for over 1,000 events including the London Marathon Finish, the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, King Abdullah Sports City in Saudi Arabia, the European Games in Azerbaijan, and Wembley Stadium and Arena.

His passion for photography produced a large archive of unique images of 1980s rock and pop legends, with more than 400 photos listed by Getty Images and many displayed at www.iconicrockphotos.net.

Sol also pursued aviation and aerial safety innovation: gaining a PPL(H) and flying helicopters for 20 years, cross‑country paragliding, qualifying as a drone pilot, and pioneering drone use for crowd safety and anti‑incursion protection at festivals. He later served as an Expert Witness in crowd‑related civil litigation.

He lectured part‑time at Bucks New University, contributed regularly at Surrey University and the Emergency Planning College, and published articles and guidance on LinkedIn. He continues to exhibit his photography and deliver public talks on how he captured iconic music images while managing major crowds.

Sol is currently a Trustee and Director of the charity WLCF, President of Wasps Rugby Club, and midway through writing his autobiography.