We at GES really believe in WOWmakers & investing in our future, and that’s exactly what the EN Thirty Under 30 is all about. As such, we’re proud to be a founding member of this great initiative; an initiative which helps to support and grow the future of our industry. And the class of 2017 couldn’t be more exciting, or diverse.
This year, I was lucky enough to be a part of the judging committee. Going through the many wonderful entries, I was really excited by seeing such a high volume of submissions coming from outside of the normal sales remit. This result truly resounds a point made at a number of conferences recently, that our future is changing and that our leaders of tomorrow are going to be different. When looking at this group of future rock stars, such sentiments couldn’t be more accurate.
Traditionally, owners, event directors and senior management have made their way up the chain through sales functions, typically rewarded with these positions due to their ability to sell well (and fair credit to them for doing a great job!). Furthermore, it has often been males to rise through such ranks. As evident with this latest round of entries, however, we’re witnessing a shift in this pattern. Not only were 19 of the 30 females, but there has also been a diversification in the roles being recognised, as marketing, communications & operational type roles were heavily represented.
What does that mean? On top of delivering excellent experiences for their customers, a number of these entries rallied on how much revenue they had generated for their events or businesses, as a direct result of their activity. This showcases that a shift sea change is underway, and more significance is being placed on combining experience and revenue – they’re not two separate beings.
The importance being put on creating experience, which in turn increases revenue, is clearly the direction our industry is moving towards, and one we are celebrating with this years Thirty Under 30.
Current leaders take note. Embrace the opportunity that fresh talent and ideas could bring to your organisation. We need to relish this moment and support our next generation of leaders. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. If you see any of the Thirty Under 30 at an event, awards bash, networking party, or within your organisation, make sure you grab the opportunity to talk to them. Pick their brains. See what they have to say. You never know, you may need that fresh perspective one day.
With this class of 2017 being announced, our future couldn’t be brighter, and it couldn’t be more exciting! Congratulations EN Thirty Under 30 2017.
Check them out for yourself here.
This article originally appeared in the August 2017 Exhibition News EN 30 Supplement
About the Author
Matt has been working in events & exhibitions for over 10 years. From organising, to design, to website, and onto registration and intelligent data services, Matt has extensive experience at every level. With a background in organisation, marketing and design Matt is able to cut through the technology and approach data and registration solutions with the end users in mind. As Technology Engagement Architect for GES and an active participant in the industry, Matt has been involved in a variety of industrywide research projects and is an expert in how to prove ROI and manage data effectively.
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