Partner ’ s comment
Partner ’ s comment
A sea change
Matt Coyne , engagement technology architect , Visit by GES
14
Welcome to the newly crowned future of our industry . The rising stars . The hot potatoes ? Moving on …
We at GES really believe in investing in our future , and that ’ s exactly what the EN 30 Under Thirty 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 reinforces 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 evidenced by this latest round of entries , however , we ’ re witnessing a shift in this pattern . Not only were 19 of the 30 female , but there has also been a diversification in the
roles being recognised , as marketing , communications and operational type roles were heavily represented .
What does that mean ? On top of delivering excellent experiences for their customers , a number of these entries relied on how much revenue they had generated for their events or businesses , as a direct result of their activity . This showcases that a sea change is underway , and more significance is being placed on combining experience and revenue – they ’ re not two separate beings .
The importance being placed on creating experience , which in turn increases revenue , is clearly the direction our industry is moving towards , and one we are celebrating with this year ’ s 30 Under Thirty .
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 30 Under Thirty 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 30 Under Thirty 2017 .
2017 | exhibitionnews . co . uk