Exhibition News Supplements EN 30 Under Thirty 2018 | Page 5
PARTNER’S COMMENT
It’s about
the journey
not the
destination!
I
love the events industry and I want others to feel the same. As a
founding partner of the EN 30 Under Thirty, it’s always fantastic
for AEO to be involved in the judging process. Not, I hasten to
add, that I see myself as the Simon Cowell of the events industry,
but it’s heartening to read through the entries and see what the
rising stars of the industry are already achieving and what their
future aspirations are.
The best thing for me is that, each year, there are individuals
who use their winning status to really make a difference in the
industry. Rather than viewing the 30 Under Thirty accolade as the
destination, they recognise that it is part of their journey and that,
beyond the day job, there are many areas of the industry they can
get involved in to further their career. These include networking
opportunities, such as the EN Race Day and the Exhibition
Network social evenings which take place throughout the year, but
also learning and development opportunities.
AEO has a number of Working Groups that some AEO
members from last year’s EN 30 Under Thirty have got involved in.
The Working Groups are where solutions are sought for different
challenges or issues impacting organiser businesses or their
customers. If your specialism is Ops, for example, you might want
to join the Ops Working Group or, if you’re involved in finding tech
solutions for the industry, the Business Technology & Innovation
Group might be for you, or the Live Events Promotion Group if
Chris Skeith, CEO, AEO
5
you work in marketing and sales. It’s a great way to increase your
profile and effect change, in fact, a couple of winners of EN 30
Under Thirty 2018 are already making a difference in this way.
Talking to some of this year’s winners during the presentation
evening, it was clear that there’s definitely an appetite for having
a say in shaping the future of the industry. Some are keen to get
involved in speaking opportunities, blogs and comment pieces
whilst others are hoping to be able to inspire the next generation.
Both AEO and EN can support these aspirations with the many
initiatives that are available to the industry.
In addition, AEO’s Talent Management programme is
specifically focussing on developing, nurturing and retaining the
amazing pool of talent that we have in the industry. If you think
you, or a member of your team, could benefit from specialist event
industry training in marketing, sales or ops, AEO members can
sign up for free. The full programme is due to be announced later
this month so check out www.aeo.org.uk or email [email protected].
uk if you want to find out more.
There is so much opportunity in this industry for career
progression - opportunity to take on lots of responsibility at an
e arly stage in your career, be part of a fantastic team, work on
amazing events and enjoy the lifestyle the industry offers. By being
one of the chosen 30, you’ve proved you’ve got what it takes to be
an industry leader of the future, that’s exciting!
exhibitionnews.co.uk | 2018