Women in Exhibitions
Exhibiting equality
Sarah-Claire Picton draws the curtains on gender equality within an industry deemed inclusive by its very nature
Women in the global exhibition industry are heralding a sea-change . The overall feeling is kinetic – this is an industry in motion and women are driving growth with pioneering platforms . Brainchild of MECC Maastricht ’ s Oana Cipca , the Women in Exhibitions Network launched at this year ’ s international art show TEFAF Maastricht . It forms one of several initiatives emerging in our industry that aim to give a voice to women , and draw attention to their impact in all echelons of this industry . With the aim to continue the debate beyond borders and boardrooms , EW spoke to three brazen businesswomen : Oana Cipca , business development manager exhibitions at MECC Maastricht ; Lucinda Douglas , Holland-based author / empowerment speaker ; and Monica Lee- Müller , MD , Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre ( Management ) Limited ( HML ). The face and force of the Women in Exhibitions Network initiative , Cipca , kickstarts the conversation with conviction : “ There is a positive correlation between women in leadership and business performance , and our industry needs to discover this too .” Cipca is on a journey of cultivating new discovery : “ I hope to use a platform like the Women in Exhibitions Network to make our industry discover us women .” Speaking at the Women in Exhibitions event , the ‘ Yes You Can Woman ’ Lucinda Douglas said she lives a life which is all about inspiring women to be visible , making i�pact and broadening their in�uence�� Her message is in harmony with the initiative ’ s goal , which Oana describes as being �to inspire people� specifically wo�en� to want to share what their contribution is to our industry ”. And fueling the debate from Hong Kong , Monica Lee-Müller calls for comparison with other Asian cities , saying “ I see a better balance between women and men executives in the exhibition industry in Hong Kong , and even so only a few women reach the top of the corporate ladder . The imbalance could be attributed to the Asian culture and the social norm that women are traditionally home-makers and men income earners .” Cipca embraces initiatives taken by organisations like the Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia ( EEAA ) to pay attention to increasing the presence of women in senior roles , adding that : “ It gives me pleasure when I read that people like Lucy Dimes become the CEO of a company like UBM EMEA .” Widening her lens , Cipca notes that “ In our industry , we raise more the question of gender equality .” Recent research shows that , for example , Britain ’ s most successful companies tend to have a large proportion of women in senior management roles but still the UK lags behind the US and Australia regarding diversity at the top . “ There should be a shift in women ’ s attitude and culture to support change . I believe role models , mentors and networks can be used to promote the advancement of women ,” Oana comments . Converting beliefs into results , she hopes they have made a start with a network where women working in the exhibitions industry “ can meet , learn , inspire and strengthen each other ”.
30 Issue 2 2018 www . exhibitionworld . co . uk
Women in Exhibitions
Exhibiting equality
Sarah-Claire Picton draws the curtains on gender equality
within an industry deemed inclusive by its very nature
Women in the global exhibition industry are
heralding a sea-change. The overall feeling
is kinetic – this is an industry in motion and
women are driving growth with pioneering
platforms.
Brainchild of MECC Maastricht’s Oana
Cipca, the Women in Exhibitions Network
launched at this year’s international art
show TEFAF Maastricht. It forms one of
several initiatives emerging in our industry
that aim to give a voice to women, and draw
attention to their impact in all echelons of
this industry.
With the aim to continue the debate
beyond borders and boardrooms, EW
spoke to three brazen businesswomen:
Oana Cipca, business development
manager exhibitions at MECC Maastricht;
Lucinda Douglas, Holland-based author/
empowerment speaker; and Monica Lee-
Müller, MD, Hong Kong Convention and
Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited
(HML).
The face and force of the Women in
Exhibitions Network initiative, Cipca,
kickstarts the conversation with conviction:
“There is a positive correlation between
women in leadership and business
performance, and our industry needs to
discover this too.” Cipca is on a journey of
cultivating new discovery: “I hope to use
a platform like the Women in Exhibitions
Network to make our industry discover us
women.”
Speaking at the Women in Exhibitions
event, the ‘Yes You Can Woman’ Lucinda
Douglas said she lives a life which is all
about inspiring women to be visible, making
i pact and broadening their in uence
Her message is in harmony with the
30
Issue 2
2018
initiative’s goal, which Oana describes as
being to inspire people specifi cally wo en
to want to share what their contribution is to
our industry”. And fueling the debate from
Hong Kong, Monica Lee-Müller calls for
comparison with other Asian cities, saying
“I see a better balance between women and
men executives in the exhibition industry in
Hong Kong, and even so only a few women
reach the top of the corporate ladder. The
imbalance could be attributed to the Asian
culture and the social norm that women are
traditionally home-makers and men income
earners.”
Cipca embraces initiatives taken by
organisations like the Exhibition and Event
Association of Australasia (EEAA) to pay
attention to increasing the presence of
women in senior roles, adding that: “It gives
me pleasure when I read that people like
Lucy Dimes become the CEO of a company
like UBM EMEA.”
Widening her lens, Cipca notes that “In W"GW7G'vR&6R&RFRVW7FbvVFW"WVƗG( &V6VB&W6V&66w0FBf"WR'&F( 27B7V66W76gV6W2FVBFfR&vR&'FbvV6V"vVVB&W2'W@7FFRTw2&VBFRU2BW7G&Ɩ&Vv&FrFfW'6GBFRF( FW&R6VB&R6gBvV( 0GFGVFRB7VGW&RF7W'B6vR&VƖWfR&RFV2VF'2BWGv&06&RW6VBF&FRFRGf6VVB`vV( 6VG26fW'Fr&VƖVg2F&W7VG26RW0FWfRFR7F'BvFWGv&vW&RvVv&rFRW&F0GW7G'( 6VWBV&7&R@7G&VwFVV6FW.( rrrW&Fv&B6V