The Events Industry Board today confirmed the appointment of two new members – Jennifer Jenkins, CEO of the Event and Visual Communication Association (EVCOM) and events consultant Sarah Wright.
Jennifer Jenkins was appointed CEO at EVCOM in June 2017 after 15 years as managing director of global communications agency MCI Group. She is also the chair of events industry charity Meeting Needs, raising funds for worthy causes linked to the events industry.
After working across the financial, pharmaceutical, telecoms, professional service, Government and FMCG sectors in a corporate and agency capacity for 20 years, Sarah Wright now runs her own consultancy. She set up the Apprenticeship Programme in 2012 and is the Director for Employer Engagement on the Event Apprenticeship Programme Board.
Welcoming the new appointments, Events Industry Board chair, Nick de Bois, said:“It’s really important that our Board membership has the widest and strongest representation from our industry and I’m delighted that Jennifer and Sarah will bring such a wealth of experience and talent to our discussion and debate. I look forward to working closely with them both in this vitally important time for the business of events and warmly welcome their expert opinions and advice”.
Jenkins said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to serve on the Board. Having attended my first meeting, I am convinced of the very real intention to drive the growth of the UK event industry and attract more inbound business to the UK.”
Wright said: “I’m thrilled to be joining the Events Industry Board. I’m particularly passionate about skills and training in the events industry and excited to be working with industry leaders and government to drive talent development and management in the industry, which will drive competitiveness and showcase UK talent.”
Sarah Wright will be leading a new Working Group for the Events Industry Board that will consider current skills gaps and the future skills and resources required for the events industry in a post Brexit environment.
The Events Industry Board is encouraging members of the events industry to get involved with its new Working Groups.
The Groups – which will continue detailed work on the priority issues affecting the industry – will be led by members of the Events Industry Board with contributors drawn from across the sector. Chair of the Board, Nick de Bois, is now actively calling for industry representatives to get in touch.
Confirmed topics to be addressed by the initial two Working Groups are:
Infrastructure
Understanding venue capacity, occupancy, regional spread, connectivity and transport across the whole of the UK as an essential part of targeting new international business and growing existing events.
Talent, Skills and Human Resources
Building on scoping work in the this area of critical importance already carried out by the Hospitality and Creative Industries, the Working Group will consider current skills gaps and the future skills and resources required in a post Brexit environment.
A future Working Group covering Industrial Strategy will also be included when and if a Tourism Sector Deal is agreed by the Government as part of its Brexit considerations.
