The Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA) has appointed Marija Erzen (pictured left) as chair and Rob Brackstone (pictured right) as vice chair.
Erzen will be taking over from outgoing chair Lou Kiwanuka and brings with her 30 years of experience in the sector. She became a founding ESSA member and part of its board in 2019.
As co-owner and director of design and build company Solutions2, Erzen provides a voice for the 45% of design and build contractors and privately owned SME ESSA members.
Erzen said: “The association has taken great strides in the past two years. We have seen the launch of numerous fantastic initiatives and have made significant headway regarding our representation within Government, and I am committed to keeping this momentum going.
“A standout feature has been the wonderful sense of community amongst members which particularly came to the fore during Covid-19. Our key role is to retain and nurture this as it is, without doubt, one of the most significant benefits of membership. Membership growth is also high on my list of priorities and that works in tandem with ESSA’s ‘Refer a Member’ and ‘Use an ESSA Member’ schemes, both of which I am a huge advocate.”
Brackstone, who joined the ESSA board in 2021, is managing director of design and build contractor ESM. Since 2005, he has worked with global marketing teams and exhibitors to gain an understanding of the importance of suppliers.
Brackstone said: “In particular, I want to support the association in advancing its excellent work to date providing leadership to our businesses and within the industry to help them realise their full potential.
“I want us to shout from rooftops about our members’ success stories across many different fields and celebrate their unique work, all of which is delivered to exceptionally high standards on a global scale. We need to continue shining a light on the benefits that our work provides to the global economy to offer real clarity and value regarding who we are, what we do and how we do it.”
