What was your route into the industry?     I joined British Airways in December 1988. During my time here I have had a wide variety of roles including debt collector, procurement negotiator and finance analyst. In 1994 I moved into my first communications role organising the airline's move into a new building. This led to future communications roles in Inflight Services, Heathrow Customer Services and Information Management.

Event management has been a core requirement from the Christmas party to large trade and corporate events including one to celebrate the airline's successful move to Y2K compliance. My current role covers all 48 of our internal events annually, be that introducing key stakeholders including customers, corporates and staff to our new Club World cabin or organising our Annual General Meeting.

We also have an external events team which manages the events that our sponsorship team supports including the Natural History Museum ice rink, film premieres and sporting events. Most of the events that I organise are aimed at internal staff and key stakeholders.

What's a typical slate of projects that you would expect to undertake?

Throughout the year I expect to organise a whole host of events including product launches, leadership forums, employee forums, internal conferences, investor days, analyst roadshows and the AGM.

 Normal challenges are the speed at which some events need to be delivered, budget (which dictates everything!) and ensuring that all materials are received in time.
   BA's Club World experience 

At what stage would you brief your agency, PCI Fitch?

I would normally brief PCI Fitch about eight to ten weeks before an event (depending on its size). They would receive a very detailed brief about what they're delivering and what the expectations of the audience are.

Which events do you find most rewarding to organise?  

I suppose I look at most events from quite a neutral stand point because my job is to deliver them smoothly on the day. I get job satisfaction when I know that the event (whatever it may be) is considered a success by the team asking me to set it up.

The events with the most challenging messages are usually the ones I enjoy most because it's critical that everything is...

Fitch Live's new Club World launch for BA - 1,200+ guests at Canary Wharf

...done with the key message being delivered, in mind. For example, if it's about cost cutting, we can't be seen to be putting on a lavish event.

What are the perks of your role with the flag carrier? 

The perks are the satisfaction I get when the job goes well. If everyone else feels the event was smooth, seamless and a success then I know that the team has done a good job. I also really enjoy working with creative, solution based agencies who have an external view and bring great expertise and knowledge to bear on organising an event.

What would you have done if you weren't in your current role?

If I wasn't doing this I would probably be involved in politics in my native Ireland. 

What single thing would make the job easier?

 Always having to hand the right resource with the right skills and my clients having the right expectations of what their budget will get them!

RK  _________________________________________