Power 50 Publication - Flipbook - Page 4
Page 4
Biggest challenge:
Without doubt, dealing with the revenue
loss that the pandemic brought upon us
but also losing Heather at the same time
was a really challenging period.
tirelessly in ensuring every detail was
meticulously in place. The size of the event
was something I never dreamed of us
experiencing and to see the result was
breath taking.
Person who most inspired me:
Biggest challenge:
My wonderful friend and business partner
Heather. I will always be so grateful to her
that she really believed in me and gave
me this incredible opportunity. Heather
was a very well connected
businesswoman who was well respected
within our industry. I was very lucky to have
her as my mentor– she really inspired me.
The devastating effects of COVID-19. I had
just become managing director of Ball
Associates when the world was turned
upside down. In a very short space of time,
I had to plan for the survival of the
company and ensure that we had a
support network in place for the team. It
was paramount to learn new skills quickly
to provide solutions for virtual events,
which I could not have done without the
exceptional supplier network we are very
proud to work alongside.
Proudest professional achievement:
Taking the plunge to become a business
owner. As a college leaver with a diploma,
I would never have dared dream it was
possible. I am so very proud of what we
achieve and to have a team who enjoy
coming to work.
Martina Aberle
Director, CL Venues
Born and educated in Vienna, Martina
moved to the UK, aged 21, with a plan to
stay for just six months. She started her
career in the hospitality industry as a hotel
receptionist, then moved over to
the sales side, before joining Conference
Line – a boutique events agency.
“After ten years, Heather Fraser asked me
to become her business partner, which
was an incredible opportunity but also a
big decision as it was during the
recession. We changed the company
name to CL Venues and together with our
incredible team we rebuilt the business.
Then the pandemic came along but our
team had to cope with a much bigger loss
as our beloved Heather sadly passed
away from a terminal illness in 2020. We
miss her so much and her legacy will live
on in whatever we do. I am now the sole
director of the business and together with
my team we look forward to a brighter
future.”
Memorable moment:
There are many memorable moments I
can think of, but there is one that sticks out
where I really had to come out of my
comfort zone. I was sent to Montreux alone
to pick up 100 attendees for a new client
and transfer them on coaches to a hotel
near Lake Maggiore. This would not be a
big deal for me now but back then I was
so nervous as I had not done anything like
it before, especially on my own. With the
microphone in my hand, I welcomed them
all and it ended up being a fantastic
journey and an unforgettable event.
Jules Alexander
Managing Director, Ball Associates
Jules started her career working in a
provincial hotel, eventually moving to the
London head office in the conference
and incentive team. She moved to
agency side and became client services
director at The Olive Partnership, where
she was able to hone her event
management skills.
“Some years later an opportunity arose,
which I just could not turn down.
Becoming a business partner in Ball
Associates was a life-changing decision.
To date, here I am, running the agency.”
“We may be small, but we are
mighty!' I am fiercely proud of who
we are, the events we run, and the
wonderful comments we receive
from our clients.”
Most memorable moment:
Without question, it was supporting and
managing the opening of a landmark
venue in London. This event took many
months of planning, and we worked
Kate Anstis
Co-Founder and Director, Freshly
Squeezed Events
Kate started out in marketing, mainly for
well-known IT companies and later in the
mobile phone industry as Group
Marketing Operations Manager for EMEA in
her late 20's. She was poached by a PR
agency to become an Associate Director
and help them to transform to a full
services marketing agency. “After building
a new business unit from scratch and
growing its revenue from zero to one
million in two years, I realised I still had a
dream to follow - to run my own business.
