Power 50 Publication - Flipbook - Page 13
Page 13
Victoria Jenkins-Leigh
Director & Owner, Autograph Event
Solutions
While finishing her master’s degree in
marketing, Victoria was approached by a
tutor who had received an advert for an
event executive role with a DMC in London.
She spent two years there looking after
incentive and special interest groups. “I
loved the buzz but the urge to travel was
great, so I took a year off. I then joined the
first of three TMC’s that I have worked for
over the years, starting as an event
manager, before taking on management
roles. When I had my children, we
relocated to Worcester, where I spent five
years with another agency before
deciding it was time to try it for myself.”
Most memorable moment:
Being told by another female colleague
that you cannot have a career and
children – that horrified me, and I am
pleased to say she was wrong. It may not
always be easy juggling but with the
support of my family and team I have
achieved both.
Proudest professional achievement:
Surprisingly, financially 2020 was our best
year yet which was incredible. We survived
and prospered, and we have just
delivered a Q1 which was double the size
of pre-Covid levels. As a team and
company, we have grown tremendously,
and I am extremely proud of how
everyone has come together.
Inspiring the next generation:
Inspiring young people is two-fold:
Providing a culture in the workplace and
industry-wide, that embraces difference
and individual qualities is key. A culture of
balance at home and work, understanding how important this is to the business,
and how much more your clients will gain
from having a happy team, is also vital.
Liz Johnson Parris
Karen Kadin
Managing Director, IMPACCT &
IMPACCT LIVE
Managing Partner, Brands at Work
Liz started her career in the events industry
in 1994, having already worked within the
travel industry for several years. She has
worked in several roles over the years,
including being operational director for
Choice Travel & Choice Travel Team in the
early 2000's when it had offices across
Europe and the US. “Over many years, I
have specialised in live events for the
pharmaceutical industry and in 2009 I was
given the opportunity to form a
partnership which led to the creation of
what is now IMPACCT.”
Most memorable moment:
The day in 2020 (just pre-Covid) when I
became managing director and owner of
IMPACCT following the retirement of my
previous business partner.
Proudest professional achievement:
Taking over the leadership of IMPACCT
and driving it forward during the
pandemic. Continuing to build the
business for the future during this difficult
time, adding to the IMPACCT family with
the creation of IMPACCT Live, together with
retaining and securing preferred partner
status with major international pharmaceutical companies, has been no mean
feat and one I'm incredibly proud of.
Person who most inspired me:
The best inspiration and mentor I could
have asked for is my now retired business
partner Mr Tim Ball. I've often referred to
him as "my dragon" (aka Dragons Den)
and although we've not always agreed on
everything, his knowledge, inspirational
leadership and good solid unwavering
advice has got me to where I am today. I
must also mention an amazing and
inspiring lady who is sadly no longer with
us, Caroline Davis, without whom IMPACCT
would never have started. Her grit,
determination and absolute perseverance
in every situation is something I often think
of when faced with challenging situations.
Karen started working life at The MONY
Group, one of the oldest and largest
mutual life insurance companies in the
United States as a strategic marketing
analyst. After a brief move into advertising
at WPP Group agency, J. Walter Thompson,
as global account manager on the KPMG
business, she was lured into the events
world for a role at WPP’s live communications agency, MJM. There she rose the
ranks from an East-Coast account
executive to a global role in London as
business development director. “The
London office is where I met and forged a
brilliant business partnership with John
Birger, my co-founder of Brands at Work.
John and I eventually ventured out on our
own in 2010, establishing Brands at Work. In
2021, despite the pandemic, we had our
most successful year yet in terms of
growth and industry recognition and were
crowned Agency of the Year by micebook
and C&IT.”
Most memorable moment:
We had an incredible article written about
Brands at Work in Forbes in 2019, capturing
our agency’s unique history and DNA by a
journalist who takes a keen interest in
female entrepreneurship. One of the lines
in the article that really delighted me
describes us as having 'American
determination and British sophistication.'
We have had to work tirelessly to make
Brands at Work the agency it is today, so
seeing our story laid out in full colour and
context was a real ‘pinch-me’ moment.
Biggest challenge:
Besides the pandemic, the biggest
challenge I’ve overcome emotionally was
my premature return to work (and
international travel) from maternity leave
after my first baby. The business was
going through an intense growth spurt
and rapid expansion in North America. It
was an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ moment and I
felt like I was being torn in two. Luckily, I
had the luxury of a bit more time at home
when my daughter was born a few years
