The Conference & Hospitality Show turns ten this year and CHS19 – at first direct arena, Leeds on Tuesday 30th April – promises to be bigger and better than ever.
There’s a packed schedule of speakers taking part at the 10th anniversary #CHS19, much of the focus will be on the future of the industry and what it means to event profs. A key event is the Rockstar PA’s Panel discussion led by the PA’s PA and founder of Practically Perfect PA, Nicky Christmas.
If Jane Austen were still amongst us, she’d be the first to admit that it is a truth universally acknowledged that PAs, EAs and Executive Secretaries are, more-often-than-not, the right-hand people enabling their managers to effectively run the company. In the panel entitled how to create an amazing partnership with your boss – Nicky and her power-packed panel of exceptional PAs, will share their insights to equip delegates with the skills required to position yourself as a key partner within your own organisation, and create a powerful partnership with your Executive.
Nicky launched Practically Perfect PA, back in October 2011, and it has since grown to become the go-to blog for Personal Assistants, Executive Assistants, Office Managers and Administrative Professionals at all levels of business seeking support, information and guidance in their chosen profession. Practically Perfect PA offers practical tips, honest advice and all kinds of career development support specifically for assistants.
Joining Nicky on the panel will be Beth Arzy, a career Executive Assistant with 25 years of experience and currently working for a Chief Officer and two Department Heads in the Consumer & Strategy Department at Channel 4. Prior to that, Beth was an EA at Hill & Knowlton Strategies, a global public relations consulting company. Originally from Los Angeles, California, where Beth worked in the music industry for 10 years, now Croydon-based she will add her considerable experience, opinions and views to the debate.
As Chair of the Association of Professional Administrators in Ireland (the APAI), Natalie Egan, will add her considerable knowledge to the PA Panel. A strong advocate for the development of the administrative profession and for reinforcing the value that Assistants bring to an organisation. She is a frequent contributor and speaker with Practically Perfect PA and with ZoomIn, who run the Executive PA Forum, Ireland’s only dedicated conference for EAs, PAs and administrative professionals.
With over 18 years of experience as a senior level Executive Assistant across various industries. Her current position is EA to multiple C-Suite level Executives at Morgan McKinley, a global professional services recruitment agency.
The final voice to this powerful panel of PA experts is Abigail Jones, a career Executive Assistant, winner of PA of the Year 2018, shortlisted for Outstanding Achievement, EA of The Year 2018, London PA of the Year 2017, PA of the Year 2016, with almost two decades of experience.
Abigail was featured on the cover of PA Life Magazine and is a regular contributor to it, and has also been featured on panel shows, articles, summits and workshops with the European Executive Assistant Conference, The Global PA Association, Practically Perfect, LCCI PA Club and SecsInTheCity. With three degrees in the Arts, she started her career working at the Victoria and Albert Museum, Tate Museums, Christies and Sotheby’s auction houses and private art dealers.
Abigail is currently the EA to the CEO of ghd. Abigail specialises in working at ‘C suite’ level and is passionate about encouraging PA’s to get the most of out their careers, giving women an equal voice in the workplace, and developing skill sets to make the most of the role of Executive and Personal Assistant. She also provides coaching and mentoring to individual EAs and PAs and as well as corporate groups.
Assistants are employed to make their boss’s job easier, to take away unnecessary work and allow them to focus on running the company. From understanding the rhythm of your manager’s day to reputation management, attendees at the PA Panel will discover lots of valuable tips and insights, from extremely qualified experts on how to make your boss successful.
Emma Cartmell, CEO of CHS Group, said: “We’ve got a really powerful set of PA voices on the PA Panel. With the wealth and breadth of talent on board, from a wide range of industry backgrounds we are looking forward to a lively debate.”
