Blog » Judith Brannigan

Judith Brannigan

30th September 2013

Role: Show Director

Company: Food and Drink Show NI

Track Record: “The ability to troubleshoot is probably the strongest asset an events professional can have but only comes with
experience,” said Judith.

What does your job entail?

I am responsible for the sales and delivery of the Food and Drink Show NI, a new consumer exhibition for Northern Ireland.
My role encompasses the selling of trade stand space, sourcing sponsorship and the management and development of those relationships.
The delivery involves the planning process and the substantial practical element and logistics of the running of the event.
The Food and Drink Show NI is the first large-scale consumer exhibition of its kind to be run in Northern Ireland.
It is a challenging and exciting project to be part of and requires a varied set of skills.

Is it 9-5?

I have been working in the events industry for 11 years and have never worked in a standard 9-5 job.
The nature of the industry means you will always work outside the normal office day.
This is one of the things I love about working in events.
One work week is always different to another and I relish the variety it brings.

How did you get into this line of work?

I am a natural born organiser who was often tasked among my group of friends at school with the organisation of events and functions.
Whether it was pulling everyone together for a charity fundraiser or arranging the school formal, it was natural that after leaving school I would go into an events role.

Outline your career to date?

I was very fortunate to begin my career in a role that would immediately develop my skills.
It was as an assistant in the Policing Board’s press office and it offered a wide range of experience, including the organisation of committees and public consultation events.
After several years there I took a post at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast within the operations department.
This role gave me the opportunity to be trained by some of the most experienced events professionals in the industry and the chance to work on the largest concerts and events in Belfast.
A move to the King’s Hall in the city then gave me the opportunity to develop my operational experience and develop sales and business development skills.
That role showed me I could not only deliver events but I also had the ability to negotiate and sell.

What qualities are required for your job — personal and professional?

To be successful within the events industry the personality traits you need are patience, an outgoing personality and ambition.
No two events are the same and so you need to be able to adapt constantly to an ever-changing environment in order to provide seamless event solutions time and time again.
Professionally speaking, strong organisational skills are a must.
Prioritising workloads and managing tasks across multiple projects takes a lot of effort and it is imperative that forward planning is put in place to deal with every eventuality.
Building and maintaining relationships is also key, both with your clients and with venues and suppliers.
Events professionals are only as good as the suppliers they work with and so forming strong industry relationships is important.
I am still working with suppliers that I met at the start of my career.
Finally, the ability to troubleshoot is probably the strongest asset an events professional can have but only comes with experience.
During any event there will always be something that doesn’t go according to plan.
Having the ability and the contacts to be able to rectify any given problem quickly and quietly while onsite is a great skill to have.

What are the biggest challenges and rewards of work?

The biggest challenge of launching a new show on this scale is being able to gain the confidence of the trade.
It takes time and investment for companies to attend exhibitions and my job is to convince them that The Food and Drink Show NI will deliver what they require.
The reward will be when we achieve that confidence and the trade believes in the show just as much as we do.
The day we open the doors for the first time will be an exciting moment.
We want to develop a successful show which has longevity.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.

I love interior design and anything to do with property development.
I’ve spent the past few years refurbishing and extending my house.
It hasn’t been easy to balance with work and personal commitments, but I am nearly finished.
In fact I have only a few tweaks left to do and I am already talking my mother into letting me start on her house.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Recently it has been filled with home improvement programmes and interiors magazines while I’ve been refurbishing my house.
I love entertaining and I am happiest with a house full of family and friends.
I love animals and have a cat and a dog, and I go horse riding any chance I get.

Who has inspired you most in your life?

In my personal life my family is a huge inspiration.
They all have a strong work ethic and they have proved this drives success.
In my work life I have been very lucky to have worked for some very successful and motivating managers who have all taught me different skills.
Most importantly, they have inspired me to constantly push myself and to never put limits on my goals.

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