The organisers behind one of the biggest supply chain events in the UK are bucking the trend of the traditionally male dominated supply chain industry after revealing that 90% of its team are female. With less than 40% of women working in the sector in the UK, Clarion counts six women on its Multimodal event team, a figure which has grown over the last 17 years.
As the nation celebrates International Women’s Day, Clarion is celebrating female talent within the supply chain industry, sharing the story of its team to encourage more women to take up roles in transport and logistics.
Now in its 17th year, the Multimodal event brings all areas of the supply chain industry under one roof, creating a hub for importers, retailers, shippers, manufacturers, exporters and wholesalers who offer the latest cutting-edge technology in logistics and supply chain solutions to visitors. Taking place from the 11th – 13th June at Birmingham’s NEC, this year’s event will be the biggest yet, with a sell-out awards dinner and comprehensive conference program with highly regarded industry speakers.
The Multimodal team at Clarion spans a wide range of roles, with each member bringing specialist industry knowledge:
Marketing Director, Sara Mikunda oversees all the campaigns and promotional material produced to maintain the Multimodal brand, with her work being recognised by winning an events industry award for the best B2B marketing campaign. She continues to be passionate about the skills needed, commenting, “to work in the events industry involves diverse skillsets including a huge ability to multi-task, being organised to an extreme, heaps of empathy, an entrepreneurial spirit and a massive sense of humour!”.
Phillipa Chisnell, Clarion Customer Services Manager started her journey in the events industry 35 years ago, progressing to Director of a live event specialist. She says, “developing a breadth of experience gave me valuable insights in viewing the industry from both sides”.
Manjit Sandhu, Commercial Director, and Kara Bowen, Sales Manager, drive building and maintaining relationships with new and returning exhibitors. Both have extensive experience in the events industry, crediting their success to being women in a male dominated industry.
Manjit elaborated: “As an Asian woman in a male-dominated field, I bring a unique perspective, fostering inclusivity and innovation.” She then goes on to explain, “collaboration is paramount; combining diverse skill sets ensures successful outcomes”. Kara adds: “It’s often the soft skills that make a difference, for instance, the importance of creating meaningful bonds with people.”
Laura Cole, Operations Director, oversees translating the event plans into reality. “I kicked off my journey as a fresh event management graduate back in 2008 with a temporary placement at Clarion Events; eight years later I took the plunge to start my own company as a freelance operations manager, fast forward another eight years and here we are in the present day!” From liaising with the venue to ensuring that exhibitors are happy, Laura oversees the operations of the event, explaining “I take pride in being a woman on what can often be a predominantly male show floor during build-up.”
Operations Manager Kylie Peavoy works together with Laura Cole to make the Multimodal vision come to life. Having been in the industry for almost 20 years, she says “I’ve worked with so many amazing and supportive woman in such a unique and fun industry.” She delivers the final product of Multimodal for the exhibitors and visitors to have an exciting and smooth experience.
Event Director Robert Jervis has always seen the value of having a predominately female team, commenting, “working so closely with women adds a unique value when putting on an event in what is a male dominated industry. Women’s exceptional ability to multitask and empathise with our clients is one of the leading factors as to why Multimodal 2024 is on track to be Clarion’s most successful year yet.”
With 250 exhibitors already confirmed, including Freightliner, DP World, Maersk and Malcolm Logistics, visitors are promised an exciting show featuring businesses from all corners of the industry.
Visitors can register now for free entry and look forward to engaging conference sessions in four theatres, featuring presentations from Multimodal, Logistics UK, UKWA, BIFA, RFG, CILT, CCF, RHA, and the IOE&IT. The complete programme is available to view on the Multimodal website at https://www.multimodal.org.uk/conferences-2024#/seminars/
This year’s Multimodal exhibition is set to be the best yet, showcasing all of the leading supply chain businesses in the industry. It will also feature a range of seminars from industry experts as well as the return of the 10th Multimodal Awards, giving guests the opportunity to network and celebrate the industry’s most reputable supply chain businesses and individuals.
Read more news and exclusive features in our latest issue here.
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