Past Winners
Annash Ahmed
Event Executive with Informa Middle East
I am originally from Pakistan and was born and brought up in Dubai. I studied Business Administration at Middlesex University.
ESP International had a stand at the Middlesex Career Fair where I was handed a flyer regarding the Eventice Middle East. It is an ‘Apprentice’ style competition that was designed to get the regions fresh graduates into the events industry. Its slogan – “Kick starting your career in the events industry” was very appealing to me and I instantly decided to give it a shot. I had wanted a career in events but didn’t know how to go about it and the Eventice Middle East provided a wonderful platform to do just that.
The competition was so great and I absolutely had a blast! It was more challenging than I initially expected but the tasks were so well thought of, as they were designed to be fun and at the same time allow every participant to exhibit their qualities in the best way.
The task I enjoyed the most was the ‘treasure hunt’ during which we were divided into teams and each team was given a tablet with an app loaded on it which contained a set of tasks we had to do in the given time to earn the maximum points.
I began my professional career in July, in the capacity of an Event Executive. Informa has created a very structured program for me to follow through the course of one year where I get to rotate through our various departments to experience their main events and gain vital hands-on experience. It has been nothing short of amazing so far and my colleagues have all been very helpful and patient with me as I try to absorb all the information that I have been receiving.
To future applicants I will say – Work Hard, Play Hard. The events industry is a rare combination of both so do make the most of it. Meeting deadlines, successfully completing tasks and giving the task at hand your dedication is important, but at the same time have fun, enjoy what you are doing and the people you are working with. And please DO take complete advantage of this fantastic opportunity!
Givesh Naidoo
Event Coordinator at Informa Middle East
I was born in Durban, South Africa and moved to Dubai in 2011 to work for Emirates Airline as cabin crew before applying for the Eventice competition in May 2014. I applied for the Eventice as I saw it as a golden opportunity to be able to compete for a spot in the event market, straight from college. I wanted to prove what I could bring to the events industry.
The competition was definitely an experience I will never forget. There were various engaging exercises we participated in which tested our skills, knowledge, creativity and way of thinking in relevant ways. The competition was very well organized which we all appreciated as we had many activities to compete in. My favorite activities were the speed interviews and the perfume creation. In the perfume task we had to create our own perfume and then take the product to market using advertising.
I won the position with Cheil to be an Account Executive within their Experiential Marketing Team. My role includes working within the team to provide creative ideas to our clients to launch flagship products into the market and then executing those ideas by means of launch events, roadshows and various other marketing activities.
If I was to advise future applicants I would tell them that Confidence is key. You need to learn how to be a team player but most importantly, enjoy every second of it and have fun!
