Cavendish Venues’ Director of Sales Paul Martins joins MIA Council Board.
Cavendish Venues’ Director of Sales Paul Martins joins MIA Council Board.
The 28th Annual General Meeting of the Meetings Industry Association (MIA) was held at Central Hall Westminster on 7th March 2018.
At the AGM, Chief Executive Jane Longhurst outlined that membership had increased and that the association was in a strong position to build on this. The association’s benefits strategy focuses on three core themes: Operational Excellence, Innovation and Business Performance. The aims for 2019 were in bringing further attention to Business Intelligence via MIA Touchstone, Support through Recruitment and Retention, and Improvement through Opportunities.
Members were then invited to vote on Chair and Board positions.
As a result, Paul Martins, Director of Sales at Cavendish Venues and Board member of the London City Selection and the Westminster Venue Collection was elected onto the MIA Council Board.
Paul is delighted to have been drafted onto the MIA Council alongside the excellent event professionals also appointed. Using education, encouragement and enthusiasm by example, he looks forward to supporting the Council’s aims and objectives for progressive development. This is important to retain the MIA as a significant cornerstone of the industry.
Find out more here:
https://www.mia-uk.org/Board
Paul Martins
Council Member
How did you get into the industry?
After graduating in Language Studies, I did a translation project for the Friends Reunited website and then worked 2 years investing pension funds in finance whilst building my own funds for a trip to Rio.
Working with databases and wanting to move to London for interests, I became Database Researcher at the Crown Group on the proviso I smartened my grooming (!) and could commit to 2 years. Rather than take offence, this was a belief in me to achieve greater things. Within a month, I became Sales Executive. Then through those 2 years and now 14 years at venues such as Vinopolis, Tottenham Hotspur, Sodexo Prestige at One Queen Anne’s Gate and Arsenal at Emirates Stadium, I’m now responsible for giving belief to others with opportunities as Director of Sales at Cavendish Venues.
Tell us something people would never guess about you?
I used to be Jim Morrison in a past life and Robin Hood before that. I also used to work on pensions so calm yourselves.
What inspires you?
People and ideas that try to deliver a positive difference and that show enough passion with humility to care.
What do you think are the main challenges facing the M&E industry?
- Keeping up with technological trends at an advanced pace.
- Maintaining service standards and profit margins in the face of a potential talent shortage from reduced options through factors such as political instability.
- Presenting the events industry in the positive light it deserves – rather than a scandalous suggestion (flavour of the month for media attention), there is so much positive work involving smart, honest, hard-working professionals that need to be highlighted to make the sensational stories to build the industry’s future on.
- Developing future talent – with a focus on creating opportunities, equality and encouraging potential overall, development initiatives should be consistent without prejudice and appeal to a universal talent criterion – just like the kind of inclusive industry anyone should wish to work in.
The Meetings Industry Association (MIA) continues to be recognised by our clients at Cavendish Venues as AIM accredited venues.
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