Alison Church appointed Group Chief Marketing Officer at Easyfairs
Brussels, 17/09/2024: Easyfairs, one of the world’s leading exhibition organisers, is pleased to announce the appointment of Alison Church as Group CMO. Alison, previously regional CMO for Easyfairs UK & Global and more recently the Nordic region, will now be based at the company’s headquarters in Brussels, reporting directly to Group CEO Anne Lafère and Group CTO Stephan Forseilles. In her new role, she will oversee group marketing programmes, corporate marketing, marketing processes, global brand strategies and play a key role in the company’s digital transformation.
Alison has been within the events industry for 25 years, with experience at Centaur, Venture Marketing Group and for the last 13 years at Easyfairs. Since joining Easyfairs she has been an instrumental figure in the UK & Global (UKG) region and a key part of its growth. Joining initially as Head of Marketing for the UK & Ireland, Alison moved quickly to lead the UK’s growing Packaging portfolio as Event Director. She became Marketing Director for the region in 2015, transitioning to Chief Marketing Officer in 2020, and as part of the senior leadership team has steered the marketing strategy and processes to achieve impressive visitor growth year on year.
“Alison’s remarkable contributions to the UKG region, her strategic leadership and her drive for excellence make her the ideal candidate for this crucial group role as Easyfairs enters its next phase of growth,” said Anne Lafère, Group CEO at Easyfairs. “Her work has been pivotal to the success of the UKG region, and she has also been instrumental in developing our Marketing, Intelligence & Technology function in the Nordic region over the last year; and so we look forward to seeing her expertise shape our global strategies.”
Alison has also consistently raised Easyfairs’ profile within the UK exhibitions industry, providing thought leadership through speaking at key industry events, judging various awards and contributing to many other industry initiatives including being a guest lecturer for the UFI Exhibition Management School. She also chairs the AEO Digital Working Group and has mentored up-and-coming marketing professionals in the sector. In her new group role, Ali will collaborate closely with all Easyfairs regions to deliver the group’s overarching vision and strategy, ensuring that marketing, digital and technology remain at the forefront of Easyfairs’ continued expansion.
Alison commented: “I am incredibly excited to take on this new role at Easyfairs. The event industry is evolving at a rapid pace, and I look forward to working with our talented teams globally to harness the power of technology and innovation to deliver even greater value for our customers.”
“It’s an exciting new chapter for Easyfairs and we’re delighted that Alison will be a central part of this future,” said Stephan Forseilles, Group CTO. “Her commitment to excellence and innovation will be invaluable as we continue to drive forward our digital and technological initiatives on a global scale.”
With Alison’s promotion, Easyfairs announces Sam O’Connell as the new Regional Marketing Director for the UKG region. Sam, who joined Easyfairs five years ago, has demonstrated exceptional talent and leadership, contributing significantly to the success of marketing campaigns, as well as ensuring effective marketing processes and installing best practices across the region. Sam’s deep understanding of marketing intelligence and strategy has earned him a reputation as a forward-thinking leader. Reporting to UKG COO Lourda Derry, Sam will continue to drive innovation, growth and exceptional results in all aspects of marketing across the region. “Sam has already made a huge impact on our business, and we are confident he will continue to excel in his new role,” said Lourda Derry. “His expertise positions him perfectly to lead our marketing efforts in the UKG region.”
These appointments highlight Easyfairs’ commitment to growth, innovation and talent development in the global events industry.