In the Hotseat: Sue Tattersall, Senior Conference and Events Coordinator

We’re so excited this week to have Sue Tattersall in the Hotseat! Sue has been working at the University since 1998, and she has spent 10 years in the Conference and Events office. She’s a wonderful team member and also does a lot of charitable work as part of her role. 

What excites you about the future of the events industry?

The events industry has been turned upside down over the last 18 months; as a team we’ve had to use our adaptation skills to ensure we best meet our clients’ expectations.  This has given us the exciting opportunity to look differently as to how we can deliver conferences and a number of events have successfully been held digitally, some blended and of course others continue to be face to face. Moving forward it is exciting to see the return of face to face conferencing and the continuation of Leeds as a world class venue for academic conferences.

What do you think will be the most important skills in the future of the events industry?

Digital expertise will continue to be very significant moving forward in the events industry, however keeping it personal remains important: event management, organisational and communication skills will always be key.

Which skills have you gained in the last year that you think will help moving forward in events?

The main skill I have developed over the last 18 months during the pandemic has been the importance of flexibility in my approach to changing roles.  Having been in several different roles supporting different departments, I’ve had the opportunity to learn new systems, work with different teams and widen my contact base.

What would be your dream event to work on?

My dream event to work on would be a local fundraising sporting event like a marathon (something I will be considering when I have more time on my hands!). I love to see the joy on the competitors’ faces as they realise their achievements when they pass the finishing line.