Under 30: the industry’s future leaders. Meet Jennie Lobanova
Under 30 and moving up the ranks. We talk to Jennie Lobanova, Executive Producer, iFX EXPO / CONVERSIONPROS to find out how she got into the industry and what she does daily.
In an industry so well established with roots in all four corners of the globe we took time to discuss what the industry will look like in 10 to 20 years from now.
Whilst we all share different views on where the industry will end up or what it will morph into, the fact is that we forget the many good folk working in the industry. Especially the younger generation that started at the bottom and worked their way up essentially dedicating their careers to fintech, trading and finance.
As is a FinanceFeeds tradition, we decided to celebrate these hard working individuals that have and very well may become the future industry leaders as they move up the ranks. So without further adieu, meet the industry’s future leaders (all under the age of 30).
What is your role at iFX EXPO / CONVERSIONPROS?
Simply put, my role involves pretty much every aspect of the production of our shows. A major part of the focus goes to our exhibitors and sponsors, getting them on board and making their participation as smooth and successful as possible.
We aim at minimising the efforts required from their side – all they have to do is show up on the day and get to business while we take care of all the build-up and technical matters.
There is also the other side which involves planning the logistics of such a massive event, from branding little napkins, juggling multiple suppliers, organising networking parties, to managing never-ending public graphics lists! I think what fuels the success of the shows is our dedicated team (excuse the cheese) that genuinely cares about the outcome of our work and each contributes their talents to the big picture.
I can honestly say that iFX EXPO is one of its kind because I can see what happens behind the scenes – our team is very people-orientated and we always look for ways to accommodate the massive variety of brands, business needs and even basic human needs like food, water and dancing! : )
This kind of work is definitely not for the faint hearted. It has been three weeks since the Expo and I still dream about it! It is very rewarding and the hard work pays off – seeing it all come to life is a feeling hard to describe to someone that wasn’t part of its production from the very beginning.
We have plenty of dreamers and visionaries sitting in the office and I have already seen many of those visions (some of which involved unicorns and Spartans) become reality, so keep your eyes peeled for more!
How many years have you been at iFX EXPO / CONVERSIONPROS?
Funnily enough, I have been attending iFX EXPO from the very first shows and have a collection of badges that show my growing relationship with the Expo – from attending as a Broker through my Marketing position at Blackwell Global, to part of the team in early 2015 as Assistant Producer and finally as Executive Producer.
It feels like I’ve been part of the iFX EXPO team for years! The last show was a huge stepping stone and just the beginning of the big things coming. Next up is the 10th Show Anniversary in Hong Kong in 2017 followed by another big one in Cyprus and I am extremely excited to keep going bigger.
When did you start in the industry?
I started in late 2012 as a Marketing Coordinator at Blackwell Global when I moved back to Cyprus after graduating from university in London. It was a great place to welcome me to the Forex world – working with a marketing team scattered across 3 continents and other offices around the world. That position gave me the required industry knowledge and the opportunity to work on a lot of ‘start up’ projects as at that stage Blackwell Global was expanding into new markets and working on their institutional goals.
What attracted you to / made you get into this industry?
I first got into this industry because I was attracted by how global it is and how it brought together multiple cultures under one roof. I knew I wanted to work in an industry that had roots and opportunities all over the world. From a marketing perspective this quenched my interest during my time at Blackwell Global as I worked with plenty of focus on Asia Pacific. In 2014, I worked on a side project creating a volunteer fundraising campaign and event for the Cyprus Autism Association.
That’s when I realised that events is my passion and joining the iFX EXPO team really led me to doing what I love in a bustling industry. What attracts me the most in production of financial B2B events? It is definitely seeing all angles of this industry come together at our shows and the never-ending flood of talented and successful people coming from all corners of the world to expand their businesses.
Any tips for others looking at getting into the industry?
I guess my best tips would be:
- Hard work pays off. Even if you need to start somewhere in the bottom, this industry provides plenty of chances to grow as I’ve seen it happen to many of my fellow colleagues.
- Opportunity is everywhere! You just need to actively search for it. Get out and meet people and it is a snowball effect from then.
Hint: iFX EXPO is a good place to start : )
Meet other “up and comers under 30” – view all the profiles.
