Under 30: the industry’s future leaders. Meet Jennie Lobanova

Noam Stiekema

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.

Jennie Lobanova

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.

 

Read this next

Retail FX

Banxso announces 8.7% interest rate on deposits in South Africa

“With Banxso, they can enjoy the benefits of both worlds – earning competitive interest and having the freedom to trade, all within the same platform.”

Industry News

FINRA to publish transaction details in U.S. Treasury securities

“Consistent with our longstanding practice, FINRA is introducing greater transparency in a calibrated and careful manner, benefiting liquidity and resilience in this critical market while also mitigating potential information leakage concerns.”

Institutional FX

OpenYield launches “cheap and easy” fixed income trading for brokers

“We’re on a mission to make bonds cheap and easy to trade, and are excited about the opportunity to build generational capital markets infrastructure.”

Digital Assets

Sumsub and Mercuryo publish a guide for VASPs: “Mastering Travel Rule Compliance”

“At Sumsub, we’ve concentrated our efforts on filling the gap in understanding the complexity of Travel Rule regulation and helping organizations find the best solution to stay safe and compliant while minimizing costs and avoiding potential risks of non-compliance. This guide we created with Mercuryo, our trusted partner, is the ultimate navigation tool all VASPs can consult.”

Digital Assets

Bitget Wallet Leads with Record Swap Volume & New Crypto Innovations

This week, Bitget Wallet achieved a milestone by surpassing Metamask with a record 388,757 Swap order transactions, securing the global lead. The significant 7-day trading volume, almost 68,000 more than its rival, underscores its liquidity and user trust. This robust activity signals Bitget Wallet’s prominent role and reliability in the dynamic crypto market.

Digital Assets

Embarking on a Digital Currency Journey

Imagine you’ve stumbled upon a treasure map, leading you to untold riches hidden in the vastness of the internet. Instead of gold coins and jewel-encrusted goblets, this treasure comes in the form of digital currencies, the modern-day loot coveted by many.

Reviews

Traders Union Experts Share The Trading Analyst Review For 2024

Navigating options trading in rapidly shifting markets poses a considerable challenge. This is where options trading alert services become invaluable. They aid traders in keeping abreast of evolving opportunities and market trends. In this assessment, Traders Union experts scrutinize The Trading Analyst alert service to ascertain its efficacy. 

Digital Assets

BlockDAG’s Presale Achieves $9.9M: Aiming For A 5000-Fold ROI As Cardano’s Price Rises And Fantom Launches Sonic

Explore Cardano’s surge, Sonic’s efficiency, and why BlockDAG’s growth makes it the top crypto choice. A deep dive into the future of blockchain investments.

Digital Assets

US, UK probe $20 billion Tether transfers tied to Russian exchange.

U.S. and UK authorities are investigating the movement of $20 billion in the USD-pegged stablecoin tether (USDT) through Moscow-based exchange Garantex.

<