Meetings magazine and SA Conference celebrates the women who have made their mark on the MICE industry. Everyday this week we will be highlighting eight of the phenomenal women who made the list.
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MEGAN ARENDSE
General manager: Commercial and business development for Cape Town International Convention on Centre (CTICC)
Service provider: Venue
Since starting her career at the CTICC in 2003, as a conference and exhibition manager, Megan has progressed through the ranks. In 2011, she was appointed to her current role where she is responsible for enhancing the centreโs service offerings and providing extraordinary experiences for clients and visitors. She has a proven career track record of growing the CTICCโs profitability. Her natural ability to lead her team is one of her key strengths and is one of the reasons why she serves on many
local and international industry boards and associations.
FAST FACT Megan was instrumental in the conceptualizing of the centreโs fi rst Integrated Annual Report, which achieved a Level B+ certification from the Global Reporting Initiative.
EMMA BRANSON
Co-owner of Vanila Exclusive Event Management
Event practitioner
Originally from Buckinghamshire in the UK, Emma gained much event experience while working for Goldman Sachs and Commerzbank, organising conferences in and around Europe. She went on to run a successful events department in London at Threadneedle Investments. Having visited South Africa numerous times, Emma decided it was time to call it home and, in 2005, she opened Vanila Exclusive Event Management with Kim Gloyne. Emma understands that each clientโs needs and objectives are different and that is why she makes certain each event is unique and fresh. She is constantly delivering new ideas and memorable events.
FAST FACT Emmaโs level-headedness, unparalleled focus on the fi ner details and elegant approach to her work produce a pillar of strength within Vanila.
MEGAN BUCHANAN
Co-Owner of Event Affairs
Event practitioner
Megan loves corporate events and there is a lot to love โ the creative conceptualizing of elegant and strategic ways to bring in a companyโs brand colours, the crucial decision-making in order to choose the perfect entertainment, the calculated menu design and, of course, ensuring a flawless audio and technical production. Megan is passionate about showcasing the Cape and creating unique memories for locals as well as foreign travellers. It is these very reasons why Megan decided to head up the corporate and experiential events division of Event Aff airs. Her creativity, love and passion for this industry has cemented Event Affairs as one of the top events management companies in South Africa.
FAST FACT Megan grew up in Johannesburg, has an honours degree in Psychology from the University of Cape Town and has a background in events management, staff management and logistics.
BRONWEN CADLE DE PONTE
Marketing and sales manager: CSIR International Convention Centre
Service provider: Venue
Highly successful people are naturally leaders in their respective fields. This is exactly what Bronwen is to the MICE industry. Her passion, creativity and commitment to always be innovative in our industry, where competition is fierce, are an inspiration to us all. With her leadership and mentorship, she has created a strong foundation within the CSIR ICC. Bronwen lead the CSIR ICC expansion project, having conceived the idea in 2004 and seeing it to fruition in 2011. She has successfully grown to be a great leader in the industry and is admired by her colleagues and industry peers, more so because her success is about uplifting others, and that is what sets her apart from the rest.
FAST FACT Earlier this year, Bronwen received an award from the Gauteng Tourism Authority for Aspiring Woman in Tourism.
ZELDA COETZEE
Owner of Imfunzelelo and SAACI national chair
Event practitioner
An established icon in the South African conference and events industry, Zelda started her career at the Cape Town Convention Bureau. She then headed up the conference division for Thebe Reed. In 2008, Zelda opened her own company, Imfunzelelo (meaning โto be inspiredโ). In 2010, she was appointed as local project manager for the prestige Fortune Global Forum, a conference organised by Time Inc and Fortune, which hosted the worldโs top CEOs in Cape Town. Zelda has been described as a dependable and innovative conference organiser. During her career, she has held numerous positions in associations.
FAST FACT Zelda worked and lived with her family in Chengdu, China, for three months as part of an assignment to assist with the management of the 2013 Fortune Global Forum.
SAMANTHA CROFT
General manager of Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani
Service provider: Venue
At the helm of Durbanโs iconic and newly refurbished mega-complex, Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani, which is Tsogo Sunโs most profi table hotel in South Africa, Samantha is confi dently steering the ship to attain top-tier results. Despite the huge demands and challenges faced as the only female general manager on the Golden Mile, she still finds a tremendous amount of joy in her work. Samanthaโs achievements have not gone unrecognised โ she recently won the regional Businesswomenโs Achiever Award in the corporate category.
FAST FACT She currently holds the position of vice chairperson of the newly formed Durban Community Tourism Organisation and is also the vice chairperson of the Durban Community Tourism Organisation and a member of the Durban Chamber of Commerceโs Tourism Committee.
CORINNE DURRHEIM- CORNELISSEN
Managing director of Voilร Events
Event practitioner
With a very positive attitude and outlook, Corinne has a proactive approach, goes the extra mile and is reliable and diligent โ attributes of a successful professional conference organiser. โShe is not only a constant source of new ideas and suggestions, but has also performed her functions systematically, diligently and persistently,โ says one of her clients. Corinne is in her element when she is planning corporate and celebrity events, image consulting, team building, golf days and weddings. She lives by her mantra daily – you can do anything you dream of. Just dream it, act on it and live it. In her spare time, Corinne runs courses for teens to help them with their self image and she also works on upliftment projects in various communities.
FAST FACT Corinne was placed in the Top Five in Miss SA in 1989 and runner up in the Miss SA in 1993.
CHARLENE ELLAPPAN
Managing director of Charly London International
Event practitioner
For the last 10 years, Charlene has travelled the world โ from Australia to the United States of America. During this time, Charlene acquired an insurmountable amount of knowledge and experience in all genres of business etiquette and customer service, globally, which included working with people from all walks of life, varying culture and over 55 different nationalities. Charleneโs versatile experience and meticulous attention to detail is what has made her popular with the people she works with. In an ever-changing world, success is determined by good choices for lasting impressions, Charlene has the passion and talent to design and create that โwowโ event.
FAST FACT Charleneโs career highlight was working with Sixthman Productions for VH1โs Save the Music Event headlined by John Mayer.
