Eventful has promoted Claire Gardner to the position of managing director following the departure of former MD and founder Caroline Lumgair Wiseman.
Lumgair Wiseman founded the venue sourcing and incentive travel agency, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last October, back in 2002 and sold the business to Aeorema Communications Group, owner of Cheerful Twentyfirst, in 2020.
She commented: “My journey at Eventful has been filled with learning and incredible experiences, seeing the business grow from strength to strength with opportunities to collaborate with leading brands, delivering memorable events in locations across the world; work that I will always remain immensely proud of.
“Eventful is deservedly thriving after successfully innovating its way through the pandemic. I’m proud to leave the agency with a fantastic future ahead and the opportunity to write the next chapter of its legacy, beyond my tenure. “I’m delighted that my colleague and friend, Eventful’s operations director will be promoted to managing director when I depart. With Claire’s deep understanding of the industry and passion for delivering exceptional service, she is well-positioned to lead Eventful into its next phase of growth and innovation.”
In her new role, Gardner will lead the Eventful’s strategic initiatives, drive growth, and further enhance its position as a trusted partner in the events industry.
With over 25 years of experience in the events and hospitality sector, Gardner brings a wealth of expertise, connections and a proven track record of success to her new role. She joined Eventful in 2011 as the operations manager, where she played a pivotal role in the leadership of the agency and the fostering of strong relationships with key client and supplier stakeholders.
Gardner said: “Having had the pleasure of working with Caroline for 12 years, I am incredibly honoured and excited to step into the role of managing director at Eventful. I have witnessed the remarkable dedication and talent of our team, and I am confident that together we can achieve great things. I look forward to working closely with our clients and partners to continue delivering outstanding incentives and events globally.”
Group CEO Steve Quah expressed his confidence in the promotion: “Claire has played a crucial role in strengthening Eventful’s position in the market, and I have no doubt that under her guidance, we will continue to innovate and deliver extraordinary experiences for our clients. I am thrilled to have her leading Eventful into the future.”
Lumgair Wiseman added: “I’m looking forward to taking a break over the summer to spend time with my ever patient, young family. My deepest thanks go out to the Eventful team and to everyone in this industry who has so loyally supported, guided and encouraged me through these eventful years.”
Eventful and the wider Aeorema Communications Group expressed their immense gratitude to Caroline for her contributions and wishes her all the best in her future endeavours.