We love to see our CEM gamechangers take action! Congratulations to Maria Sidiropoulou, CEM of Informa Markets on receiving her CEM! Read how she was able to develop effective recommendations to support her team’s efforts in marketing, sales and operations through her learnings from the CEM Program.
Hometown: London
University of Education: Anglian Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
How has the CEM designation helped in your career?
It’s been fantastic to get a more holistic overview of events and be able to think wearing different hats (marketing, ops, etc.)
Why is it important to maintain the CEM designation?
The events industry is constantly evolving – as we especially saw in 2020 – so we all need to keep up to date with regulations, statistics, techniques and technology
What made you want to obtain your CEM designation?
CEM is not really popular in the UK but i have been hearing a lot about it through US colleagues. I loved the idea of getting a qualification as I am planning on staying in events – it’s not a job, it’s a lifestyle!
What advice would you give to an aspiring individual who wants to apply for the CEM program?
JUST DO IT! I find often that people, very rightly, focus on their day-to-day jobs whether it’s marketing, sales, operations etc. I truly believe that the more people have a more holistic understanding of events, the more collaborative and innovative teams will become.
How did you start your career in this industry?
I never planned to work in events, I used to visit trade shows with my dad but it never occurred to me how they are actually put together. I came across a Sales & Marketing role while i was job hunting and i applied for it. It was love at first sight!
How have you made a difference with your show or with working with a client by applying the knowledge you gained by obtaining your CEM designation?
I think by understanding different aspects of events management, I have been able to create better opportunities for our audience but also come up with effective recommendations to support my wider team’s efforts in marketing, sales, operations and content.
What was it that you did or implemented right after obtaining your CEM?
I started the CEM course at Informa last February – my first course was the Floor Plan Design which came at a very good time. With COVID-19 and events’ postponements/cancellations, we have had to redesign our floor plans multiple times in the past 12 months.
Fun fact about you – What is one thing most people don’t know about you?
I am originally from Greece and moved to England in 2006! 15 years later, I find myself having a very strong accent when I speak English AND also when I speak Greek! Whether I am speaking in English or in Greek – people always ask me where i grew up! 🙂
