The Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA) has appointed Rob Brackstone as chair and Alexandra Bailey as vice chair.
Brackstone succeeds Marija Erzen, who has served as chair. Under her tenure, ESSA achieved several milestones, including an increased presence within the Government.
With a career spanning over two decades, Brackstone is the managing director of ESM Ltd, a company specialising in the design and build of solutions for live events. Since joining ESSA’s board in 2021, Brackstone has strengthened community among members, promoted collaboration, and emphasised the role of event suppliers in driving economic growth.
On his appointment, Brackstone said: “In addition to continuing to lead our industry, my vision is for ESSA to gain even greater external recognition driven by member innovation and our exciting initiatives such as our mentoring scheme. These are exciting times, and I’m ready to work together with our members to shape a stronger, more resilient industry for the future.”
Supporting Brackstone is Alexandra Bailey, co-founder of Creative8, which specialises in exhibition stand design and build. Bailey brings extensive experience and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by small businesses and stand contractors to her role as vice chair.
On her new role, Bailey commented: “I take immense pride in being part of this vibrant and creative industry and, in my role as vice chair, I am dedicated to supporting our members and ensuring that ESSA remains a leading force in the sector. Our membership includes many individuals, sole traders and small businesses very like myself, and I’m passionate about increasing ESSA’s value to their voices and harnessing the power of our collective strength.”
Welcoming the new appointments, ESSA director Andrew Harrison said: “Through their time on the ESSA board to date, Rob and Alex have already demonstrated unwavering commitment to ESSA and the greater good of our industry. I’ve no doubt that their combined skillsets will play a pivotal role in advancing the association’smission to create a more cohesive, collaborative and thriving community of event suppliers and service providers. I’m excited to see where they’ll take us.”
