Over the course of the EN 30underThirty programme, Exhibition News will be speaking to members of the programme about their professional journey and the causes they’re championing to shape a more inclusive, forward-thinking industry.
For the first edition, we meet Mary McCarthy, senior event manager at emap.
What made you want to get involved in the industry and why?
I am sure you have heard this quite often but I fell into this industry, I studied Music Media Performance Technology at university, which gave me a strong foundation in the technical and production side of events, particularly areas like AV and sound production.
But, as the story goes, I joined emap as an event executive and have never looked back. What started as something I thought might be a stepping stone quickly became a career that I genuinely love. The more I became involved in the industry, the more I realised how much I enjoyed the people, the pace, the creativity and the variety that comes with events.
At this point, I genuinely couldn’t imagine working in any other industry.
What is the first career highlight that comes to mind?
The first career highlight that comes to mind is being the lead behind the launch of Electronics Weekly’s Women Leaders in Electronics Awards. At the time, I was still a senior event executive, so this was the first event I had the opportunity to run entirely on my own, which made it a particularly significant milestone in my career.
What made it even more meaningful was the purpose behind the event. It focused on recognising and celebrating the achievements of women across the electronics industry, an issue I’m extremely passionate about.
What have you learned about yourself since entering the events world?
I’ve learned that I can keep a calm head under immense pressure and that I’m far more resilient than I ever gave myself credit for. Events have a way of throwing unexpected challenges at you, often when you least expect them, and I’ve learned to trust myself to find a solution rather than panic.
Most importantly, I’ve realised just how much I love seeing people enjoy something that I’ve had a hand in creating. There’s something incredibly rewarding about watching an idea go from a conversation or a spreadsheet to a live experience that people are genuinely excited to be part of.
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice when starting out in events, what would it be?
I think I would tell my younger self to trust myself a little more.
I’ve always been someone who can be quite hard on myself, particularly when I make small mistakes or feel that I could have done something better. Looking back, I realise that those mistakes were such an important part of learning, and I probably spent far too much time worrying about them rather than recognising how much I was actually achieving.
And I’d probably tell myself not to wait so long to find events. I didn’t set out thinking this would be my career, but it’s where I’ve found a genuine passion.
How important are schemes such as EN30under30 and do you believe the industry does enough to support young professionals?
Schemes like EN30under30 are massively important to the industry. We spend so much of our time celebrating other people’s achievements that it can be easy to forget to stop and recognise how far we’ve come ourselves. Being given the opportunity to be celebrated and recognised for your work can be incredibly motivating, particularly early in your career, and it’s a great reminder that your contribution does matter.
In terms of growing, achieving and learning, I think events is a fantastic industry for young professionals. There are so many opportunities to take on responsibility, learn quickly and work alongside people with a huge amount of experience.
That said, I do think there is an opportunity for us to be more open about some of the harder sides of the industry. Events can be incredibly consuming, and burnout and exhaustion are very real experiences for a lot of professionals in this line of work. I think we could do more to normalise those conversations. Supporting young professionals isn’t just about helping them achieve more, it’s also about helping them build sustainable careers that they can genuinely enjoy.
How do you see the events industry changing over the next five years, and how do you want to be part of that change?
I think we’re already seeing the events industry changing, and I expect that to accelerate over the next five years. One of the biggest areas I see evolving is sustainability. It’s a conversation that is happening more across the industry, from the events we attend to the conversations we’re having within our own communities about what we can do differently.
For me, I want to be part of making that evolution a positive one. In particular, I’d like to see sustainability move beyond being something we simply talk about and become something that is genuinely embedded into how we plan and deliver events. It’s a huge challenge for our industry, but I think there is also a huge opportunity to innovate and find better ways of doing things.
What is an issue or topic within the industry that you think is important and want to champion? Can you explain a bit about it?
There are several areas within the industry I feel passionately about, including sustainability, diversity and representation, and making accessibility part of the planning process from the outset. However, the area I feel most strongly about is supporting the next generation of event professionals, their experiences, progression and, importantly, their mental health.
I think we have a responsibility to make sure that young professionals feel supported as they build their careers, and that we are honest about both the opportunities and the challenges that come with working in this industry.
I’ve been incredibly fortunate throughout my career to have people around me who have supported, challenged and believed in me. That support has made a huge difference, particularly at times when the workload or pressure has felt challenging. Having people I could learn from, ask questions of and rely on helped me navigate those moments and, ultimately, succeed.
I’d like to be able to provide that same support to the people coming through next.
Why is this particular issue or topic important to you?
It’s important to me because I’ve experienced first-hand just how much of a difference having the right people around you can make at the beginning of your career. The events industry gives young professionals so many opportunities to learn, take on responsibility and progress quickly, but that can also come with a lot of pressure.
I want the next generation to feel that they can be ambitious and successful without feeling that burnout is simply part of the journey. I also think there is so much value in experienced professionals being open about their own journeys not just the successes, but the challenges and lessons along the way.
If we can create an industry where young professionals feel supported and valued, I think we’ll not only retain great talent but create a much stronger industry for the future.
What do you plan to do to continue to champion the topic?
For me, championing this starts with what I can do every day. Currently, that means trying to be the same supportive manager to my own executives that I was lucky enough to have at the beginning of my career.
I want to create an environment where the people I manage feel comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, sharing ideas and being honest when things are difficult. I also want to make sure I’m not just encouraging their professional development but also supporting them as people.
As I continue to progress in my own career, I’d like to take that further, whether that’s through mentoring or simply making sure I’m someone that younger professionals feel they can turn to. If I can have the same positive impact on someone else’s career that others have had on mine, I think that’s a really meaningful way to champion the next generation.
What can the industry itself do to better champion this topic?
I think the industry can start by being more open and honest about what it can mean to build a career in events. We’re very good at celebrating the exciting parts, the big launches, successful events, awards and career milestones, but we don’t always talk openly enough about the pressure and challenges that come with them.
I’d love to see more experienced professionals sharing not just their successes, but also the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Mentorship and strong management can make such a difference to someone early in their career, and I think we should encourage more of those relationships across the industry.
We also need to make sure that supporting young professionals goes beyond simply giving them opportunities to progress. It should include creating environments where people feel comfortable speaking up when they’re struggling, setting healthy expectations around workload and recognising that wellbeing is an important part of having a sustainable career.
