In this series, features and series developer Heather Nicholls speaks to the unsung heroes of the events industry to reveal what really drives their passion and the remarkable contributions we too often overlook.

In this edition we meet Ferne Taylor, global head of event services at Nteractive.

Like many, Taylor got started in the events industry by chance. After studying Politics at the University of Bristol. she knew that becoming a politician or working in the civil service wasn’t for her – but wasn’t entirely sure what was. She took a role at Kingston University, doing administration for the Engineering Department, and whilst there organised a small away day. Taylor said: “That was the moment I realised how much I enjoyed controlling chaos, and it got me thinking seriously about a career in events.”

The faculty then let her organise the graduation ceremony at the Barbican and through someone that she worked with she was introduced to the company where had her first role. Taylor said: “I interviewed with them the day after the graduation ceremony and the rest is history!”

In terms of her role at Nteractive, she organically found her way into it. Taylor originally joined Nteractive as a senior project manager and after successful delivery of some high-profile projects, was offered the opportunity to become event services director. Taylor said: “I have always loved creating processes, and creating order out of chaos, and so a lot of my early years in the role were spent formulating processes and ways of doing things that would create efficiency and consistency across our project management and logistics.”

She added: “I also love people management, mentoring and coaching junior team members and helping people to achieve their career goals. My ultimate aim is to help people to progress within the company, rather than seeking that progression elsewhere. I also genuinely care so much about my team at Nteractive, and I love being a person that people feel has their back when challenges arise – there is no blame game, it’s about how we work together to creatively solve those challenges. I have had people in my career who have been that person to me, and I love now being that person for people within my team and in the business as a whole.”

Quick Q and A

What does a typical day look like for you on-site?

My role onsite has now changed. As the team has grown, I have stepped away from actual delivery, however I do go onsite to provide support to the team, be a point of escalation and help troubleshoot where needed.

As the team is so wonderful, the majority of my days onsite are smooth sailing and rarely do I need to jump into something. Of course, I am not afraid to get my hands dirty, and so I always tell the team to use me for any extra support they need – I will do whatever they need me to do for the good of the team, the client and the attendees. I probably am not always the first onsite and the last one to leave as much as I was before, but that’s not to say I wouldn’t do that if needed!

If your job didn’t exist, what do you think organisers or attendees would miss most?

They might not always be able to pinpoint what’s wrong, but they may feel the lack of structure, coordination and calm behind the scenes. Things might feel more reactive, less joined‑up and small issues may be far more visible. My role helps ensure that everything runs seamlessly, problems are handled before they surface, and people can focus on the event itself rather than the mechanics of making it happen.

What’s the toughest challenge you’ve faced during an event?

A few years ago, I was working on a Zumba Fitness conference for 2,000 instructors. Every keynote and breakout session was a dance class, so the entire venue was in constant motion. I was managing the venue when I got a call over the radio saying there was a flood in an area hosting multiple breakout sessions. We had to act fast – evacuating those sessions immediately and rushing to move all the equipment to safety. In an attempt to stop the flood, the water supply had to be shut off, which meant all the toilet facilities across the venue stopped working. The venue struggled to find an engineer quickly, and with no functioning toilets, the situation became a serious health and safety risk. We were literally moments away from having to evacuate all 2,000 neon‑coloured, Lycra‑clad Zumba instructors from the building when they managed to fix the leak. Disaster narrowly avoided!

What’s something most people don’t realise about your job?

Most people don’t realise how much of my job is about preventing problems rather than fixing them. A lot of work happens quietly and well in advance so that nothing looks like it’s gone wrong. If an event feels calm and effortless on the day, it usually means there was a lot of careful planning happening behind the scenes long before anyone arrived.

What’s one event you’ll never forget working on and why?

My favourite event that I led was an Incentive programme for 1200 people for a global tech client, which took place in Cannes. The client was an absolute dream to work with, they were trusting of our expertise, collaborative, decisive, knowledgeable and we had such a great working relationship.

The onsite experience was one I will never forget. It was certainly helped by glorious sunshine throughout, but the nature of the program and the elements included in it meant that there was just such a brilliant buzz across the attendees, clients and crew and it was clear that everyone loved being there. I will honestly never forget it as it was such a special event to be part of.

What’s been your proudest moment so far?

I have had so many proud moments and most of them are to do with seeing people in my team achieve amazing things. I am particularly proud of Nteractive and how far we have come as a business. It’s my 10th year here, and I have seen so much growth in that time, including going through the Pandemic, and to see how we weathered that storm and how much we have grown in such a short space of time is incredible!

Over the years, Taylor’s role at Nteractive has become a lot busier, as the team that she leads has grown a lot in size. Nteractive as a business has grown exponentially, in terms of existing client projects but also new clients. As a result resourcing has become more complex and challenging. Taylor explains: “Having oversight of all the projects we deliver is more difficult and the structure of our team is constantly needing to evolve.”

Due to more recent growth, Nteractive have promoted two of the team into event services director EMEA/APAC and event services director US roles, to provide more regional leadership across the team, to support the growth of the individuals within the team and importantly provide better support to our clients. Taylor said: “This is a proud moment for me; being able to promote from within and nurture the talent that sits within this amazing team.”

In terms of why her role is vital to the success of an event. Taylor explains that she is responsible for making sure events are delivered smoothly and consistently. She says: “I no longer run projects directly but provide oversight and guidance to project teams on processes and best practices, help to spot and manage risks early and make sure teams have the structure and support they need to do their very best work. After years of delivering complex programmes, I have learned that everything is solvable and I see that as part of my role as a senior leader in the business – to be that safe, calm pair of hands to deal with those inevitable curve balls.”

She adds: “A large part of my role involves resourcing Event Services teams across projects, which is often a complex jigsaw. This includes balancing full‑time and freelance team members while considering individual capacity, skill set, experience, development opportunities, and ensuring the overall solution meets client needs. Once teams are in place, I support them with clear processes, best practices, and practical guidance to enable smooth and efficient planning and delivery. Communication is central to building strong, successful teams, so I focus on encouraging open, clear and consistent communication wherever possible.”

Taylor measures success in her role by how it feels for the client, the team and the audience. She says: “If an event delivers against its goals, runs smoothly and on budget, and the client wants to work with us again, that’s a big win for me. On a personal level, success is also seeing the team confident under pressure, taking ownership and feeling proud of what we’ve delivered together.”

Taylor says: “Despite the fact that I love praise, I honestly don’t believe I deserve more recognition and actually I see my role now being to support my team members to be the very best they can be in their role, and as a result get the recognition they deserve for their amazing work. Nothing makes me prouder than seeing members of my team receiving amazing feedback from their client, suppliers or internal team members!”