‘It is also important that more than ever we meet your professional needs in this diverse and vibrant industry with timely professional development programme, effective networking opportunities whilst championing best practices,’ she says.

de Fontenay attended the Eventing The Future 2017 conference this month. ‘This was the opportunity for me to meet passionate and creative event organisers as well as getting to grips with the challenges that this industry might be facing and how we can best assist our members moving forward,’ she explains.

As a seasoned sales and marketing professional with people, operational and financial management experience, de Fontenay has worked with both small and large organisations in commercial and not-for-profit around a range of industries, having run fundraising events of different sizes in the charitable sector.

She joins the New Zealand Events Association from the SPCA where she was in charge of running the business unit of its animal welfare accreditation. Prior to that, she looked after business partnerships, campaigns and events for the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation and St John.