Eventex most influential professionals
Eventex, the world's number one awards for events and experience marketing, has officially announced its 100 Most Influential People in the Event Industry for 2023 – an index recognising outstanding professionals who have left a mark on the industry with creativity, vision, and capacity for innovation. Julia Corkey, ICC Belfast Chief Executive has been acknowledged in the 50 Most Influential Venue Professionals list, whilst the organisation’s Head of Production, Dave Young, has secured a place on the 50 Most Influential Event Technology Professionals list, and the 50 Most Influential People in the Events Industry in the UK list.
Decided entirely by a public vote, the index allows the events community to nominate and choose those they believe have had the most notable impact on the world of events and experience marketing. This year, a total of 830 professionals from 56 countries were honoured with a nomination, while 21,787 votes were cast to determine the final list of 100.
ICC Belfast is the only convention centre on the island of Ireland to have team members acknowledged by Eventex.
Julia Corkey, Chief Executive of ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall, was appointed in 2020, and in that time, along with supporting a team of over 300 across three venues, has taken a leading role in actioning the organisation’s commitments to diversity, accessibility and sustainability.
Just this month, the venue received a Green Meetings Gold Award, becoming the first purpose-built conference venue on the island of Ireland to be accredited. In June, it received a Bronze accreditation from Diversity Mark showcasing its focus on gender diversity with a 50:50 male: female balance achieved at the executive level.
Commenting on her place on the list, Julia said,
Whilst it’s wonderful to be acknowledged by my industry peers, this accolade belongs to the talented team at ICC Belfast, and should serve as a reminder to us all that our venue is one to be proud of.
"Dave’s acknowledgement is a further testament to this, and I congratulate him on his deserved recognition. His passion for the business and infectious energy rubs off on everyone around him."
“The events industry is a challenging, dynamic, and rewarding to be part of. Welcoming people from all over the world to Belfast is a privilege, but I’m also motivated by our constant progress and innovation as a venue and our prioritisation of the areas that really make a difference - our team’s professional development, our environmental commitments, our desire to make the industry itself better, and our support of the local community.”
In recent months, ICC Belfast has delivered large-scale events for global and local organisations including One Young World, the NI Investment Summit, and CYBERUK. ICC Belfast provides a platform for delegates from all over the world to come together and share ideas that could leave a positive legacy in their industries. It is preparing to host the UK Space Conference 2023 later this month – a three-day event with more than 120 speakers expected to attract 2,500 delegates.
Dave Young commented,
I’ve worked in the events and production industry for over 15 years and my experience spans conferences, large corporate events, and live events. ICC Belfast is a special place to work. Not only is every day different but the conferences we host are genuinely exciting from a production point of view, and the team here are some of the most passionate people I’ve ever met.
"We collaborate well and always provide the very best to our clients. Together we create a world-class stage where great things happen. I’d like to extend sincere appreciation to my colleagues and event peers for their endorsements.”
