Alison Jackson, group MD of Nineteen Group, tells Mina Booth how her tenacity has been vital for a career spanning 35 years in exhibitions
Alison Jackson has been a stalwart of the exhibitions industry for over three decades. Fiercely bright and driven, she’s also a generous, people person who always takes the time to connect with employees and be inquisitive about them and their ideas.
Like so many people in the exhibitions industry, Jackson landed here by serendipity. After studying for a degree in French and Spanish, she saw an advert in The Guardian for a graduate trainee role at Montgomery Exhibitions, at the time still owned by Brian Montgomery.
Now group managing director at Nineteen Group, Jackson recently oversaw the introduction of a company graduate scheme, completing the circle and demonstrating her focus on bringing new talent into the industry.
“Training people from scratch makes them more open to try new things and see the variety of options that the industry offers,” says Jackson.
Montgomery was never intended as a permanent home, just a way to make some money whilst she considered her options. However, Jackson stayed at Montgomery for 12 years, rising to the role of MD for Fresh Montgomery before she was aged 30.
Fresh Montgomery was a joint venture between Reed and Montgomery Exhibitions. As with all JVs, there was a requirement to balance the varying needs of the two partners.
“It wasn’t as tricky as it could have been because fundamentally it was a fair deal for both partners,” recalls Jackson. Her collaborative, friendly approach must have also helped significantly.
While at Montgomery, she oversaw the food and hospitality portfolio and launched the hugely successful Speciality & Fine Food Fair, after seeing a potential risk spot for the biennial IFE. It was the first of many successful launches she has masterminded over the years.
“Resilience is one of my strongest traits, I am tenacious at work, but it also helped with my greatest personal achievement. I went through five rounds of IVF before I was blessed with my beautiful daughter. Now she’s a teenager, blessed isn’t the word I use every day.”
Nineteen Group
Alison joined Nineteen Group in January 2019 when Phoenix Equity Partners invested in the business. Since joining, Jackson and Peter Jones, CEO, have grown the company substantially through a mix of organic growth and four acquisitions.
The group has adopted a unique approach, with a strong emphasis on creating an inclusive, supportive culture that aims to reward staff highly.
Its four pillars are kind, agile, driven and inclusive. Many companies may include a variation of the last three in their culture goals but putting kind first (indeed at all) says a lot about the type of company Jackson wants to create.
“Events are all about people and putting people first is important to us. We have built the business from a start-up to a substantial operation with over 150 staff. We’re proud of the retention rate we achieve.”
The next three to four years will see more growth for Nineteen with planned geo-cloning into the USA, Europe and possibly the Middle East.
Women in Exhibitions
Despite a heavy workload and building work at home, Alison also found the time to be one of the founding members of Women in Exhibitions.
“The industry has changed a great deal since I started in the 90s. My 10 years at EMAP were particularly challenging as it was such an alpha environment. Women in Exhibitions offers support and mentoring and also celebrates the success of the amazing women that have helped to build this industry to be such an important part of the UK economy.”
One of these amazing women is Jackson herself.
Alison’s tip from the top
“When acquiring events, don’t rush to integrate them into your existing business. Focusing on hitting 90-day targets can mean that you overlook the gold nuggets that make the new business unique. Aim to learn from an acquisition, don’t assume you know best.”
Career timeline
- Group MD, Nineteen Group Dec 2018 – present
- MD CWIEME Global Series, Ascential Events Mar 2018 – Dec 2018
- Director, Avalon Event Consulting Sep 2017 – Mar 2018
- Group Brand Director/Business Development Director, UBM EMEA June 2013 – Apr 2017
- Divisional Director, i2i Events Group Mar 2012 – Nov 2012
- MD, Emap Conect Sep 2010 – Mar 2012
- MD, Emap Connect Sep 2003 – Oct 2010
- MD, IIR Exhibitions May 2001 – Aug 2003
- MD, FreshRM Oct 1999 – Apr 2001
- Various – Montgomery Exhibitions 1989 – 1999
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