Power of The PA Event

Last night’s event (‘The Power of the PA’ Q&A session – a joint venture between FedEx Express and Executive PA Magazine) was probably one of the more exclusive we’ve held this year.

PAs and EAs met at Flemings in Mayfair for a champagne reception and then William Martin, M.D. of FedEx Express, announced some of the highlights of the Power of the PA survey* and then hosted the Q&A session with:

• Katie Clifford - PA to Jacqueline Gold, Owner of Ann Summers and Knickerbox. Kate's boss (dubbed 'Most powerful woman in retail' by Retail Week). Both PA and boss in the April / May edition: Jacqueline Gold feature
• Josephine Green - Josephine works not with one but fiver actors. Her clients include Miranda Hart, Emilia Fox, Alexander Armstrong, Ben Miller and Joseph Fiennes.
• Alison Blackburne - PA to Michael Holt, Chief Executive Officer for FedEx UK and Vice President FedEx Supply Chain EMEA and Operations North Europe. FedEx is the world's largest express transportation company.
• Jessica Doorbar - 'Jessica Doorbar, winner of the 2009 'PA of the Year' award and PA for the Leadership Team at PwC's Diamond Advisory Services.

Every panel member acknowledged they have a huge degree of influence but also recognised that this only comes as a strong ‘mutual trust’ is established between boss and PA. Questions ranged from ‘how did you get to your current role?’ and ‘how do you define the line between business and private work?’ and even ‘do you find you have difficulty coping with your boss’s ego?’ (more on these in the Oct / Nov issue).

One of the most interesting things to come out of the evening (for panelists as well as the PAs posing the questions) is that, despite working for completely different people in completely different industries they had a surprising amount in common.

A massive thank to all of last night’s PA panel, to all the PAs and EAs attending that helped make the evening so successful and, of course, FedEx Express for their recognition of the PA role's importance. Enjoy the pictures.

 

*Full survey results in the Oct / Nov issue of Executive PA Magazine