Women make up 77% of the global events workforce, yet hold only 16% of leadership roles. The imbalance is well known, but the women driving this industry forward are still too often overlooked.
The 70% is a weekly series dedicated to changing that. Each instalment profiles a woman whose work, insight, and ambition shape the events sector – from emerging talent to established leaders. Through their stories, we explore the pathways, challenges, and perspectives defining what leadership looks like today.
In this weeks edition, we meet Jennifer Davidson, founder of Sleek Events.
How many years have you been in the events industry?
Just over 16 years. Many of my early roles were within environments where politics and burnout thrived.
From this, I knew I wanted to create a workplace where people are valued, supported, and empowered – not just tolerated or exploited. That led to starting Sleek in 2013, initially as a one-woman band from my spare bedroom without investment or a five-year plan, simply saying yes to opportunities and figuring out how to deliver along the way.
Today we are still proudly independent and have grown to a team of 50 who operate globally and are trusted by some of the world’s most recognised brands. But what I’m most proud of is that we’ve scaled without losing our people-first ethos, which was inspired by those early lessons about respect, fairness, and care.
How do you balance professional growth with personal commitments and do you think the industry is evolving in terms of work-life balance?
Early in my career, I didn’t believe balance was possible in events. But I also knew that if I was going to build a business, it had to be one that didn’t force people to sacrifice their lives in order to succeed.
Support and flexibility aren’t “nice to have” – they’re essential if you want people and business to thrive. We’ve built Sleek around that principle and have been recognised on The Sunday Times and Campaign’s Best Place To Work Lists in 2025.
There feels like there’s a growing recognition that burnout isn’t a badge of honour. But there’s still progress to be made, not just in the events industry, but across the wider business landscape. True work life balance will only become the norm when more businesses realise that a people first approach isn’t just kind – it’s commercially smarter.
How do you see the events industry evolving in terms of diversity, equity and inclusion?
On paper, the industry is female dominated – 59% of event professionals are women. Yet at the top, men are significantly more likely to reach senior roles, with women holding only 22% of executive leadership roles.
That imbalance matters. Leadership shapes not only business outcomes from diverse thinking, innovation, but also the culture. To shift the dial, there needs to be intentional pathways into leadership, transparent progression structures, and leaders who champion diverse talent rather than defaulting to the same voices.
At Sleek, we’re committed to building an environment where everyone can grow – not just the loudest or most confident. That includes our in-house learning and development programme, Sleek Academy, which helps team members build skills, confidence, and leadership potential. Alongside honest conversations and a culture where people feel seen, heard, and valued, this ensures inclusion isn’t a project – it’s the way we operate.
What advice would you give to young women looking to enter and succeed in the events industry?
Be curious, respectful and open minded. Some of my most important professional moments began with conversations that didn’t look like opportunities at the time, and this is where being respectful and kind can open doors later down the line. You never know what a positive first impression could lead to. Invest in people, build genuine connections, and let relationships grow naturally, without ego or an agenda.
And remember that you don’t need to have it all figured out on day one. Growth isn’t linear. It’s a series of small decisions, mistakes, and learnings that move you forward.
How do you handle setbacks and failures?
I handle failure openly. I talk about it with my teams, share what I’ve learned, and encourage them to do the same – otherwise, you can’t grow together. Vulnerability and transparency have become some of the most powerful parts of how I lead. I also try not to frame things as failures or setbacks – everything offers a lesson and a chance to approach things differently. As long as you stay true to your purpose and values, and let them guide your decisions for the business, the path forward becomes much clearer.
What changes do you think are still needed to create more opportunities for women in leadership?
I’ve mentioned it earlier, but we need to encourage workplace culture that doesn’t force you to sacrifice your life outside of it to succeed, structured pathways into leadership, and leaders who champion female talent proactively.
However, I also think it is important that we need to broaden our definition of what strong leadership looks like. Women are often told to be confident, assertive, and bold, but collaboration, empathy, patience, creativity, and care are powerful leadership qualities.
They shouldn’t be seen as “soft skills” or secondary traits. When these qualities are valued at the same level as more traditional markers of leadership, women won’t just have the space to lead – they’ll have the space to lead authentically.