As the recently elected president of Reed Exhibitions North America, Nancy Walsh is responsible for the entire portfolio of B2B and B2C business.
With a reputation as a results-oriented, forward-thinking and customer-focused leader, Walsh has been successful in driving business growth, generating revenues and delivering customer value for Reed through collaboration, partnership and great relationships.
During her time with Reed, Walsh has been successful in engaging her teams, motivating them and instilling loyalty and excitement throughout the organization. Her leadership, marketing insight and industry expertise have strengthened Reed’s culture of innovation and extended both its product portfolio and industry reach.
Prior to her current role Walsh was executive vice-president, responsible for the day-to-day operations of the North American business, including portfolio management, sales, marketing and new business development. Her work included leading the growth and leadership of some of the largest events in the industry including JCK Las Vegas, The National Hardware Show, International Vision Expo, the PGA Merchandise Show and New York Comic Con.
Most recently she led Reed’s expansion into the Mexico market, taking Reed’s presence outside of US borders and establishing a blueprint for the company’s North American growth. Since the first acquisition in 2011, Walsh has grown Reed’s Mexican portfolio into a significant business, now representing over 50,000sqm (net) and almost 2,000 exhibiting customers. Her leadership has established Reed Exhibitions as the largest events producer in Mexico.
Here, she talks to EW about her plans for Reed’s US arm, and her journey to the top of one of the most influential organisers in the industry.
What made you join Reed, and what did you do prior to joining?
I was attracted to the events business because I loved the idea of connecting people and developing relationships. Prior to working at Reed, I was working for AT&T in a sales role, where I helped to identify the needs of residential customers, and then match them with products that AT&T offered. Reed offered me the opportunity to bring buyers and sellers together for a face-to-face interaction. And I could do that on industry-leading events as well as start-up shows, some of which have since developed into must-attend events.
You started Reed as an entry-level sales associate. Describe your journey with Reed, what observations have held true throughout your ascent to the role you hold today?
I started at Reed in 1985 as a sales executive and worked my way up through various sales leadership roles until eventually becoming the vice-president of sales for North America. When the company decided to decentralise sales, I was offered the opportunity to run a portfolio of events. As I grew those events, I was awarded the opportunity to add to my portfolio and expand my responsibilities. Then, as executive vice-president at Reed, I led the full North American portfolio of events, and championed our efforts to enter the Mexico market. Now, as president of Reed Exhibitions North America, I am responsible for approximately 40 shows in the US and 20 shows in Mexico, where we are the leading event organiser.
Throughout my career, I have found that a key to my success has been to always have a mentor who was interested in teaching and sharing their experiences with me. That way I have been able to learn and grow with each opportunity presented to me. In addition, I have a passion for this business. I love the concept of the face-to-face meeting, particularly in an era that is very online-focused. We spend a lot of time at Reed developing programmes that enhance the customer experience at our events, and I have been lucky enough to play a big role in the development of these programmes. We’ve even restructured our staff to better serve our customers and better meet their needs.
Additionally, my relationships both internally and externally have kept me extremely loyal and passionate about what I do. I have extensive and longstanding relationships that include our customers, vendors, employees and associations, and these relationships have given me the opportunity to develop new business ideas, transact large sales, bring in start-ups and help companies succeed at our events.
What do you wish to focus on as president of Reed North America?
As president of Reed North America I plan to focus on continuing to deliver value to our customers, enhancing and growing our business and in turn, developing and providing career opportunities to our employees. I strive to work as one company with other Reed offices globally, and to be able to leverage best practices and bring our customers into new markets.
What will be your strategy to strengthen Reed’s position in North America?
The strategy is to be more outwardly focused with customers, enhancing our customers’ experience as well as improving their business outcomes, using technology to further develop our business, and provide our customers with more efficient and effective ways to participate in our events.
Can you tell me more about Reed’s expansion into the Mexican market?
Our expansion into Mexico has been quick and successful. We originally bought three independent shows in sectors where we had expertise (security, hardware and home design) to establish our presence there. And last year we acquired a larger piece of business (Group Fidalex), and with that acquisition we now have a more complete business infrastructure. In total today we have 20 shows in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, and have plans in June to consolidate all of our employees to one location in Mexico City, where we will realise a synergy and develop a strong culture.
Following Informa’s takeover of Hanley Wood, are we likely to see any further acquisitions in North America and if so, in which sectors?
Although difficult to predict, I do believe that there will be more acquisitions in North America. We believe the industry is still in recovery mode from the recession, and that presents numerous opportunities for everyone in our business. The key will be for each organiser to identify which metrics are appealing and to pursue opportunities based on those decisions. Looking ahead, I believe that there are still many opportunities for acquisition out there.
Do you think there is a shortage of women in leadership positions in the exhibition industry? Why do you think that is?
I do think that was the case at one time, but as in many other businesses, there has been a shift, and I’m proud to say that we have a number of strong women in leadership roles. I am confident this will continue to evolve as our corresponding associations and groups, such as IAEE, SISO, TSE and others, continue to develop women in leadership programmes to help develop and recognise strong talent.
On a more personal note, who are your heroes in the industry?
There are so many people that have influenced me and helped my development over my career. Many of these people have helped to transform our business. It is difficult for me to list all the people that I see as heroes in helping us get through 9/11, Hurricane Sandy, the recession, to name a few. However those that come to mind include Mike Rusbridge, Chet Burchett, and Don Freeman.
What do you do in your spare time?
Of course, I love spending time with my family- my husband, my two children, and my four dogs. I enjoy reading novels, exercising and taking adventuresome vacations.
Interview by Antony Reeve-Crook
