ORLA O'DWYER
Burlingame,CA
Summary
SEASONED MARKETING LEADER with international expertise in delivering strategic brand and attendee experiences. Excellent industry and production knowledge, content and program architecture and C-suite collaboration.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Head of Experiential Events
TMX VettaFi
Burlingame, CA
08.2022 - 04.2026
- Responsible for bringing a dynamic, annual, 1500-2000pax financial industry conference to life. I've built deep relationships with financial advisors, fund managers, media, and exchanges to inform agenda strategy, program architecture and attendee experience. My hands-on role requires regular engagement with internal executive, marketing, design, product and sales teams.
- I personally develop all sponsorship opportunities resulting in revenue exceeding $5M and ~$1M in ticket sales.
- Hand-select key agency partners to ensure logistical success with program's tradeshow, multiple stages, engagement opportunities, speaker management, registration and data collection.
Event Management
Independent Event Contractor
San Francisco, CA
01.2019 - 07.2022
- Full-scale program management for corporate projects in London, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Milan and Nashville
- Sabbatical to manage family elder care
Director of Event Strategy
Key Events
San Francisco, CA
07.2017 - 12.2018
- Lead operations teams in executing against plan to deliver exceptional attendee experiences
- Primary lead for agency's largest client (private equity) on white-glove client and employee programs, including those held in Paris, Brooklyn, Austin and San Francisco. Oversaw individual event budgets up to $4M
- Hire, onboard and mentor operations team members
Sr. Manager
RODAN + FIELDS
San Francisco, CA
05.2016 - 12.2016
- Oversaw development and execution of company's four-day, multi-faceted annual convention for 14K attendees in Las Vegas
Head of EMEA Events
BlackRock
London, UK
01.2013 - 03.2016
- Directed all activities related to 120 annual event programs throughout the EMEA region while working directly with C-Suite Executives to create and execute philanthropic programs
- Oversaw $10 million+ annual budget for iShares ETF, retail, institutional client events and sponsorship hospitality
- Hired, trained and managed a multi-national team of planners and contractors involved in all aspects of event production: development of executive and creative briefs to overall budgeting, vendor/agency management, digital and design coordination, talent management and execution. Ensured operational consistency with Americas and Asia events teams
- Managed contract negotiation and activation of two-year, $2M (US) sponsorship with Goodwood suite of annual motor and horse racing events in southern England
- Wrote/delivered an events handbook for use by over 150 sales and admin staff in 11 countries
- Chaired the first regional employee engagement committee: 1. initiatives directly raised annual employee opinion survey scores and 2. recognition program was successfully deployed globally
Director - Event Management CMP
BlackRock
San Francisco, CA
12.2010 - 01.2013
- Directly supervised local planners to deliver 110 annual events (U.S., Mexico, Brazil) while coordinating with NY-based planners to provide consistent best practices
- Led project teams including marketing, sales, and creative services to deliver objective-driven conferences and special events
- Researched, contracted and managed professional speakers
- Co-led BlackRock's largest annual philanthropy event with 49ers Foundation. Brought a grassroots program with annual proceeds of $16k to $830k within 2yrs. Negotiated and contracted multiple venues and vendors, solicited auction and raffle prizes valued at over $130k and led coordination of all day-of activities with a team of over 40 volunteers
VP - Head of Americas Events CMP, Series 7, 63
Barclays Global Advisors
San Francisco, CA
01.2004 - 12.2010
- Supervised team of planners to build and execute programs across the U.S. and Latin America for iShares and Institutional businesses as well as executive and sales groups. Programs ranged from complex, multi-day investor conferences of 250pax to gala parties for 2kpax
- Developed proprietary hospitality and content-based events for clients with key sponsorships: Cirque du Soleil, Tribeca Film Festival, SFMoMA, etc.
Education
B.A - English Literature and Creative Writing
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IAContinuing Ed in Creative Writing - undefined
Stanford University
Palo Alto, CASkills
- Full-scale bespoke event production
- Large-scale (>$10M/event) budget experience
- Program strategy and development
- Vendor negotiation and management
- Speaker and entertainment management
- Team leader and mentor
- Brand strategy: identity and execution
- A/V and technical staging
- Agency coordination and oversight
- Attendee experience incl apps
Timeline
Head of Experiential Events
TMX VettaFi
08.2022 - 04.2026
Event Management
Independent Event Contractor
01.2019 - 07.2022
Director of Event Strategy
Key Events
07.2017 - 12.2018
Sr. Manager
RODAN + FIELDS
05.2016 - 12.2016
Head of EMEA Events
BlackRock
01.2013 - 03.2016
Director - Event Management CMP
BlackRock
12.2010 - 01.2013
VP - Head of Americas Events CMP, Series 7, 63
Barclays Global Advisors
01.2004 - 12.2010
Continuing Ed in Creative Writing - undefined
Stanford University
B.A - English Literature and Creative Writing
University of Iowa