#EventProf of the week: Emily Waind, Seen Presents
Each week we will focus on a StandOut individual who has been extraordinary within the events industry. This week it is Emily Waind, project manager at Seen Presents
How did you get into the events industry? Where has your career taken you and what roles have you enjoyed?
Lots of people say, “I always wanted to do events from a young age”, but I would be lying if I said this was the case for me too. I wanted to be a doctor, but when I didn’t get a place at medical school, I pivoted to studying biological sciences. I was also really into music, so I started helping organise events with some friends. Before I knew it, I was running these bi-weekly, across multiple nights, and even co-organising a small festival. I enjoyed it so much that I swapped out one of my modules for events management. The rest was history, as they say.
What is it about your job that you love doing?
Taking a marketing problem, figuring out how to solve it, designing an event to address it, and then bringing that vision to life. Events have a unique power to create emotional connections, and witnessing those moments first-hand is incredibly rewarding. This emotional impact feels deeper than other forms of marketing like TV ads or billboards. I also love going on-site and experiencing the team camaraderie. There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing all our hard work come together as a successful event.
What’s been the stand-out moment of your career so far?
I’m still early in my career, but the first event you deliver as the lead is extremely memorable. Mine was the “Be a Cat Café” activation for the cat food brand Felix, where guests literally pretended to be cats. It featured a giant cat flap and lots of quirky touches…
Additionally, I got to go to Cannes Lions for the first time this year as Seen Presents are responsible for producing the iconic Netflix rooftop. This year’s activation was an incredibly immersive multi-area setup showcasing some of their biggest upcoming titles—this year included Squid Game, Emily in Paris, The Gentlemen, Bridgerton, Stranger Things, and Senna. Along with producing the event, it was inspiring to see how other brands showed up at Cannes.