Fiona Macdonald - Programme & Events
Joined the Board: May 2020
Role: Programme & Events Director
Length of time with the network: 4 years
Fiona is an events and tourism specialist. As Senior Manager, Business Events at VisitBritain, Fiona delivers on the UK government’s strategy to grow international business events in the UK under the government-wide ‘GREAT Britain’ campaign.
Fiona leads an international marketing campaign a targeting the events industry which includes a busy event programme of international tradeshows and conferences and regularly speaking at events industry forums.
At Reed Exhibitions – one of the world’s largest events companies and a FTSE-100 – Fiona delivered on an ambitious global growth strategy for the Travel Division with double-digit revenue growth. Through new launches and acquisitions, the Division doubled in size with 14 new events in 11 countries, including the international expansion of well-known events including World Travel Market, one of the UK’s largest trade events with 50,000 travel professionals.
Fiona’s career started at the NZ Ministry of Tourism (now MBIE), giving tourism policy and research advice to the then Tourism Minister, Prime Minister John Key, working on a number of nationally-important tourism projects including the national cycleway.
Passionate about female empowerment and leadership, Fiona is excited to develop one of the most critical elements of the Network – its events and programmes – to enable the NZBWN community create powerful, personal connections.
Fiona grew up in Timaru, with a Bachelors and Masters degrees from Otago University. She’s lived in in London for nine years and loves travelling and the outdoors – especially snowboarding and mountain biking.