CEO Today Africa Awards

CAROL WEAVING Managing Director Reed Exhibitions ABOUT CAROL WEAVING Over 30 years, Carol’s career has expanded through many sectors within the industry, and her knowledge and expertise spans across marketing, exhibition management, events, conferences as well as venue and facility management. Carol is the past Chairperson of the Exhibition Association of Southern Africa (EXSA) and the former Chairperson of the Association of African Exhibition Organisers (AAXO). Carol also served on the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) committee. After growing up in the United Kingdom and working as the Marketing Manager for a Radio Station, Carol pursued her dream of living in South Africa, and became the youngest Director (age 29) of the Automobile Association at the Kyalami Racetrack in Midrand, Johannesburg, which equipped her with the skill set she would soon need to start her own company, International Exhibition Consultants. Carol later sold majority share of this company to Dutch exhibition company RAI, and then proceeded to head up RAI in South Africa. As the South African economy grew and expanded over her time at RAI, she realised a need to team up with an empowerment partner and proceeded to facilitate a buy-out of RAI’s shares to the Thebe Tourism group in 2004, a subsidiary of South Africa’s first Black Empowerment Company, Thebe Investment Corporation. In November 2013 Reed Exhibitions, the world’s largest and most respected exhibition company and part of the RELX Group, signed a joint venture agreement with the Thebe Tourism Group and Carol to acquire a majority share in Thebe Exhibitions & Projects Group (TEPG). TEPG was renamed Thebe Reed Exhibitions and was owned 60% by Reed Exhibitions, 30% by Thebe Tourism Group, with Carol Weaving retaining 10% as Managing Director. Three years later and a desire for accelerated growth, Reed bought out Thebe’s shares and in 2017, Thebe Reed became Reed Exhibitions Africa. Thanks to Carol’s continued passion, hard work, dedication and management, Reed Exhibitions Africa is the leading and most successful exhibition and venue management company in Southern Africa and is now in a position to grow its footprint across the African continent with many new ventures in the pipeline. Carol’s natural ability to envision, develop and manage not only her team but large and prosperous projects is displayed through the phenomenal success of Reed Exhibitions Africa. AWARDS • CEO Today Magazine Africa Award 2018 • Finalist for Standard Bank Top Businesswoman Award 2018 • Woman in MICE Newsmaker of the year 2017 • Nominated for the 7th All Africa Business Leader Awards 2017 • Women in MICE 2016 • Top Female Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the 2014 Standard Bank Top Women Awards • Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the Virgin Active Sport industry Awards 2012 for the Sports & Events Tourism Exchange • Top Performing Business Woman of the Year at the African Access National Business Awards 2011 • Inducted into the EXSA Hall of Fame 2011 • Winner of the Business Woman of the Year in the Entrepreneurial Category (BWA 2009) • Winner of Employee Satisfaction Award (Thebe Excellence Awards 2009 & 2010) • Most valued contribution to the Exhibition Industry 2007 FIRM PROFILE Africa is taking its rightful place in the world of exhibitions and events and Reed Exhibitions is proud to be leading the way as the sector continues its growth across the continent. In this technologically advanced era, Reed Exhibitions recognise the importance of remaining relevant and in touch with new developments in order to productively deliver exhibitions, conferences and events that continue to meet their clients’ commercial needs whilst playing a part in Africa’s economic growth. In the recent past, Reed Exhibitions has grown it’s footprint across a successful and diverse range of business sectors and is now the owner of established titles within a cross section of economic sectors delivering exhibitions, trade fairs, events and conferences as an integral part of the marketing mix for many corporates, SMME’s and government entities. In addition, their management of one of Johannesburg’s leading venues, the Ticketpro Dome, has stood them in good stead to soon implement their expansion strategy for venue management in other regions of Africa. Their growth is a testament to the team of highly talented individuals, with skills and expertise in a diverse array of sectors. Each one of the team is committed to the client experience, applying a 365° touchpoint approach to the customer journey with them. The ambition is to further immerse their expertise in bringing more business within and to the African continent. As experienced relationship brokers, they pride themselves on matching businesses with the right people, to do real business, and to realising meaningful results for their partners. The group owns major exhibition titles such as Africa Travel Week made up of International Luxury Travel Market Africa (ILTM); World Travel Market Africa (WTM Africa) and Sports and Events Tourism Exchange. Other well know titles in the Reed Exhibitions Africa portfolio include Africa Automation Fair, Connected Industries, #BuyaBusiness Expo, Decorex SA, 100% Design South Africa, Mediatech Africa, Small Business Expo, International Sourcing Fair, FIBO Global Fitness Africa, Fire & Feast Meat Festival and Comic Con Africa. Reed also offer strategic venue management solutions and are under contract to manage the award- winning Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg, on behalf of its owners – the Sasol Pension Fund, until 2024. Web: www.reedexpoafrica.co.za Phone: +27 11 549 8300 Email: info@reedexpoafrica.co.za carol.weaving@reedexpoafrica.co.za SOUTH AFRICA www.ceotodaymagazine.com 54 CEO Today Africa Awards 2018