The Museum of London was a fantastic venue for the Global WiM Awards 2018. We hear from our event organisers Tendai Kariwo, Philanthropy Manager and Francesca Doria, Partnerships Manager who helped bring the evening to life.
F: From that very first meeting with Ade a few months ago, I was struck by the level of passion and commitment behind the WiM project: A labour of love. The highlight for me was seeing so many talented and creative individuals at the Museum of London being recognized for their contribution to Marketing: the buzz of excitement in the room was palpable. Loved every minute of it.
T: I have known Ade and WiM for a little while now and I was very excited to introduce her to the museum. It has been an intense and exciting journey over the past few months leading up to a successful awards evening. The highlight of my evening was hearing the inspiring stories about the people being honoured at the awards. And of course the animated conversation I had about our shoe collection with people at my table.
WiM: It was amazing for our guests to have exclusive access to the Suffragettes Vote for Women 100 years collection. Tell us about the positivity this collection has created since it was opened.
F: It has been an incredible year for us. The Votes for Women display has generated a huge amount of interest and our curator Beverley has been in very high demand non-stop since the display opened last February. I know that people have been particularly moved by the short-form film in the display which beautifully conveys just how much these women sacrificed for their cause at a time when women were not expected to have a voice or indeed a choice.
T: Prior to joining Museum of London, I didn’t know that we held such an important collection; the largest militant Suffragette collection in the world. We have been a significant part of the Votes for Women 100 Years national commemorations this year. It has been incredibly fulfilling to see a lot of people engaging with our exhibition as well as our permanent display. We have reached a wider audience through our resident rockstar, Beverley Cook, Curator of Social & Working History revealing the unknown stories, especially of the lesser known suffragettes through talks, interviews and tours.
WiM: Please tell us a little about your roles at the Museum of London
F: My job is to connect corporate supporters with the museum, unlocking opportunities for truly exciting and impactful partnerships. There is nowhere like the Museum of London, and we take huge pride in creating corporate partnerships that are built on a shared passion for London. I manage our corporate memberships and also find sponsors for exhibitions and other projects across our museums. I am really excited about our brand new corporate membership scheme which offers our partners a really great opportunity to share a deep connection with all the wonderful stories that make this city so special while allowing them to support our research, exhibitions, learning and outreach.
T: I work with Philanthropic individuals / families, game changers and influencers who support our work at the museum. My job is to develop relationships with people who are passionate about the museum and our journey – to create a museum that London truly deserves at West Smithfield. Over the next few months and years I will look to grow this community through developing more initiatives such as the Votes for Women Giving Circle and the newly launched Young Society of Londoners programme.
WiM: Are there any gems/exhibitions happening in 2019?
F: Our Exhibitions & Displays teams are working on some pretty cool projects which are scheduled to open in spring 2019: our next major exhibition at London Wall, Beasts of London, explores the fascinating role animals have played in shaping the capital, from the Roman era through Medieval London and right up to the present day. Inspired by objects in our collection and created in partnership with the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, we will use video projection mapping alongside other art forms to create a truly wonderful visitor experience. At our Docklands museum, Secret Rivers will tell the story of how the Thames has dominated London and its history over centuries and how it is itself fed by a series of rivers, streams and brooks—most are now hidden beneath modern streets and pavements so our visitors will have a chance to rediscover them.
T: In addition to the exciting big exhibitions, we will have an intriguing display “Disease X” which uses the museum’s collections to show the effect of historic epidemics on London and how we might learn from the past, including past successes such as the eradication of smallpox and cholera. The display will feature Queen Victoria’s mourning dress: The dress worn whilst the Queen mourned her grandson and second in line to the throne, Prince Albert Victor.
WiM: Where do you see yourself professionally in 5 years time?
F: Thanks to the Museum of London I got the incredible opportunity to work on one of the biggest cultural projects in Europe: opening the doors on a new Museum of London at West Smithfield in 2023. I can’t wait to be the first through the door!
T: I would love to create a thriving diverse community of Philanthropic individuals/groups who will be standing with us as we open the doors to a 24 hour Museum of London at West Smithfield. It is my personal mission to have a community of donors and supporters that reflect London!
WiM: Can we tempt you to enter or nominate a colleague to enter the WiM Awards 2019?!
F: I nominate our Assistant Head of Marketing Natalie Rowan! She’s only been at the museum a few weeks and is already making a huge impact, creatively and as a great colleague.
T: I second that nomination!
If you’re poised to enter the Axim CX Award: Inspirational leader in the field of Customer Experience, take heed of wise words from Martin Smith, Chairman, Axim Global:
Plus EMR Recruitment Agency, supporters of the 2018 WiM Awards, share with us an interview with Kirstin Burt, Executive Director and Head of Marketing for UBS Wealth Management on how she’s navigated her way to the top and what she thinks of the gender pay gap, and if we can do anything about it. This interview comes courtesy of Catherine Henderson, Head of Marketing at EMR.
