Rachel Azzopardi
Job title: Head of Catering & Events
How long have you been at Regent’s and what do you love most about your job?
Too long!! Nearly 9 years, but had 2 roles within that time. I love the variety of the job – no two days are ever the same, which is fab. Seeing the summer events on the lawns is always fun and seeing clients leaving very happy is the most rewarding feeling.
What’s the best event you’ve ever helped put on at Regent’s?
It has to be the LFW Topshop event – so many different suppliers to deal with and of course the ‘fashionistas’ that was an experience! They certainly had high expectations but the whole event was great fun (not least the star spotting – Anna Wintour, Cara Delavigne, Kate Moss etc…), a huge challenge but really rewarding.
What’s the most elaborate/unusual request a client has ever come to you with?
The petting zoo and snakes were interesting…
Have you ever saved an event from near disaster? Tell us the story…
A client turned up one day without a booking but had 30 people arriving within the next half hour. Luckily we had a room available, galvanised the whole team and had the room set up within 10 minutes and catering organised within 15. They were very grateful.
Tell us one thing your colleagues and clients probably don’t know about you?
I have a phobia of snakes. I can’t even see a picture of one I get that freaked out.
What is your biggest, professional or personal, claim to fame?
I met Muhammed Ali, which was pretty awesome!
Rafael Azzopardi
Job title: External Events Manager
How long have you been at Regent’s Conferences & Events and what do you love most about your job?
I’ve been involved with the Events here since 2008 and permanently on the team since 2015. I like weddings the best. Making a couples’ day really special does give me a lot of satisfaction
What’s the most elaborate/unusual request a client has ever come to you with?
We had a request for a stand alone door with a frame for a theatre company. It was an essential prop for the production but the client hadn’t checked before the day whether we had one or not. Luckily we did.
Have you ever saved an event from near disaster? Tell us the story…
When working for a government department I received a phone call at 11am to ask if everything was alright for the cocktail reception that evening at 5pm for 300 people including visiting ambassadors, Lords, MPs , cabinet ministers and a few celebrities. I pointed out that the gentlemen on the line had not responded to 5 emails, 5 phone calls and a visit to their office asking him to confirm whether the planned event was going ahead or not. We referred him to an email we had sent a month previously confirming that as he hadn’t responded to any of our various requests for confirmation we would be cancelling the enquiry and not supplying anything for him. He apologised profusely and asked if there was anything we could do as it would cause embarrassment for the government and cost him his job. I asked the long-suffering chef to produce canapés from his kitchen and neighbouring kitchens. I rang our flexible staffing agency and we delivered on time without the guy’s boss knowing.
Tell us one thing your colleagues and clients probably don’t know about you
I once swore in front of Diana, Princess of Wales
What is your biggest, professional or personal, claim to fame?
I am a Maître de Sabrage.
Filippo Viti
Job title: Conference & Events Assistant Manager
How long have you been at Regent’s and what do you love most about your job?
I have joined Regent’s last October, so I am quite new here. The best thing is the variety in terms of the clients one deals with and in terms of the range of events, from conferences and corporate meetings to kids’ birthdays and summer parties. Every day is different from the one before.
What’s the best event you’ve ever helped put on at Regent’s?
I love the kids’ birthday parties, but I am looking forward to working on my first season of summer parties.
What’s the most elaborate/unusual request a client has ever come to you with?
Once when I was working for a communication company in Italy, a client asked just two days before the event to have a wonderful fall of snowflakes. The only problem was that the event was in the middle of August in a small island in the south of Italy. It took a while to find a supplier able to realise this request, but at the end we managed and it really was remarkable.
Have you ever saved an event from near disaster? Tell us the story…
Fortunately I have never had any disaster which I had to deal with, I don’t know if this is because I am a good planner or just because I have been lucky… probably the second one!
What is your biggest, professional or personal, claim to fame?
Definitely it has been when I decided to leave my comfortable life in Italy to start a new personal and professional experience here in the UK. It took a bit to settle but at the end I made it.
Marion Eastwood
Job title: Internal Events Manager
How long have you been at Regent’s and what do you love most about your job?
I have been at Regent’s for five years, the last two years in my current role – I worked in Learning & Development before that. I love the variety that my role brings to my every day. No two clients are the same, and nor are their requirements. Every event is bespoke. I also love the environment we work in. We are incredibly fortunate to work in such beautiful surroundings where we can watch the seasons change. I still pinch myself when I come into work every morning.
What’s the best event you’ve ever helped put on at Regent’s?
I enjoy planning and delivering the annual graduation receptions which we hold out on our beautiful lawns each summer. It’s such a joyful day, welcoming our graduates and their families immediately after their graduation ceremonies, to celebrate their great life achievement. I also recently supported a high level event where the Governor of the Bank of England delivered a talk here at our University.
Tell us one thing your colleagues and clients probably don’t know about you…
I am a trained Civil Celebrant, and can conduct naming ceremonies, renewal of vows, etc. outside of work.
What is your biggest, professional or personal, claim to fame?
I once worked for De Beers when I lived in South Africa and had an opportunity to hold a bucket of uncut diamonds worth many millions of dollars when I visited the Central Sorting Office.
Shareena Sattaur
Job title: Conferences and Events Coordinator
How long have you been at Regent’s and what do you love most about your job?
10 years. I’ve been very fortunate to work with great people at Regent’s. The Conferences and Events team are the most genuine, hard-working, fun people to work with.
What’s the best event you’ve ever helped put on at Regent’s?
The annual Graduation Ceremonies have played a big part in my working life. You never know who is going to be in attendance, from footballers, Paralympians and designers to high-profiled individuals and members of Royal Families.
What’s the most elaborate/unusual request a client has ever come to you with?
A graduate had ripped her tights and had asked for moisturiser to be ‘leg ready’ for her time to walk across the stage!
Tell us one thing your colleagues and clients probably don’t know about you
I love baking. And F1.
