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Alison Willis - Easyfairs

Alison Willis

CEO - UK & Global, Easyfairs

Alison Willis is a visionary leader in the exhibitions and events industry, currently CEO of Easyfairs UK & Global. With over 25 years of experience, she has consistently demonstrated a passion for connecting communities and fostering innovation across diverse sectors.

Alison's career began in exhibition sales, progressing through pivotal roles in event management at Centaur, UBM, and Ascential. Her tenure in these organisations allowed her to gain extensive experience across multiple sectors, including technology, packaging, food festivals, and aesthetic medicine. She has been instrumental in launching numerous events and media platforms, leading diverse portfolios, and focusing on community engagement.

Since joining Easyfairs in 2017, Alison's strategic vision and collaborative leadership have propelled her through the ranks, culminating in her appointment as CEO in 2024. 

In this role, she oversees the UK & Global region of Easyfairs, a dynamic organisation that orchestrates over 150 events across 12 countries and manages eight state-of-the-art venues in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Easyfairs is committed to 'easifying' the lives of its customers by delivering outstanding event experiences through time-efficient, customer-focused solutions and advanced technology.

Beyond her corporate responsibilities, Alison is deeply committed to the broader events community. She serves as Chair at the Association of Event Organisers (AEO) and is an active mentor for Women in Exhibitions (WIE), reflecting her dedication to leadership, talent development, and inclusivity within the wider industry.

As a mother to two young daughters, she understands the challenges of balancing a demanding career with family life. She is a passionate advocate for flexible working and well-being in the workplace and serves as a positive role model for working parents striving to achieve harmony between their professional and personal lives.

Testimonials

  • A huge thank you for the awards on Friday! It's one of the best awards I've been to in a while! The choice of entertainment was excellent, Dara O Briain was hilarious and it was just generally a brilliantly organised, fun day. Thank you to the whole team for your hard work. You're all fabulous.
    Julia Danmeri
    CEO & Founder, TranslateAble
  • I wanted to congratulate you both, and the wider AEO team, on such a fantastic awards ceremony last week. I have not attended the AEO Awards for several years, and perhaps I forgot just how much of a special day it is… it was incredibly well organised, and it was such a wonderful occasion.
    Ashley Roberts
    Managing Director, CONNECT
  • What a fantastic AEO Awards last Friday; such a buzz and a brilliant afternoon all round. Thank you all for putting on such a fabulous event. What Else Events will be back next year with an even stronger case. For now, being a Finalist is a major achievement in such a competitive category.
    Tim Else
    Founder & Managing Director, What Else Events

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