The global recession in 2008 may not be fondly remembered by many but, for Global Director of Events Hope Ellen, it created a surprising platform for her personal development with the Firm.

Hope started working for White & Case in New York in October 2007, although initially she was contracted to American Express with a remit to help with our events management.

She explains: “I was hired as a temp to cover someone who was going on maternity leave but, when she went into labor unexpectedly just days ahead of a major event, I was thrown in at the deep end.

“The event was actually Hugh Verrier’s first speaking engagement after he became Chair, so there was a lot of pressure and I really had to hit the ground running, but I think the way I took it in my stride and managed the event successfully really impressed people.”

Hope’s performance didn’t go unnoticed and, in March 2008, she joined the Firm permanently in the role of events coordinator.

“I joined when the the global recession was just about to start and, as a result, there was a lot of pressure on resources.”

She explains: “I joined when the the global recession was just about to start and, as a result, there was a lot of pressure on resources.

“That meant I just had to knuckle down and do whatever was needed and, while my job was officially about event management, I literally had to help with everything from concierge to car services, anything and everything related to hospitality – I was involved.

“In a lot of ways, that set me up really well for my career with the Firm, because it gave me a really broad skillset and helped me to see all the different elements that contribute to a successful event first-hand.”

Hope’s experience of event management began as an intern while still attending Hofstra University.

She joined a newly established events company operating from the apartment of her then boss, who formerly was Director of Events at the New York Stock Exchange.

She says: “It was all about learning fast and doing whatever you had to do to get the job done. As the business was so new, we’d accept any work we were offered, including wedding planning, which was sometimes highly stressful and difficult.

“What it taught me was the importance of having good relationships, being patient and humble, able to think on your feet, dealing with situations and, in particular, getting on with different kinds of people.”

Since joining the Firm, Hope has quickly risen through the ranks, driven by a strong work ethic and attention to detail. The events team transferred from operations to the marketing department in 2014 and Hope took up the position of global director of events three years ago.

She says: “I think what has helped me throughout my career is my hunger to learn everything, to meet everyone and to try new things.

“Even before we were promoting the concept of our employee value proposition (EVP) I think the Firm was developing a culture where people are encouraged to not just be a good employee, but to go above and beyond and, if you do that, the opportunities and rewards are there to take.

“I hope my career shows what can be achieved in the Firm if you have that attitude.”

“I hope my career shows what can be achieved in the Firm if you have that attitude.”

Hope now leads a team of 15 direct reports with influence across the globe and team members in New York, Houston, Silicon Valley, Washington, D.C., London, Germany and Asia. Their responsibility is to organize global events (both internal and external) and retreats, oversee event strategy, while also offering event support to local offices where needed to ensure they have what they need and aid consistency.

Hope says: “The way the Firm does events is so much more thought out than it was a decade ago, when we’d usually handle around 15 events a year.

“Now we organize over 1,000 events globally and that’s not including smaller events organized locally at offices around the world.”

The ability to think on your feet is critical to organizing any event and there is no better example than when the team ran a global citizenship event for 1,000+ people in Boston in 2013.

“We were holding it at the Court House but, because of a government shutdown, we only learnt the venue wouldn’t be available the night before the event,” says Hope.

“As a result, we had to find an alternative venue in under 24 hours, set everything up and inform the attendees, which was a huge logistical challenge, but we successfully switched it to the aquarium and everyone who attended was really impressed.”

Another challenge came in 2016 when the bi-annual Global Partners Meeting (GPM) had to be switched from Istanbul to Florida due to political unrest three months in advance.

Hope explains: “Moving an event of that size and complexity across the world is no simple task, but it is really rewarding when you rise above a challenge and deliver a successful event. The key is to make the event run so smoothly that it appears effortless, even if we know the months of hard work that have gone into it.”

According to Hope, organizing the GPM is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.

She says: “Planning for the next GPM starts even before the last one has finished – it’s literally a two-year job with so many aspects to take into account.

“At the moment we’re deep into the organization of the next one in London 2020, working closely with the team in London to put everything in place. It’s a huge task, but it’s extremely rewarding and always one of the highlights of my job.”

“When you are involved in so many events it can be easy to move from one to the next, but it’s important to take time to reflect, learn from each other and develop.”

Having flourished in her career at the Firm to date, Hope is clear on the advice she’d give to others on reaching their potential. She says: “There are so many amazing opportunities if you’re willing to roll up your sleeves and work hard.

“It’s also important not to overlook the amount of resources and support we have across the Firm these days. It’s so much better than it was when I started.

“From my team’s perspective, I always stress the importance of putting in the work in advance, because pre-planning thoroughly is so important so you can actually relax on the day.

“I also advise everyone to try different things and push themselves and, from my perspective, another important lesson I’ve learnt is to be able to let go, trust in my team and avoid the temptation to micro-manage every detail, something I am still working on now.

“When you are involved in so many events it can be easy to move from one to the next, but it’s important to take time to reflect, learn from each other and develop.”