Samantha Cox, Sir Richard Branson’s former EA, joins office* show Keynote line-up
Samantha Cox, former EA to Sir Richard Branson – one of the UK's most successful entrepreneurs, is now confirmed to host a headline Keynote Q&A at office* 2016.
Ms Cox will be taking part in an exclusive interview, hosted by Lucy Brazier, publisher of Executive Secretary Magazine, on Thursday 12 May, the second day of office* – the award-winning business event for executive office support professionals, which takes place at the new venue of ExCeL London.
British-born Samantha Cox, currently corporate director of VIP Services for South Florida, USA-based Seminole Gaming, has lived and travelled all over the world. Her impressive background includes over 16 years’ experience in executive assistant roles for high profile clients, such as Sir Richard Branson.
“Sir Richard Branson played a very large role in influencing my career and allowing me to believe the world is my oyster,” she says.
In 1998, she was turned down for a job as a member of the Virgin cabin crew team and received a letter from Branson encouraging her to reapply in the future. A decade later, while working for Virgin Australia she ended up taking up a prestigious offer to be his executive assistant at his private Caribbean home on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands.
She cites dealing with the aftermath of the “massive fire” on that island in 2011, as one of the biggest challenges of her career. Highlights, meanwhile, included the opportunity to travel the world at Branson’s side. During her four-year tenure as Branson’s EA (between 2008 and 2012), she also became involved with his philanthropic endeavour Virgin Unite, as well as The Elders organisation, an independent group of global leaders who work together for peace and human rights, founded by the late Nelson Mandela.
“When I moved from being a PA at Virgin Australia to being Sir Richard Branson’s EA, I took myself out of my comfort zone and had the attitude of: what’s there to lose,” she says. “I didn’t know if I would get the position, but I had to take the chance. I actually sent Richard a video message, rather than just sending my resume.
“A brilliant EA is invaluable. They are always one step ahead of you. I think a lot of people see them as the person who does the expense report, manages the diary etc, but I truly believe that CEOs, directors and managers have to account for some of their success being due to having a solid support person in their EA,” she says.
To read an exclusive Q&A with Samantha Cox, ahead of her office* Keynote appearance, please visit www.officeshow.co.uk/Keynote-QA-Samantha-Cox.
Other new names to join the 2016 Keynote line-up are Bianca Miller – an award winning entrepreneur and 2014 finalist in the BBC's The Apprentice, sharing her insights into improving personal branding, and inspirational speaker Ania Lichota, who’ll be discussing the self-awareness and attitude evolution required to progress up the leadership path and the ‘true value of extreme adventure’.
Ms Lichota, who left Poland in 1996 with one bag on a bus to study at the London School of Economics, has since travelled to 67 countries, lived in nine, and worked in 17 at senior executive levels in financial services (including MACE, GE Capital, and UBS). Other achievements include speaking at TEDx in Warsaw and Barcelona, climbing the highest peak on every continent (including Mount Everest) and completing Marathon des Sables (a 256 km race across the Sahara).
Previously confirmed speakers include Libby Moore, former EA/chief of staff to Oprah Winfrey, who’ll be hosting a headline Keynote on Wednesday 11 May.
The full office* Keynote programme will be unveiled over the next few weeks. The show, which annually attracts over 4,000 attendees, will also feature eight free office management and virtual assistant specific training sessions, eight free hot topic group discussions, 36 CPD accredited seminars, and 150 sector leading exhibitors.
Free registration for office* 2016
The next edition of office* will take place at ExCeL London, on 11-12 May 2016. Admission to the Keynote programme is non-bookable and included with free show entry. For further information and to register, please visit www.officeshow.co.uk and quote priority code DVIS14 (direct link: https://registration.n200.com/survey/3lzwzu5vhccmo?actioncode=DVIS14).
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Notes:
office* won ‘Best PA Industry Event’ 2014 at pa-assist.com’s Members Voice Awards in 2014. office* was shortlisted for ‘Best UK Trade Show Exhibition (under 2,000m2)’ at the Association of Event Organisers (AEO) Excellence Awards in both 2013 and 2014.
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Diversified Communications UK Ltd (Diversified UK) is a fast growing trade event organiser and publisher based in Brighton, Peterborough, and Nailsworth. Diversified UK’s event portfolio includes office*; Accountex; SITS – The Service Desk & IT Support Show; Casual Dining; lunch!; Commercial Kitchen; Natural & Organic Products Europe; Nordic Organic Food Fair and Natural Products Scandinavia in Malmö, Sweden; camexpo; Geo Business; Capturing Reality; Ocean Business; MARELEC Marine Electromagnetics conference; Euro Bus Expo; Coach & Bus Live; and British Tourism & Travel Show. For more information, visit: www.divcom.co.uk.
Diversified UK is part of Diversified Communications, a leading international media company providing market access, education and information through global, national and regional face–to–face events, digital and print publications and television stations. Diversified serves a number of industries including: seafood, food service, natural and organic, healthcare, commercial marine, and business management. Based in Portland, Maine, USA, Diversified employs over 850 staff, across eight divisions in seven countries. For more information, visit: www.divcom.com.
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