Each week, we will focus on a StandOut individual who has been extraordinary within the events industry. This week it is Lucy Warden, managing director at People.

How did you get into the events industry? Where has your career taken you and what roles have you enjoyed?

My path began with studying graphic design at Kingston University. The course was conceptual, creative-led, and very different from those at other universities. Rather than technical skills for design software, our focus was on learning how to think in a truly creative way, exploring beyond what was expected. This deep and curious creativity is what led me into events. A contact suggested that I try a role in live events, and I fell in love with the possibilities I discovered.

I’m so proud to be one of the seven co-founders of People, our creative agency that turns ten this year. I led the creative department from when we set up the business in 2015, then moved into the role of managing director in late 2022. Having started out as a junior designer, my path is not typical for the industry, and I want to show creatives how they often have fantastic leadership skills. My journey through various highly collaborative teams was an ideal foundation for my role as MD, because I always had to understand how many different departments would work together to bring each wild vision to life.

What is it about your job that you love doing?

My favourite thing about my work is how we nurture culture and community. This unites and drives the whole team at People. We aim to “be more human”, making a positive difference to people through the environments and experiences we create, and in how we create them. It’s important for me that each member of my team loves coming to work, has all the tools they need to grow, and feels they can make change.

A big part of my role is making sure that our company culture carries into all our temporary project workforces, and into our relationships with freelancers, suppliers, partners, and clients. It’s about transparency, support, and empathy, but it’s also about encouraging each other to push limits and make a positive change wherever possible. I always challenge myself, and others, to think about the communities we’re spotlighting and building through our projects. How can we make an impact for them that lasts long after the event?

What’s been the stand out moment of your career so far?

Founding People, hands down. It was brave, and it felt exciting to start from a blank slate with everything to gain. It is incredible to look back and see how the dreams we started with are now reality.

What’s been your biggest achievement? Equally, what have you done that you can now look back on and be super proud of due to its challenges?

Taking on the role of MD was a big moment for me. In all honesty, the imposter syndrome was real! However, I’ve found that it’s an asset to come from outside the traditional corporate environment. I can bring a fresh perspective and approach things from my direct experience.

Throughout this shift, it has been amazing to have the respect and support of my team. I was just named by Management Today as one of its 35 Women Under 35 for 2025, and it means so much that my colleagues nominated me for this award. They wanted to celebrate the leap I made into leading the business – and I really hope that my story will inspire other women and creatives to forge their own paths, too.

What key pieces of advice would you give to someone starting in events?

I genuinely believe that experiential holds some of the best opportunities in the creative industries. There are so many possibilities, and you don’t need to follow a fixed, linear career path – you just need to be open and curious about where your experience could take you. You’ve probably never heard of many of the roles you could take on!

What career goals do you have and where do you see yourself heading? For example, is there an event that you would love to work on but haven’t?

In the next ten years, my goal is to build more routes into our industry for the next generation of creative talent. We work in a fast-evolving space, and opening it up to more creatives and their perspectives will keep its potential growing.

We’ll be launching some special initiatives soon, for People’s ten-year anniversary. I’m excited to share that we’re working with D&AD to create the first masterclass that aims to equip new talent with the knowledge and skills to enter the experiential world. Creatives will be guided through our process, given challenges along the way, and have the chance to share their work with us at the end. Our team is really passionate about making it easy for new creatives to learn about what we do, and I can’t wait to see what this project sparks.

Nominate your #EventProf of the week or sponsor an #EventProf and align your brand with the best in the industry by emailing marketing@standoutmagazine.co.uk