In the latest of our ‘Bright Sparks’, we introduce whizz with numbers, Accounts Assistant Emma Varga.
Meet Emma Varga
How long have you worked in finance, Emma?
For 28 years in total, and less than a year for Bien Venue. I can’t imagine doing anything else – I love the certainty of numbers and looking for/uncovering something that isn’t right.
Tell us a bit about your role at BV.
I process supplier invoices, deal with finance queries, and pay suppliers. And I happily take on any other finance-related tasks needed for clients’ meetings and events!
So as someone new to the industry, tell us what is unique about working in events, from your perspective.
There are some very strange acronyms. I’m not sure I’ll ever actually learn them all, but I’m getting there.
What’s the thing that surprises you most about the events industry that you didn’t know before joining BV?
So much work goes on in the background before an event. I had no idea! From hotel room lists and room drops, to crew snacks, event budgets, and packing the essentials for a first aid kit.
It’s eye-opening, and I’ll never underestimate someone who tells me they work in events. You have to be a particular type of person to be that organised and focussed.
Tell about life outside of the BV family
Can you share a little about your hobbies?
I love hiking, and trying to train our rescue dog, Rosie.
Rosie came to us as a one-night foster, but they never came back for her, so we kept her. She came with lots of baggage but is slowly becoming more confident and learning that not all humans and dogs are nasty. I can’t wait to take her hiking!
I enjoy gardening, reading and going to the cinema, too.
And what’s your perfect way to spend a weekend?
Definitely hiking by the sea in the sunshine, and a few drinks in a bar before going out for dinner. Bliss!
How about your favourite holiday destination?
Positano! It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve visited. The setting on the Amalfi coast is spectacular. And the weather – when we were there – was gorgeous. The town starts at sea level but on the side of a steep hill, so it’s a comfy shoe destination. The food choices were incredible – simple but delicious.
I also spent two months on a camper van trip in mainland Europe, which was breath-taking. The trip started with the Eurostar into France, then continued through Belgium, Germany, Austria and Hungary – and back again. It was an extremely long trip! The dog in the picture is our old dog, Roux.
What is your favourite hotel you’ve ever stayed in?
The Palazzo Murat in Positano is stunning – it’s set in an elegant 18th-century building, surrounded by landscaped gardens.
And the service is impeccable! We turned up to check our booking was ok a few days before our stay (we were staying in Amalfi Town before moving to the Palazzo Murat.)
Unfortunately, we had just completed a long dusty walk in the hills and looked like a couple who had been ‘dragged through a hedge backwards’. Yet the staff were lovely and didn’t question whether we were legit customers and not just chancing our arm!
Go to dish to cook:
Fish pie. I could eat a well-made one every day of the week.
Edit: Emma’s been promoted! As of November 2023, she is our Finance Manager. Congratulations, Emma.
So now you know a little about Emma Varga, are you ready to let her colleagues – our team of Bien Venue experts help you source the perfect venue, and plan jaw-dropping events? Drop us an email at sales@bvevents.co.uk
You can also make a start yourself by using our Free Venue Finding Tool to explore the various options for your next corporate event.
Bien Venue is a boutique creative agency that specialises in a free UK venue finding service. It’s not just workshops, training, conferences, or off-site meetings we can arrange and venue search for but also away days, residential training events, awards ceremonies, networking, roadshows, hybrid events, summer parties, Christmas celebrations, private dining, team building, incentives, employee engagement hampers as well as virtual activities. We also offer accommodation booking platforms for both corporate bookers and event-specific allocations of bedrooms.
What does Event Management mean to us?
We see event management as any part of the planning process from conception to delivery, it’s not just the onsite event management we specialise in but also the pre-planning and logistics plus post event. Our flexible approach means you can pick and choose which of our services you would like to use or just use our free UK venue finding service.