Pritesh Mawdia · Event technology leader, speaker & mentor

I’ve worked in event and association technology since 2006. My first day at Shocklogic was a trip to Stockholm to learn every application and its limits. Since then I’ve supported clients across Asia, Africa, Europe, the UK and North America. I spent six years as Technical Support Manager and Account Manager at Appxcel, then returned to Shocklogic in 2018 as Head of Technical Support & Development.

Today I lead the company’s technical strategy, infrastructure and development across more than 12 products for the events industry. My team is spread around the world. I recruit and mentor them, make sure each person has their own growth plan, and still go onsite when big events need support.

A lot of my work happens out of sight. Data that needs replacing the night before doors open. Badges that need printing on demand. An integration that has to just work when five hundred delegates arrive at once. When it goes well, nobody notices the technology. They notice that they were looked after.

That’s the part I care about. Skills can be learned, but human growth is more than professional skills. It’s self-confidence, being kinder than necessary, grit, curiosity, self-awareness, empathy and integrity. It’s also knowing that something isn’t communicated when it’s said, only when the person receiving it understands it. Those are the qualities I try to bring to my work and my life.

Outside work, I give my time where it helps. From 2014 to 2018 I was Assistant Treasurer for SSPC UK in Southall. I helped introduce online and contactless payments there, and ran free lessons teaching older members to use Facebook, Skype, WhatsApp and Viber. The last few years have been a time of reflection for me. Running, walking and reading about growth and awareness have made me a more patient leader and a more present person.