Director Julie Watterston has over 20 years’ experience in the meetings industry specialising in representation, lead generation and marketing for conference industry suppliers identifying new opportunities for international business.
Julie is an active member of ICCA and has lectured at their research and data workshops including the ICCA Research, Sales & Marketing Programme (formerly known as the ICCRM).
Since establishing the company in 1990, Julie has worked with a wide variety of conference and convention industry suppliers. These include convention and visitor bureaux, convention centres, hotels, industry and marketing consortia and academic venues, often handling multi-client projects at any one time. Julie employs her staff on projects to suit their individual skills and at all times overseeing their activity and acts as the main Account Director on our key accounts.
Comprehensive Conference & Convention Database
Through our combined efforts in convention related research, Watterston Associates has developed a unique, comprehensive and up to date database on conference venues, locations, people and specialisms. This database is a most valuable asset and is utilised exclusively and extensively on behalf of our clients allowing us to provide targeted and highly qualified sales leads and invitation lists for corporate hospitality functions.
Conference & Convention Industry Research & Marketing Consultants. Working with Convention & Visitor Bureaux, Convention Centres, International Associations, Destinations & Academic Venues. Extensive Conference & Convention Research Database.
The Watterston Associates Team
Watterston Associates has a very strong team, highly skilled and experienced in convention / conference research and marketing.
Julie Watterston, Director – was originally employed as International Association Researcher at the Barbican Conference Centre in London and has over 20 years experience in the meetings industry specialising in representation, research and marketing for conference industry suppliers as well as a journalistic background. Julie is an active member of ICCA and has regularly lectured at their research and data workshops as well as being a sponsor for the ICCA Congress and General Assembly. Since establishing the company in 1990, Julie has worked for a wide variety of suppliers including convention and visitor bureaux, convention centres, hotels, industry and marketing consortia and academic venues, often handling multi-client projects at any one time. She has also run the Secretariats of several industry alliances including INCON Ltd (International Conference Network of Professional Conference Organisers), Congress London and Conference Guernsey. Julie employs her staff on projects to suit their individual skills, at all times personally managing our main client accounts.
Mary Lewsey (Office Manager / Researcher) – 19 years’ employment with JWA. Mary is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the office and preliminary research activity using the ICCA database and the internet.
Michelle Hedges (Account Manager/Marketing Executive) – 13 years with JWA. Michelle works on telemarketing projects, has assisted the company in representing clients at trade shows and exhibitions and has accompanied buyers on familiarisation visits.
Djenaba Baker (Marketing Executive) – Djenaba started working for JWA in May 2007 and is a native French speaker. She has been solely responsible for a major cleansing project of a French database of meeting planners as well as researching international association leads for one of our French clients.
Janet Rossiter (Marketing Executive) – Janet previously worked for JWA six years ago and has recently returned to the company. Since coming back in January 2010, Janet has been responsible for a European Roadshow in Paris and Geneva, has been working on telemarketing and research projects and assisting with client hospitality functions.
Carol Pelzers (Marketing Executive) – Carol used to work for the Maastricht Exhibition and Convention Centre (MECC) in The Netherlands as Sales and Research Manager. She lives in Holland and works on ad-hoc projects for Watterston Associates. Carol is Dutch and also speaks fluent German.
Between the company staff there is a working knowledge o fFrench, German, Italian, Dutch and Spanish.
