TRAVELLING PERSONAL ASSISTANT AND LIFESTYLE MANAGER
True right hand executive assistant with over 10 years of experience supporting global interests and delivering seamless personal and business support for international clients and high-profile individuals. Highly committed to confidentiality and service quality, identifying and addressing client needs while ensuring timely completion of duties within fast-paced platforms. Skilfully forge and cultivate productive relationships within global, multicultural environments.
Demonstrated loyalty and talent in executive gate-keeping, providing strict diary management and implementation of best practices to surpass executive goals. Extremely flexible and able to quickly assess and act within dynamic, highly stressful environments. Finger on the pulse, reputable for innovative development of operational solutions, resources allocation, and formulation of cost-effective plans in alignment with strict requirements / deadlines. Areas of expertise include:
Stakeholder Engagement • Collaborating and Partnering • Confidential Document Management
Extensive International Travel • Travel Management • Lifestyle Management • Project Management • Event Management
Accounting, Invoice, Purchase Order • Contractor / Vendor Management • Board Level Presentations • Innovation & Creativity
Strong International & Multicultural Understanding
PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Thuwal, Saudi Arabia • 2015-Present
International graduate university with 2, 000 employees.
Executive Secretary to Vice President
Lead on key large-scale events, menu planning and guest relations. Property / household administration and inventory control in addition to household staff recruitment and villa maintenance management. Provide strategic diary management as well as international / domestic travel planning and logistics. Email and correspondence management, including proofreading, sensitive / confidential communications. Provide meeting minutes, agendas and guest relations.
• Launched human resources website. Designed / content in coordination with designers and writers. Assess and update content as needed.
• Optimised recruitment through design of creative advertisements for international job boards.
• Proof read /edit quarterly personnel and community reports before presenting to Vice President.
• Received company award for excellence.
• Developed in house training and development programme for ten executive secretaries.
• Organise events for VIP dignitaries
CLOSE BROTHERS ASSET MANAGEMENT
London, United Kingdom • 2013-2015
Leading merchant banking group with 3, 000 employees.
Executive Business/Private Assistant to Chief Investment Officer
Directed day-to-day with detailed agendas, itineraries, research notes, client biography’s to ensure thorough preparation for all domestic and international meetings and events, board / committee appointments and PR appearances. Planned multicity business schedules, cultivated key stakeholder relations and handled all aspects of transportation and logistics. Delivered private assistance in family social calendar and events, including dinner reservations, entertainment, children’s activities, and household operations in collaboration with cross-functional personnel. Researched and maintained up-to-date information relating to current market trends. Managed the on boarding process for new hires.
• Managed eight to ten interns in Next Generation programme to ensure high levels of productivity and efficiency.
• Recruited support staff.
• Prepared high-impact client presentations and procured external speakers for quarterly Policy Committee meetings.
• Orchestrated volunteer philanthropic activities and Princeton Alumni events in addition to highly successful corporate events and private parties.
• Planned photo shoots, TV, radio, public relation engagements.
LEONA EVANS • Page 2 • 00966 (0) 544. 700. 645 • Lo. evans@yahoo. co. uk
BARCLAYS INVESTMENT BANK
London, United Kingdom • 2009-2013
Multinational financial institution with over 20, 000 employees.
Executive Assistant to Co-Head of Equities Technology
Extensive diary and complex multicity travel management/ itineraries / logistics planning, video conference organization across multiple time zones. Gatekeeper and linchpin of business and private communications. Managed contact list database, literature for meetings. Documented minutes and ensured completion of meeting actions by management team.
• Corporate event planning encompassing team building programmes, client events and department social events and town halls across multiple international locations.
Temporary Personal Assistant (Barclays, Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank, 2008-2009)
Provided diverse personal assistance to Vice Chairman, multiple managing directors, and Global Heads. Completed diary and correspondence management, meeting planning, expense reconciliations, document administration. Planned domestic and international travel itineraries.
VISA EMEA, London, United Kingdom • 2006-2007
Electronic payment services provider to global cardholders, businesses, and retailers.
Personal Assistant to Assistant Vice President
Complex diary and correspondence management in addition to overseas travel planning. Led purchase order and invoice management as well as contractor / vendor payments with a strong focus on accuracy and timeliness. Organised and scheduled meetings, lunches, and client relations events.
• Orchestrated New Age Discrimination Act training for all 300 London based employees.
• Coordinated monthly awards for excellence and handled all aspects of gift procurement.
• Managed vendor and consultant purchase orders.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Project Management Fundamentals (PMI) • 2017
Fundamentals of Project Management
Global PA Training Academy (ILM) • 2016
• Effective Intercultural Communication Skills.
• Emotional Intelligence and knowing yourself.
• Managing conflict.
• Political intelligence and navigating organisational politics.
• Effective communication, including skills in assertiveness and influencing.
• Building a professional reputation.
• Building relationships.
Quest Business Training • 2008-2009
• MS Office (Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel)
• PR, Advertising, Finance, Event, Project and Business Management
• Chartered Institute in Marketing (CIM)
• Secretarial Management Skills
• English for Business Communication
• ILM First Line Management Level 3
Westminster Kingsway College • 2002-2003
• Access to Humanities and Social Sciences (Psychology, Sociology, English Legal System)
Mount Carmel Technology School • 1994-1999
• GCSE’s: Art, English Literature / Language, Maths, Science
INTERESTS
International travel. Volunteer charity work, organizing work fair events for YMCA residents. Events have included motivational speakers, CV workshops, interviews, and job application assistance. Organizing corporate & special occasion VIP events.
Leona Evans
Bio
Having successfully provided top level support for international and high net worth executives, I have had the opportunity to work in rapidly growing, entrepreneurial environments that have provided great challenges and ever changing opportunities.
My ability to anticipate what will happen before it happens and step in to that situation to create an environment that is smooth and without interruptions is a major factor in my successful career to date.
I coordinate and manage a number of VIP internal monthly and quarterly events in conjunction with numerous international board appointments whilst balancing the Principles personal and family commitments accordingly and being aware of the typical day to day schedule and obligations.
The successful outcomes of these events have also been dependent on liaising with a number of key stakeholders through multiple locations internationally to ensure attendance and logistics.
Currently in search of a role that presents an opportunity to utilize my experience gained from working alongside influential business leaders, and continue to operate successfully within an international capacity.
I succeed in complex and fast paced establishments managing multiple and competing priorities.
In addition, I can contribute international experience having worked in London and Saudi Arabia as well as having collaborated with stakeholders, board members and internal staff across the APAC region, U. S. A and Europe, in order to contribute to the vision and goals of the establishment.
I have extensive experience in organizing PR and media requests to ensure the best public image and representation for executives. I think on my feet, work efficiently as part of a team and independently, and remain calm and composed to ensure my principle can focus on critical business and personal matters. I achieve this through strategic diary planning to optimize travel and lifestyle, household operations and multiple projects.
I encourage the workflow by using judgement, tact and diplomacy and display high levels of emotional intelligence, confidentiality and discretion when dealing with individuals from diverse professional and cultural backgrounds.
Finally, being free of attachments allows me to be flexible and focus on my career.
